Plan Commission

Draft Plan Commission Meeting Minutes Date: April 15, 2021 A motion was made by Commissioner Franklin and seconded by Commissioner Burman to approve the minutes of the April 1, 2021 Plan Commission meeting. The chairman read the following statement into the record. Until further notice, meetings of the Skokie Plan Commission will be electronically, with a majority of members participating via remote access in order to comply with the State of Illinois Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation. Members of the public who wish to comment as to an item on the published legal notice must submit their statement or question in writing to Steve Marciani at steve.marciani@skokie.org and all properly submitted statements or questions will be presented and read during the relevant portion of the meeting. Written comments also may be submitted by email to citizencomments@skokie.org ; by mail to Village of Skokie, Attn: Matt Brandmeyer, Ex Officio Plan Commissioner, 5127 Oakton Street, Skokie, IL 60077; or via the Village’s drop box (no later than noon the day of the meeting) located by the public entry to Village Hall. The chairman called the roll to confirm a quorum. All commissioners were present. Case Description: 2021-09P – Zoning Map Amendment: 9016 Gross Point Road Ahron Wulkan, on behalf of Luigi Randazzo, is requesting a zoning map amendment to rezone 9016 Gross Point Road (commonly known as 9008-9018 Gross Point Road) from M2 Light Industry to B2 Commercial. PIN: 10-16-410-031-0000 Discussion and Interested Parties Legal notice was advertised, posted, and delivered to property owners in the area as prescribed by the Zoning Chapter. Corporation Counsel determined that notice was proper and correct. Tim Hauge and Luigi Randazzo, of Keystone Planning + Design presented the case. They are proposing a re-development of the ½-acre site of 4 older, single-family homes which are adjacent to the Public Works facility and Fire Department Station 18. The new development will be a 1-story, 4,700 sq. ft. commercial building for a dental clinic. Thirty off-street parking spaces will be provided. Staff requested that the staff report be submitted into the record as presented. The residential use of the property has been non-conforming for a long time. Historically, the subject site was zoned G Light Industry in 1946 and changed to the current M2 by 1956. The proposed use is equally suited for M2 as well as B2 zoning. It is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan for commercial and service employment uses. In 2007, the same 586704 Plan Commission meeting minutes for Case 2021-09P on 4-15-2021 change from M2 to B2 was made for the property to the south at 8930 and 8950 Gross Point Road. A commissioner asked if it was customary to notify the non-conforming homes of a zoning change. Staff responded that all 4 homes are rentals occupying a single lot. Notice was sent to the taxpayer of record as well as to each renter. There were no public comments regarding the case. There were no further questions from the commission and the petitioners had nothing more to add. Recommendations and Voting A motion was made to approve the request for a zoning map amendment to rezone 9016 Gross Point Road (commonly known as 9008-9018 Gross Point Road) from M2 to B2. Motion: Mathee Second: Mitchell Ayes: 9 Nays: 0 586704 Plan Commission meeting minutes for Case 2021-09P on 4-15-2021  Plan Commission Meeting Minutes Date: April 15, 2021 A motion was made by Commissioner Franklin and seconded by Commissioner Burman to approve the minutes of the April 1, 2021 Plan Commission meeting. The chairman read the following statement into the record. Until further notice, meetings of the Skokie Plan Commission will be electronically, with a majority of members participating via remote access in order to comply with the State of Illinois Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation. Members of the public who wish to comment as to an item on the published legal notice must submit their statement or question in writing to Steve Marciani at steve.marciani@skokie.org and all properly submitted statements or questions will be presented and read during the relevant portion of the meeting. Written comments also may be submitted by email to citizencomments@skokie.org ; by mail to Village of Skokie, Attn: Matt Brandmeyer, Ex Officio Plan Commissioner, 5127 Oakton Street, Skokie, IL 60077; or via the Village’s drop box (no later than noon the day of the meeting) located by the public entry to Village Hall. The chairman called the roll to confirm a quorum. All commissioners were present. Case Description: 2021-10P – Zoning Map Amendment: alley adjacent to 9925 Kedvale Avenue The Village of Skokie is requesting a zoning map amendment to rezone the southeastern half of an alley to be vacated adjacent to 9925 Kedvale Avenue from R1 Single-Family to B2 Commercial. Discussion and Interested Parties Legal notice was advertised, posted, and delivered to property owners in the area as prescribed by the Zoning Chapter. Corporation Counsel determined that notice was proper and correct. Staff requested that the report be submitted into the record as presented. This is a follow- up case, a technical amendment, from the proposed alley vacation case recently approved for an event space at 9965 Gross Point Road (Case 2021-01P). The alley proposed to be vacated currently partially abuts 9925 Kedvale Avenue; a small portion which is zoned R1. The B2 property to the north will acquire all of the alley after the vacation. The R1 portion must be rezoned to B2 so that it can be merged with the rest of the commercial property and become a new single lot There were no public comments regarding the case. There were no questions from the commission. 