Plan Commission

APPROVED PLAN COMMISSION VILLAGE OF DEERFIELD The Plan Commission of the Village of Deerfield held a Public Hearing at 7:30 P.M. on April 13, 2017 at the Village Hall, 850 Waukegan Road, Deerfield, Illinois. Present were: Mary Oppenheim, Chairperson Larry Berg Al Bromberg Elaine Jacoby Stuart Shayman Absent were: Bob Benton Jim Moyer Also present: Jeff Ryckaert, Principal Planner Dan Nakahara, Planner Public Comment on a Non-Agenda Item Andrew Marwick, 442 Kelburn Lane, commented on the proposed development at Deerbrook Shopping Center comparing it to a similar type shopping center in Arizona. Mr. Marwick commented that he is opposed to a Sam’s Club coming into Deerbrook and filling in the underground parking lot in order to support their inventory. He does not think that a warehouse type store needs to keep as much inventory on hand and feels that the Sam’s Club store could bring in inventory from neighboring stores. He feels unless Sam’s Club offers a better service, better product model and more parking, they will fail miserably. (1) Public Hearing on the Request For a Special Use For a Personal Fitness Training Center in Suite D and a Medical Office in Suite A at the 448 Lake Cook Road Building, Revisions to the Sign Plan at 448 Lake Cook Road, and Directory Sign at 444 Lake Cook Road With the Requested Sign Variations in the Industraplex Planned Unit Development The petitioner submitted proof of notification. The legal notice was published in the Deerfield Review on March 23, 2017. Jim Poulos, owner, Fit Boutique, commented that Fit Boutique is a personal training studio located in Deerfield, seeking a Special Use to relocate their studio to the 448 Lake Cook Road building, suite D. Fit Boutique has been in Deerfield for five years and his business has grown and now they are in need of a larger tenant space. Fit Boutique primarily offers one-on-one personal training sessions, as well as two private boot camp sessions a week. Public Hearing April 13, 2017 Page 2 Mr. Poulos noted that he conducted a parking study and finds that parking will not be an issue. There will be thirty parking spaces available for Fit Boutique, which would be more than enough parking for their needs. Fit Boutique is a destination location, and most of their clients are referrals from a friend, colleague, etc. Dr. Ivan Wolfson, psychologist, Wolfson Psychological Services and owner of the 448 Lake Cook Road building, is also requesting a Special Use for psychological services in Suite A of the 448 Lake Cook Road building. Dr. Wolfson’s is the sole practioner and only employee in his private practice. He was incorporated in 1996 and proud of the excellent reputation he has earned from colleagues and patients. His parking needs for his business are minimal with only three parking spaces needed at any time; one parking space for himself, one for a patient and one parking space for a patient who may arrive early for their appointment. Dr. Wolfson also commented that he is requesting approval of three signs to better identify his building and for helping customers find his building. He noted that the building address has recently changed from 430 Lake Cook Road to 448 Lake Cook Road and this address makes more sense since it is directly behind the 444 Lake Cook Road building. Mr. Wolfson feels the address change will make it easier to find. Chairperson Oppenheim asked about the two sign variations. Mr. Ryckaert noted that the directional sign that is being requested is larger than the two square feet is allowed, and the new directory sign is in the setback. Chairperson Oppenheim noted that other I-2 signs have been granted a variation for being in the setback in similar situations. Chairperson Oppenheim asked for a clarification as to the location of the new directory sign recalling that at the Prefiling Conference the directory sign was being proposed off- site in an adjacent property. Dr. Wolfson commented that those plans have changed and the new location of the directory sign is on a property in the Industraplex planned unit development at 444 Lake Cook Road. Chairperson Oppenheim asked if there was any legal actions that need to be taken care of because the directory sign is not on their property. Mr. Ryckaert commented that no additional action has to be taken since the adjacent property (444 Lake Cook Road) is in the Industraplex PUD and there is no longer a need for an off-site ground sign. Dr. Wolfson commented that the signage is warranted and shared a story on the need for the requested signage about customers who cannot find the building. Chairperson asked if the requested signage will be sufficient for the building’s needs. Dr. Wolfson feels that the request signage will address his needs. There being no further business to discuss regarding this petition, a motion was made and seconded to close the Public Hearing. Respectfully Submitted, Public Hearing April 13, 2017 Page 3 Dan Nakahara  APPROVED PLAN COMMISSION VILLAGE OF DEERFIELD The Plan Commission of the Village of Deerfield held a Workshop Meeting at 7:30 P.M. on April 13, 2017 at the Village Hall, 850 Waukegan Road, Deerfield, Illinois. Present were: Mary Oppenheim, Chairperson Larry Berg Al