Building & Zoning Committee

“Where People Count” Community Development 1000 Civic Center Drive, Niles, Illinois 60714 Mayor Telephone (847) 588-8040 ● Fax (847) 588-8050 ● TDD (847) 588-8059 Robert M. Callero Trustees August 2, 2011 Chris Hanusiak James T. Hynes Joe LoVerde Building and Zoning Committee Meeting 8:30 a.m. Rosemary R. Palicki Louella B. Preston In Attendance: Andrew Przybylo Robert M. Callero – Mayor George Van Geem – Village Manager Village Manager Steve Vinezeano – Assistant Village Manager George R. Van Geem Andrew Przybylo – Village Trustee Village Clerk Chuck Ostman – Community Development Director Marlene J. Victorine Rich Wlodarski – Community Development Assistant Director ______________ Mary Ann Starzynski – Recording Community Absent: Development Joe Annunzio – Village Attorney Director Charles Ostman Tom Kanelos – Planning & Zoning Committee Clayton Jirak - Intern Meeting called to order at 8:35 a.m. by Andrew Przybylo. Approval of Minutes: No quorum therefore minutes from last meeting not approved. Chuck Ostman stated that the next Comprehensive Plan Sub-Committee is scheduled for August 30, 2011 at 6 p.m. It was noted that a complete draft of the Niles 2030 Comprehensive Plan will be available at that time. Andrew Przybylo asked if the analysis in the preliminary draft was plan specific. He asked if talking about the retail market and maintaining stores what are they saying they are going to do about that goal. Steve Vinezeano stated that Economic Development will be part of that. Chuck stated that they will be going into more depth. They started with corridors and identified areas that are key for redevelopment, problem areas. Andrew Przybylo stated so they will be talking specifically to corridors, talk to the objective of keeping stores. CO responded Meier was highlighted as to what is the issue with that shopping center and what can be done to keep the shopping center viable. Keep retail vibrant. Andrew Przybylo responded so in terms of keeping stores we can promote modernization, facades and traffic. What else can the village do? Steve Vinezeano responded improve and beautifying as in the expansive parking lots, clean them up, improve the look with perhaps trees, islands, grass. Andrew Przybylo responded so this is designed to be objective specific. Steve Vinezeano stated that our population is different, need to keep housing alive - single family, senior affordable housing, making sure that people who live here and want to continue to live here but can’t afford a larger home will be talked about. Making sure that the consultant is addressing all these needs and not just touching upon things that don’t make sense. Right now the consultant has tapped the corridor specific and existing condition and www.vniles.com vision. They will be tackling a lot more at the next sub committee meeting. Chuck responded that they have just barely touched Milwaukee Avenue , they are proposing parallel parking along Milwaukee but Chuck told them it would be taking away 1/3 of the parking, need to come up with a plan a goal to recapture all those parking spaces as we are short on parking already. They will be going into details and whether or not we agree with their objectives or not are yet to be seen. The next go around will be much more in depth in detail. Mayor Callero responded the consultant told us we don’t have enough restaurants, car dealerships or gas stations. How do we promote restaurants and car dealerships? How do we increase our day time population to visit those types of businesses? We have to build traffic. Chuck responded that he has done some research and that in other communities they have incentive programs. Mayor responded though that 75% of new restaurants are statistically proven to fail in the first year. Steve Vinezeano stated that what is important is that August 30, 2011 6 p.m. is the next sub-committee meeting and then trying for September 13, 2011 as the next public presentation which would be set up as a station arrangement for the public to see. Would like this announced in the newsletter so that there would be a good turn out of several hundred attendees. Chuck asked if the trustees would need anything different on the Comprehensive Plan. Andrew Przybylo responded just keep them informed. He then asked what kind of hit the web site is getting. Steve Vinezeano responded he will verify that with the consultants. Zoning items were discussed next. Chuck stated that Joe Annunzio brought it to his attention that he wanted to amend the zoning code to give all the authority on variations and special uses. Andrew Przybylo responded everything should go before the county board for variations. Sub divisions or map amendments are voted on, any time there is a zoning change, the trustees must approve vote on it. Mayor Callero responded that the system works well now with all variations going before the Zoning Committee, before the trustees. Andrew Przybylo responded that he would not change the ordinance at this time. Donation boxes were discussed. Chuck stated that they are not permitted. Some are strictly for profit and then there are not for profit boxes. Should these be regulated? Prohibited? Mayor Callero asked if there is abuse right now. Chuck responded that a lot have been kicked out of town as they are strictly for profit. Andrew Przybylo said