586704 Plan Commission meeting minutes for Case 2021-10P on 4-15-2021 Recommendations and Voting A motion was made to approve the request for a zoning map amendment to rezone the southeastern half of an alley to be vacated adjacent to 9925 Kedvale Avenue from R1 Single-Family to B2 Commercial. Motion: Robinson Second: Burman Ayes: 9 Nays: 0 586704 Plan Commission meeting minutes for Case 2021-10P on 4-15-2021  Draft Plan Commission Meeting Minutes Date: April 15, 2021 A motion was made by Commissioner Franklin and seconded by Commissioner Burman to approve the minutes of the April 1, 2021 Plan Commission meeting. The chairman read the following statement into the record. Until further notice, meetings of the Skokie Plan Commission will be electronically, with a majority of members participating via remote access in order to comply with the State of Illinois Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation. Members of the public who wish to comment as to an item on the published legal notice must submit their statement or question in writing to Steve Marciani at steve.marciani@skokie.org and all properly submitted statements or questions will be presented and read during the relevant portion of the meeting. Written comments also may be submitted by email to citizencomments@skokie.org ; by mail to Village of Skokie, Attn: Matt Brandmeyer, Ex Officio Plan Commissioner, 5127 Oakton Street, Skokie, IL 60077; or via the Village’s drop box (no later than noon the day of the meeting) located by the public entry to Village Hall. The chairman called the roll to confirm a quorum. All commissioners were present. Case Descriptions: 2021-11P – Special Use Permit: 3654 Touhy Avenue CH Retail Fund 1/Chicago Touhy Marketplace, LLC, on behalf of Chipotle Mexican Grill, is requesting a special use permit for a limited-service restaurant with a drive-through at 3654 Touhy Avenue in a B2 Commercial zoning district and relief from the Skokie Village Code from §82-28(b)(1)a. to allow three (3) signs not facing public streets frontage and to allow the tower feature sign, §82-22(b)(1) to allow signs to project above the physical dimensions of the canopy, and any other relief discovered during the review of this case. 2021-12P – Special Use Permit: 3654 Touhy Avenue CH Retail Fund/Chicago Touhy Marketplace, LLC, on behalf of Chipotle Mexican Grill, is requesting a special use permit for outdoor dining at a limited service restaurant with a drive-through at 3654 Touhy Avenue in a B2 Commercial zoning district and any other relief discovered during the review of this case. Discussion and Interested Parties Legal notice was advertised, posted, and delivered to property owners in the area as prescribed by the Zoning Chapter. Corporation Counsel determined that notice was proper and correct. As both cases were related, they were discussed together but voted on separately. Staff reports were written and presented by interns, Chris Masar and Taha Doha. 586712 Plan Commission meeting minutes for Case 2021-11P on 4-15-2021 Kristin Moan, architect for Chipotle, presented the cases. David Hanson, representing the landlord, was also in attendance. They are requesting a special use permit for the now vacant M Burger site to become a Chipotle limited service restaurant with a drive through component; they are just updating what is already on site. They are also requesting relief for 3 signs not facing public street frontage and to allow the tower sign to project above the canopy. Ms. Moan further explained the new drive-through concept for Chipotle. It is strictly a pick- up window. Orders are made first on-line or through an app. They believe that just having a pick-up window would expedite service by not having to order through a speaker box first. Twenty-three parking spaces will be provided which exceeds the requirement and the drive-through queue can accommodate 14 cars. The chairman asked about the hours of operation. They will be open at 10:45 AM to 10 PM. They will not be serving breakfast. Ms. Moan described a small addition to the west side of the building and therefore, the seating for the seasonal outdoor dining patio will be reduced to 18 seats and located further to the north. A commissioner asked how this pick-up window will operate and if there will be any confusion with patrons pulling up to the window to order. Ms. Moan stated this is a new Chipotle concept. There will be 2 spaces off to the side where people can pull over to place their order. When the order is ready, they can go back into the queue to pick up. It will take approximately 15-30 seconds to retrieve orders. Another commissioner commented that he has not seen this type of drive-through before. Ms. Moan replied that this is the new model for Chipotle and as leases come due this new drive-through will be implemented. Another commissioner inquired about a trash receptacle at the drive-through. Ms. Moan stated that if it is a requirement then it will be added. Staff noted that Condition #7 of 2021-11P staff report does list it as a recommended condition. Signage relief for 3 signs is recommended from the Village’s Sign Code because the property faces parking lots and other commercial tenants and has no street frontage. The front entrance is on the north side and needs additional signage to identify the use. It should be noted that the previous tenant was granted the same signage relief including the tower sign. Staff requested that reports be entered into the record as presented except for the following: as the landscaping for the site will not be changing, the current landscaping plan is still in effect and Condition #2 from the 2021-11P staff report should be stricken from the recommended conditions. Several commissioners complimented the interns for well-done reports and presentations. There were no public comments regarding the case. Recommendations and Voting 586712 Plan Commission meeting minutes for Case 2021-11P on 4-15-2021 Case 2021-11P – Special Use Permit A motion was made to approve the request as amended by staff for a limited service restaurant with a drive-through at 3654 Touhy Avenue with relief from the Skokie Village Sign Code to allow 3 signs not facing public street frontage and a tower sign that projects over the physical dimension of the canopy. Motion: Burman Second: Mathee Ayes: 9 Nays: 0 Case 2021-12P – Special Use Permit A motion was made to approve the request for outdoor dining at a limited service restaurant with a drive-through at 3654 Touhy Avenue. Motion: Mitchell Second: Franklin Ayes: 9 Nays: 0 The Plan Commission congratulated Commissioners Keith Robinson and Alison Pure-Slovin on their recent election to the Village Board as new Trustees. They thanked them for their service to the Commission and wished them Good Luck. They also thanked Trustee Karen Gray-Keeler for her service as liaison to the Plan Commission and to the Village. 586712 Plan Commission meeting minutes for Case 2021-11P on 4-15-2021