Bromberg Elaine Jacoby Stuart Shayman Absent were: Bob Benton Jim Moyer Also present: Jeff Ryckaert, Principal Planner Dan Nakahara, Planner (1a) Discussion of the Special Uses for the 448 Lake Cook Road building, Revisions to the Sign Plan at 448 Lake Cook Road, and a Directory Sign at 444 Lake Cook Road Chairperson Oppenheim feels that these Special Uses are great uses for the site. Commissioner Shayman does not have any issues with the petition and asked why these uses are not permitted uses. Mr. Ryckaert commented that an office use in this particular zoning district is a Permitted Use only if it is ancillary or accessory to the industrial uses such as a storage facility, warehouse, or light assembly. A fitness studio is also a Special Use in the I-2 District. The I-2 District has limited parking and these uses need to be examined on a case-by-case basis. Commissioner Bromberg motioned to approve the request for a Special Use for a personal fitness training center in Suite D and a medical office in Suite A at the 448 Lake Cook Road building, an amendment to the sign plan at 448 Lake Cook Road, including the requested sign variations in the Industraplex Planned Unit Development. The motion was seconded and the vote was as follows: Ayes: (5) Berg, Bromberg, Jacoby, Shayman, Oppenheim Nays: (0) None The motions passed and will be on the May 1, 2017 Village Board of Trustees Meeting agenda. Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 2 (2) Request for Approval of a 3-Lot Final Plat of Subdivision at 1530 Woodland Drive and 1509 Wilmot Road (Red Rock Development) Matt Pollack, Principal, Red Rock Custom Homes, commented that they have been working with staff to finalize the Plat of Subdivision at 1530 Woodland Drive and 1509 Wilmot Road. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that the petitioner was previously approved for their preliminary plat of subdivision and now that petitioner has come back with their final plat. Mr. Ryckaert commented that this resubdivision is a unique in that there is a public private partnership between the Village and the developer to rebuild a portion of the storm sewer that fronts this subdivision. There is a placeholder in the subdivision agreement that the Engineering Department will work on with Village legal counsel. The agreement is not complete yet because the design plans are not completed. Chairperson Oppenheim asked if the Plan Commission is able to approve this without the subdivision agreement being completed. Mr. Ryckaert noted that the Engineering Department was comfortable with final plat coming to the Plan Commission without the subdivision agreement being completed. The subdivision agreement will need to be completed before it goes to the Board of Trustees. Commissioner Bromberg motioned to approve the final plat of subdivision for 1530 Woodland Drive and 1509 Wilmot Road. Commissioner Jacoby seconded the motion. The vote was as follows: Ayes: (5) Berg, Bromberg, Jacoby, Shayman, Oppenheim Nays: (0) None The motions passed and will be on the May 1, 2017 Village Board of Trustees Meeting agenda. (3) Prefiling Conference on the Request for a Special Use for an Art Van Furniture Retail Store Over 30,000 Square Feet in the Deerbrook Shopping Center (Gateway Fairview, Inc. – Property Owner and Mid-America Asset Management, Inc. - Property Manager and Art Van Furniture) Darron Green, Project Manager, Art Van Furniture introduced Marc Chamberlin, architect, Ehresman Associates. Art Van is an independently owned, family business that was started in Michigan and founded in 1959. Earlier this year, Art Van was purchased by a private equity firm but still considered a privately held business. Mr. Green commented that Art Van is considered the number one furniture and mattress store in the Midwest with over 100 stores and 3,800 employees. He noted that Art Van store have a variety of high quality brands including the Pure Sleep Mattress store within the Art Van stores. He commented that they are committed to investing not only in the buildings in which they are located but also in the communities they are in and their charities. He noted that between 2009 and 2016, Art Van donated $24M to 264 local charities. The giving back is part of the Art Van way, this will remain the way they do business, and they will continue to invest in the communities they are in. Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 3 Mr. Green commented that Art Van plans to continue to grow in the future. Art Van currently has two of their largest flagship stores in the Chicagoland area; Downers Grove and Schaumburg. The Schaumburg store recently opened in late 2016. Mr. Green presented images of their stores and their investment in their buildings. He commented that they have a broad spectrum of products that they offer in a great environment. Mr. Chamberlin pointed out that this project is primarily an interior renovation. He added that they would be sprucing up the interior with new finishes and new materials. Mr. Chamberlin noted that they have had a preliminary meeting with the Appearance Review Commission (ARC) and will be with them again if they get Board approval. Commissioner Bromberg commented that their