they should all be regulated, not against them, but the criteria should be truly NOT FOR PROFIT, must be maintained and should be buffered by residential areas. These are made to be seen but can be unsightly. Mayor Callero stated that it must be differentiated as to for profit and not for profit. Physical Therapy businesses and zoning. Should physical therapy be allowed in M district where office buildings are? Right now we do not allow Physical Therapy in M districts. Would we like to amend to allow Physical Therapy to go into the office buildings? Right now it is not permitted in M district, not a special use, just not allowed. It is a special use in the B district. Andrew Przybylo responded yes allow it. Cell Equipment is not allowed in R district. Joe Annunzio is drafting to allow it in R district. Andrew Przybylo thought you couldn’t restrict cell equipment. Steve Vinezeano stated our telecommunications expert would have said something if it was not allowed to restrict. Rich Wlodarski responded the main reason was so they didn’t go on top of condo buildings. Pawn Shops now are only permitted as taking loans on precious metals. Does the village want to allow taking loans on everything? Andrew Przybylo responded special use application necessary. Not in favor of everything would need restrictions. Would definitely require a buzz in and buzz out door security. Asked if the Village could restrict the amount of pawn shops, to limit how many would be located in a specific area. George Van Geem stated he would not like it as a permitted business. 2 Andrew Przybylo said allow it with a special use application and a lot of restrictions. Chuck will do research and present more details at the next meeting. Andrew Przybylo asked what the difference is between a pawn shop and a resale shop. Chuck responded a pawn shop gives loans and a resale shop buys and sells and does not give loans. It was also noted that Pay Day Loan businesses are a special use. Andrew Przybylo felt it should be brought to trustees for a vote. Tattoo Parlors are currently not allowed in the Village. Do we want to allow them? There are many different types of tattoos, some permanent, some not, some require skin piercing some do not. Research will be done as to the different types of services and then decide how to regulate. Temporary outdoor vendors as in selling Cubs, Sox, etc memorabilia on street corners by gas stations. Currently temporary vendors are not allowed on street corners. Only allowed when it is associated with a store at the stores location. Lovers Lane stores should they be allowed in the Village. These are businesses that sell adult themed items. Lovers Lane is moving into other communities and getting around zoning codes. George Van Geem stated that he felt this business was not a threat to the neighborhood. Steve Vinezeano asked if the Village could regulate what was displayed in the windows. Chuck Ostman will do research on this business before the next meeting. Used car dealerships in M district? Would that be a problem? Currently it is a special use application in any district and it is recommended inside storage so it doesn’t look like a used car lot. George Van Geem asked if there could be controls over the size and amount of cars which would be visible if this was an outside display. Chuck asked M district or B district restrictions. Andrew Przybylo said somewhat restrictive in B district as they abut R district. Catering now only allowed in B2 district. Would like to include B1 district. Andrew Przybylo asked if this was a storefront business. Would there be ongoing process of trucks doing daily pickups or home catering where people come and pick up food. Also would there be loading docks in the back or would this take place from the front of the business? If this was allowed in every strip center that would be too much traffic, parking problems. Chuck stated there is really no rhyme or reason as to what distinguished a B1 or B2 district. Andrew Przybylo felt there would be a potential for problems. Rich Wlodarski asked if it should be made a special use to avoid potential problems within strip centers. Chuck Ostman stated that perhaps catering should be made special use in all districts. Andrew Przybylo responded yes. Truck/Car washes in the M District. Currently only permitted in B district as a special use application. Rich Wlodarski stated that the business takes place within a building for the most part. Mayor Callero stated allow in M district but with a special use application required. Temporary Banners are allowed 4 times a year. Some restaurants are wanting more than that amount for occasions such as Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Holidays, etc. Mayor Callero stated that we went through all this when we redid the sign code. Chuck responded yes and that they can be up for a maximum of 30 days with a free span in between each allowed time. This is less restrictive then the previous sign code which only allowed 1 time a year. Mayor felt the new sign code is more than what they had previously and is fine as is. Chuck will compile complaints; the chamber of commerce has some of the complaints, and present to the board. Andrew Przybylo asked when everyone would like to meet again. Next meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. Meeting adjourned at 9:40 a.m. 3