Committee of the Whole

Village of Brookfield Agenda Committee of the Whole Meeting Monday, August 23, 2021 @ 7:00 PM or Immediately Following Village Board Meeting Edward Barcal Hall 8820 Brookfield Avenue Brookfield, IL 60513 I. Roll Call II. REGULAR BUSINESS 1. Discussion Regarding a Sign Variation Request for 3700 Grand Boulevard (Brennan's Massage & Spa) Committee Item Memo-3700 Grand Sign Variation III. Public Comment IV. ADJOURNMENT Page 1 of 12  Committee Item Memo Meeting Date: August 23, 2021 Staff Contact: Kendra Kuehlem, Village Planner Department: Community Development Subject: Discussion Regarding a Sign Variation Request for 3700 Grand Boulevard (Brennan's Massage & Spa) Background Information: Applicant: Abby Brennan, Brennan Massage & Spa Request: Sign Variation to allow larger overall sign size A sign variance application was filed in conformance with applicable procedural requirements. Proper public notice was given in accordance with municipal and state requirements and a public hearing was held at the July 22 meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant is the owner of the property and business, Brennan Massage & Spa. Ms. Brennan is taking part in the Property Improvement Program (PIP) the Village is offering which incentivizes businesses located in a TIF district to update the facades of their properties. On June 28th, the Village Board approved Ms. Brennan’s PIP project application which includes painting the siding, porch, staining the porch deck, and cost of a new sign. Existing Conditions and Site Context The subject site, PIN 15-34-420-001-0000 is approximately 5,300 square feet and located in the Station Area 4a General Mix zoning district and Downtown TIF district. It is improved with a single-family home that has been converted to commercial use, and a detached garage. Site Location Page 2 of 12 Analysis The subject property currently has a monument sign, however that sign type is not permitted in the SA 4b district in the newly updated code. In the SA 4 zoning district, awning/canopy signs, nameplates for multi-family buildings, projecting signs, walls signs, and window signs are permitted. Because of the uniqueness of the subject property, many of the permitted sign types are not feasible. Staff interprets a sign that hangs from the porch of the structure to be a projecting sign. In this district the maximum size a projecting sign is allowed to be is seven square feet. Proposed sign type at allowable size of 7 sq. Proposed sign type at requested size of ft. 12.5 sq ft The applicant is proposing a sign that is 12.5 square feet and requesting a variance to do so. The smaller, allowable size of 7 makes it very hard to read the business name from the street. Page 3 of 12 In accordance section 42-202 of the Village Municipal Code, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall not recommend approval of, nor the Village Board grant a variance from the regulations of the Sign Code unless it makes the following four findings of fact based on the evidence provided. 1. The proposed variation will not be materially detrimental to other nearby property. An increase in size for projecting sign will remain entirely on subject property. 2. Notwithstanding the benefits, the property in question will suffer some demonstrable and irreversible hardship if made to conform to the strict letter of this chapter. The maximum allowable size for projecting signs would be very hard to see and read for this property. 3. The alleged hardship has not been created by anyone presently having a proprietary interest in the property. The hardship is due to conflict between the zoning and sign regulations for this zoning district, and the style and architecture of the building on this property. The structure was originally a single-family home now converted into a commercial use. Because of the gambrel roof and front porch, all permissible sign types and regulations for this district prove difficult. 4. The proposed variation is in harmony with the spirit and intent of this chapter. The proposed size of the sign will allow the business to communicate reasonably and identify their services with an orderly and effective display of advertising. Planning and Zoning Commission At the July 22, 2021 regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission, they unanimously recommended approval of this variance request. The draft minutes from that meeting are attached. Recommendation(s): Based on the foregoing analysis, prior to discussion from the Committee of the Whole, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval of the requested variance. Attachments: A. Applicant Request B. Proposed Sign C. Proposed Facade C. 07-22 PZC Minutes- draft Page 4 of 12  Attachment A Brennan Massage & Spa is requesting to upgrade and beautify our sign for the business. Currently our old sign style does not meet code and is not allowed to be replaced. We have been told by the Village to install window signs, an awning, a wall sign or a protruding sign. We have decided to try and make a protruding sign work for Brennan Massage & Spa. However, to successfully advertise out business we will need to request that the sign is allowed to be bigger than what is written in the code for a typical protruding sign in Brookfield. Please refer to applications for the details of this request. Page 5 of 12 Attachment B Page 6 of 12 Attachment C Page 7 of 12  8820 Brookfield Avenue • Brookfield, Illinois 60513-1688 (708) 485-7344 • FAX (708) 