materials indicated that most of the purchases will not come from the actual store but will be delivered from another store. Mr. Green confirmed that most of the purchases would be delivered from their Bollingbrook distribution center directly to the home. There will be customer pickup at their stores as well but the majority of the purchases are delivered. Delivery is part of the purchase. Commissioner Bromberg asked if there are many truck deliveries. Mr. Green noted that they have trucks deliver product for the floor but not for inventory. Any customer who chooses to pick up their purchase is assisted with their purchase at the rear loading area. Commissioner Berg asked is any products go out through the front door. Mr. Green noted that all purchases are picked up at the rear of the store. Mr. Chamberlin commented that the rear loading area is in the same current location and will not change. Mr. Green commented that the current loading area does not have dock levelers and they are exploring putting in surface dock levelers as way to resolve this. If they do decide to do this, they would request digging a pit to install dock levelers. He added that the location would remain the same; the loading area floor would just be modified. Chairperson Oppenheim asked the petitioner to explain the request for the wash lighting of the front building wall. She added that this is not typically done in Deerfield. Mr. Green explained that they would like to highlight the architectural elements of the building and not light up the furniture. Commissioner Jacoby commented that the lights would remain on from dusk to dawn. Mr. Green commented that they will follow Village ordinance but generally, they would like to have their façade lit at night if they are allowed to do it because it lets people see who they are. Commissioner Jacoby asked if there were any existing Art Van stores with the wash lighting. Mr. Green said that this is a new feature. He commented that with the direction retail is moving in, Art Van feels that they need to let the façade design speak for itself. He added that the goal is not to make the building into a billboard. He does feel that if they are allowed the signage they have proposed they feel that is sufficient for signage. Art Van is interested in highlighting the architectural and material elements. Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 4 Chairperson Oppenheim commented that they have not had a request to highlight a building in this fashion. Mr. Ryckaert noted that there have not been any requests like this in the commercial districts but is aware of a hotel (Embassy Suites) in the I-1 Zoning District that has its building wall lit and possibly a building in the Corporate 500 Center. He added zoning ordinance does not address this type of lighting but this can be addressed as a condition of the Special Use approval if it does not meet the Special Use criteria. The conditions could be based on the hours the lights are on or the intensity of the lighting. Mr. Ryckaert noted that the ARC has not seen the wash lighting and it was not in their preliminary meeting. Mr. Green confirmed that this was not brought to the ARC because they did not have a product picked out that time. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that typically when the Plan Commission looks at lighting they make sure that it does not spill onto adjacent properties and it is not a nuisance for other people. She added that Art Van would need to provide more information on the wash lighting for the Plan Commission and the ARC. She added that the type of information that would be pertinent was the brightness of the lights, pictures of what the wall will look like when lit up, justification on the length of time the lights are on, and if it really needs to be on all night or during set times. Mr. Green asked how long can signs remain on at night. Mr. Ryckaert commented that if a business is within a 120 feet of a residential district the sign has to be turned off at 11:00PM or the close of business whichever is later. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that the Plan Commission would look at it from an aesthetic viewpoint. She told the petitioner that they should ask the landlord to comment on this request since none of the other buildings are lit this way in the center and this may lead to other tenants wanting the same type of lighting on their portions of their buildings. Commissioner Bromberg noted that it would be important to know where ownership stands on this request. Commissioner Bromberg asked the petitioner, if all approvals go well, when they would want to open. Mr. Green noted that in a perfect world they would love to open on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving would be ideal. They will not force the issue and have given themselves flexibility in their opening date. He commented that Schaumburg set the bar very high when they opened on Black Friday. He also commented that furniture stores do not get a lot of foot traffic and they will not have a big impact on traffic on this development. If anything, their use will relieve any of that stress because they do not generate many people per square foot and they are taking up a large space in the center. Chairperson Oppenheim noted that they have not discussed traffic and the petitioner’s material brings up a good point that this use is substituting a retail use for another retail use and it appears that this use will less traffic generated than a typical retailer of this size. