Planning & Zoning Board

December 8, 2015 WHEATON PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL VOTE Chair Schwarze called the December 8, 2015 Wheaton Planning and Zoning Board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Wheaton City Hall, 303 W. Wesley Street. Upon roll call, the following were: Roll Call Vote Present: Chris Derrick Bob Gudmundson Robert McDonough Mark Plunkett Patricia Schwarze Scott Weller Absent: Linda Johnson City Staff Present: Tracy Jones, Staff Planner II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - NOVEMBER 10, 2015 The minutes were approved as presented. III. PUBLIC COMMENT There was none. IV. NEW BUSINESS ZA #15-23/ TEXT AMENDMENT, REZONING, SPECIAL USE PERMIT & VARIATION/ 214 AND 220 EAST COLE AVENUE/ EP DOYLE & SONS Pursuant to notice duly published on November 20, 2015 and letters mailed to neighboring property owners on November 18, 2015, Chair Schwarze called to order the December 8, 2015 public hearing requesting a text amendment to Article 22.2.6 of the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance, rezoning from the R-3 Residential District to the O-R Office Research District and approval of a special use permit to allow the construction and use of a parking lot (following the demolition of the existing residences) on the property located at 214 and 220 East Cole Avenue. The application is further requesting a variation to Article 6.6.2b.1a of the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance to allow an east interior side yard landscape setback of 12.66 feet in lieu of the required 15.0 feet. The parking lot will serve the Wheaton Eye Clinic. Russ Wennerstrom, 1100 Wheaton Oaks Court, Wheaton was sworn in. Mr. Wennerstrom stated that he was the project manager working on the proposed parking lot. He added that he is requesting approval to construct a parking lot with 32 spaces on the subject property for the Wheaton Eye Clinic. The parking lot would have one full access drive onto Cole Avenue. The parking lot would be a dedicated employee only parking lot and would help alleviate congestion within the existing Wheaton Eye Clinic parking area. The parking lot would have a front yard landscape setback of 15.0 feet, an east interior side yard landscape setback of 12.66 feet, a rear yard landscape setback of 198.0 feet and a west interior side yard landscape setback of 13.01 feet. Mr. Wennerstrom addressed the special use and variation standards as required by the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance. He stated that the proposed parking lot would not be detrimental to the public health, safety, morals, comfort, convenience or general welfare of the neighboring property owners. He added that the proposed parking lot would be an improvement over the existing single-family structures, which are in poor condition.  Wheaton Planning and Zoning Board December 8, 2015 Page - 2 - of 3 Randy Bus, 2280 White Oak Circle, Aurora was sworn in. Mr. Bus stated that he was the civil engineer working on the project. He added that a landscape plan has been submitted that includes a mix of trees, shrubs, perennial flowers, ornamental grasses and ground cover on the front and interior sides of the parking lot. The landscape plan shows the removal of several existing trees on the property. Since the property is located in the floodplain, a best management practices (BMP) plan has also been submitted that includes a buffer enhancement area at the northwest corner of the parking lot and a compensatory storage area on the rear of the property. Staff Planner Jones stated that the proposed text amendment would add property zoned in the O-R Office Research District to the other zoning districts which allow parking to be located on a separate lot within 300 feet of the building or use served upon the granting of a special use permit. Michael Stange, 1831 Carlson Lane, Wheaton was sworn in. Mr. Stange stated that he was an adjacent property owner. He added that he would welcome the demolition of the existing homes and the construction of the new parking lot. He added that the Wheaton Eye Clinic is a good neighbor and that they maintain their property nicely. Mr. Plunkett questioned how many employees the Wheaton Eye Clinic has on staff. David Dapp, 2015 North Main Street, Wheaton was sworn in. Mr. Dapp stated that he was the administrator for the Wheaton Eye Clinic and that they currently have 184 employees on staff. Mr. Gudmundson moved and then Mr. Weller seconded the motion to close the public hearing. On a voice vote, all voted aye. The Board decided to vote this evening. Mr. McDonough moved and then Mr. Weller seconded the motion to approve the text amendment component of ZA #15-23 as presented. Roll Call Vote Ayes: Chris Derrick Bob Gudmundson Robert McDonough Mark Plunkett Patricia Schwarze Scott Weller Nays: None Absent: Linda Johnson Motion Passed Unanimously Mr. Gudmundson moved and then Mr. Plunkett seconded the motion to approve the rezoning, special use and variation components of ZA #15-23, subject to the following conditions: 1. A new parkway tree shall be installed on the west side of the full access drive onto Cole Avenue in conformance with the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance; and 2. The applicant shall provide for City Council approval a plat of resubdivision that consolidates the two parcels to one parcel under single ownership.  Wheaton Planning and Zoning Board December 8, 2015 Page - 3 - of 3 Roll Call Vote Ayes: Chris Derrick Bob Gudmundson Robert McDonough Mark Plunkett Patricia Schwarze Scott Weller Nays: None Absent: Linda Johnson Motion Passed Unanimously V. MISCELLANEOUS After ten years of service to the City, Chair Schwarze stated that she was resigning from the Board and this was her last meeting. The other board members and city staff thanked Chair Schwarze for her service and wished her well. VI. ADJOURNMENT Mr. Gudmundson moved and then Mr. Derrick seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 p.m. On a voice vote, all voted aye. Respectfully submitted, Tracy L. Jones, Staff Planner