485-4971 www.brookfieldil.gov Planning and Zoning Commission Record of Minutes July 22, 2021 @ 7:00 PM Edward Barcal Hall Boardroom I. II. Call to Order 8820 Brookfield Avenue Brookfield, IL 60513 T Chairman Grund called the regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning commission to order at 7:00 PM. Roll Call III. Present: Absent: Others Present: F Commissioners Benjamin, Evans, Svoboda, and Chairman Grund Commissioners Miller, Straka and Weber Jennifer Hendricks, Village Board Liaison; Kendra Kuehlem, Village Planner Approval of Minutes Commissioner Evans made a motion to approve the meeting minutes, dated June 24, 2021. The IV. A motion was seconded by Commissioner Benjamin. AYES: Benjamin, Evans, Svoboda, Grund NAYS: None. Motion passed 4-0. Old Business None. V. R New Business Case No. 21-15 – Sign Variance for 3700 Grand Boulevard Commissioner Evans made a motion to open the public hearing for PZC case number 21-15. Commissioner Svoboda seconded the motion. AYES: Benjamin, Evans, Svoboda, Grund NAYS: None. D Motion passed 4-0. Kendra Kuehlem, Village Planner, summarized the staff report for the case. The applicant, Abby Brennan, owns the property, and business Brennan Massage and Spa. Ms. Brennan is applying for a variance to allow a larger size sign (12.5 sq. ft.) than currently permitted in the SA 4b zoning district (7 sq. ft.). Ms. Kuehlem explains that the structure on the subject property provides unique hardships because it is a single-family home converted to commercial use. Many of the permissible Page 8 of 12 Planning and Zoning Commission Record of Minutes Meeting: July 22, 2021 sign types allowed are not feasible for this structure. Additionally, the applicant believes that the allowable size would make it hard to read the business name on the sign. Commissioner Benjamin asked about the Property Improvement Program (PIP). Ms. Kuehlem explained more about the PIP grant and stated that there is available information on the Village website. Chairman Grund asks if the existing monument sign can stay on the property if the applicant wants. Ms. Kuehlem confirmed, the existing sign is now considered legal non-conforming. Routine maintenance can be done to the sign, but if it is destroyed or removed, a new sign will need to follow current regulations. T Commissioner Evans made a motion to close the public hearing for PZC case number 21-15. Commissioner Svoboda seconded the motion. AYES: Benjamin, Evans, Svoboda, Grund NAYS: None. Motion passed 4-0. Chairman Grund asked if the applicant or anyone from the public would like to speak. Hearing no F one step forward, commissioner discussion began. Commissioner Benjamin explained that he spoke with Ms. Kuehlem about the case earlier in the day as well as the applicant before the meeting. The applicant is interested in getting a completely new sign because the existing sign is about 20 years old so there isn’t a great way to maintain it and keep it looking nice and new. Comm. Benjamin added that this is a unique structure and that he is comfortable with the variance. A Commissioner Evans commented that we haven’t see any changes or updates to signage along Ogden Avenue since the new sign code was adopted. He appreciates the applicant’s request and changes to the property. Commissioner Svoboda agreed with other comments. Structures like this don’t take signage into consideration like traditional commercial buildings. He adds that the sign is harmonious to the structure and district. R Chairman Grund agrees with Comm. Svoboda and adds that the sign is very tastefully designed, and pleased that the applicant is interested in improving her property and community. He remembers when she first came to the Village for a special use permit to allow her business 14 years ago. Commissioner Benjamin made a motion to adopt the findings of fact of staff, as the findings of fact of the Planning and Zoning Commission and recommend approval of a sign variance to allow a projecting size of 12.5 square feet for the property located at 3700 Grand Boulevard. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Evans. D AYES: Benjamin, Evans, Svoboda, Grund NAYS: None. Motion passed 4-0. 2 Page 9 of 12 Planning and Zoning Commission Record of Minutes Meeting: July 22, 2021 Case No. 21-16– Text amendment- Vehicle Parking Credits and Reductions Commissioner Evans made a motion to open the public hearing for PZC case number 21-16. Commissioner Svoboda seconded the motion. AYES: Benjamin, Evans, Svoboda, Grund NAYS: None. Motion passed 4-0. Kendra Kuehlem, Village Planner, summarized the staff report for the case. In 2017, the Village went through a zoning modernization process and adopted new zoning regulations. This resulted in the Station Area District form-based zoning code for areas around the Metra stations, and added T regulations for parking, specifically parking credits and reductions. Under this regulation, developers have the option to reduce the amount of on-site vehicle parking spaces required for the development, if they provide motorcycle or scooter parking, car-share and bike-share parking spaces, or long-term bicycle spaces. Different members of the community have expressed concern about the vehicle reduction allowed from providing long-term bicycle parking, so the Village Board has directed staff to amend the regulation text and discuss with the Commission. Commissioner Evans asked if the development team from 8845 Burlington provided parking data at F the last Village Board meeting like the mentioned they would. Ms. Kuehlem responded that they did, however the examples provided where for Chicago neighborhoods and larger communities than Brookfield. Commissioner Evans asked if the recent developments in Brookfield have been around the 1:1 ratio of units and parking spaces. Ms. Kuehlem confirmed. Commissioner Evans explained that he asked staff about a specific multi-unit building in the Village and the number of resident vehicle parking stickers were registered to the property. A 9-unit building only had 4 vehicles registered to it. A Chairman Grund asked if staff looked into other parking regulations. Ms. Kuehlem responded that staff did research into other communities’ parking requirements for TOD areas and looked into recent development in the Village. Commissioner Benjamin commented that when board and commissions have too many options to choose from, it’s hard for them to make a decision. He asked if Ms. Kuehlem had a specific recommendation. Ms. Kuehlem’s recommendation is option 2, setting a maximum percentage of R credits allowable for bicycle parking. Chairman Grund asks if there any people from the public that would like to speak on this case. Patrick Gallot of 3638 Grand Boulevard is sworn in. Mr. Gallot speaks in support of reducing parking requirements and it is his belief that Brookfield is walkable and bikeable. He states that we should look towards the future instead of looking back at the past. Further, Mr. Gallot urges us to consider the environment and climate in relation to parking requirements, as well as electric vehicles and bicycles. D Commissioner Svoboda made a motion to close the public hearing for PZC case number 21-16. Commissioner Benjamin seconded the motion. AYES: Benjamin, Evans, Svoboda, Grund NAYS: None. Motion passed 4-0. 3 Page 10 of 12  Planning and Zoning Commission Record of Minutes Meeting: July 22, 2021 Commissioner discussion began with Chairman Grund explaining that he also did research on parking reductions and credits. No other communities seem to give reductions for bicycle space provided, they simply encourage it. Brookfield regulations already encourages multi-unit development in station area districts. Mr. Grund doesn’t believe that what we have is Transited Oriented Districts like what we see in Chicago. We want to increase density in Brookfield near the Metra stations, but it won’t look the same as Chicago or Berwyn. He also feels like the specific credit of 6 bicycle spots for 1 vehicle space seems arbitrary. He is supportive of the percentage limit of credits option and 20% seems like a good number. Commissioner Benjamin asks fellow commissioners if they would like to see more research and data or if they are comfortable with these options and recommendation and ready to vote tonight. T Commissioner Evans states that he is comfortable with the staff recommendation. Chairman Grund feels that one space per unit seems good because most people in Brookfield have vehicles. Chairman Svoboda likes the option of adding a percentage limit to the number of credits received, but 20% may be too high. Chairman Grund asks for clarification, would this mean adding a maximum credit percentage limit and a specific number? Ms. Kuehlem clarifies that it could be, but the intent was to just have a percentage. Developers would be able to provide more bicycle spaces if wanted, but only receive credit up to the maximum percentage. F Commissioner Svoboda asks if there is an immediate need to amend these regulations. Ms. Kuehlem responds no. Any developments going through review and approval right now would not be subject to theses future changes. Chairman Grund advises staff to draft specific language for the amendment. Commissioner Benjamin made a motion to continue the case to the next meeting of the Planning VI. A and Zoning Commission. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Evans. AYES: Benjamin, Evans, Svoboda, Grund NAYS: None. Motion passed 4-0. Department Report Ms. Kuehlem updated the Commission that the case for 8845 Burlington Ave went before the R Committee of the Whole on July 12th where they requested research and data be collected for multi- unit developments and their parking provided in Brookfield. Hitchcock Design has been working on the design for the Kiwanis Park canoe launch. The project should be going out for bid in the coming weeks. Additionally, work continues on the Congress Park Metra Station area rehab project. Lastly, the Village has posted the job opening for community development director. VII. Announcements and Reminders Chairman Grund announced that the next regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission is on August 26, 2021, and the next meeting of the Village Board is Monday, June 28, 2021. D VIII. Public Comment Commissioner Benjamin commended the work being done on local streets. Commissioner Evans mentioned that the new Brookfield Library will be opening soon. He asked if Village staff will get a tour before it opens to the public. Ms. Kuehlem responded that they will not, but the library is having a soft opening where people can register to attend. 4 Page 11 of 12  Planning and Zoning Commission Record of Minutes Meeting: July 22, 2021 IX. Adjournment Commissioner Svoboda made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Miller seconded the motion. AYES: Benjamin, Evans, Svoboda, Grund NAYS: None. Motion passed 4-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:56 PM. T F A R D 5 Page 12 of 12