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that the Plan Commission is comfortable using the existing traffic and parking study done for the prior renovation, in that access, traffic and parking will be sufficient for this use. Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 5 Commissioner Bromberg asked staff if Deerfield would get the sales tax revenue if products are shipped from another store. Mr. Ryckaert commented that sales tax is generated at the point of sale. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that the Plan Commission was satisfied with the material that was submitted, but they will need more information on the wash lighting and they will have to see the ARC regarding the lighting and the red color of the their sign. Mr. Green noted that they were directed by the ARC to tone down the red in their sign and Art Van has agreed to tone it down as much as they can. A discussion ensued on the red composite metal paneling in the sign. Mr. Green commented that their corporate red color is more of a burgundy or scarlet red and not a blaring red. The Public Hearing for this petition is scheduled for May 11, 2017. (4) Prefiling Conference on the Request for Multiple Family Apartment Building at 1085 Lake Cook Road Shawn Zimny, Vice President, Gilbane Development Company, commented that Gilbane’s goal is for their proposed development is to benefit the community, the Lake Cook corridor and the many businesses along Lake Cook Road. Gilbane is one of the largest, privately held, family owned construction and real estate firms in the industry. Founded more than 140 years ago, Gilbane has been doing business specifically in the Chicagoland area for almost 40 years. Concentrating on select markets throughout the United States, Gilbane has 50 offices spread globally, servicing more than ten-plus countries with approximately 2,600 employees. Gilbane has two major companies under its umbrella: Gilbane Building Company and Gilbane Development Company; both companies have extensive experience in all sectors of real estate and construction. Mr. Zimny commented that Gilbane Company was awarded the District 113 renovation work and new buildings for both Deerfield and Highland Park High School. The renovation included the new gymnasium, pool building and significant renovation work. Gilbane has received positive feedback from the Deerfield community about the quality work done on the District 113 renovation project. Mr. Zimny is confident that Gilbane has a reputation of both trust and respect within its peers and within the various municipalities, such as Deerfield. Gilbane Development Company concentrates primarily on residential housing, which includes student, senior and market rate housing. Gilbane has the knowledge and the financial capability to take the proposed project from start to finish. Gilbane Development Company has developed and financed more than four billion dollars’ worth of work. Gilbane is not a merchant builder, and are committed owners for the long term. Mr. Zimny reiterated that Gilbane is here for the long term, hand in hand with the Village and the community, if this project is approved. Mr. Zimny identified the project development team as Thompson Coburn LLP, Land Use Law Firm; FitzGerald Associates Architects, Architect; Tracy Cross & Associates, Inc., Real Estate Consultant & Market Researcher; Eriksson Engineering Associate, LTD, Traffic and Civil Engineer. Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 6 Gilbane Development Company is proposing a four-story, 212 unit, highly amenitized, luxury apartment building, located at 1085 Lake Cook Road (the former Hellenic American Academy). The development will have a mixture of efficiency one & two bedroom units, ranging in size from 500 to 1600 square feet. Sixty percent of the units will be one bedroom and smaller and a few of the two bedroom units will be two story units (a unique feature to the market place). The proposed units will have high quality finishes, similar to those found in expensive homes. Gilbane anticipates a diverse renter pool, including young professionals (between 25 and 34 years old), single and divorced middle aged individuals (between 35 and 54 years old) and older couples (empty nesters). He commented that there is a market for multi-family apartment buildings among this wide range of age groups. Gilbane is confident that the proposed project is the highest and best use for the site being high density, residential housing. Similar to the AMLI project, west of their proposed site, Gilbane believes that the size, scale and use of their proposed project will fit in nicely between Lake Cook Road and the Edens Spur. The site is conveniently located within manageable distance to the I-294 Expressway, Edens Expressway, Lake Cook Road Metra Station (less than 3/4 of a mile to the east of the subject property), Pace bus stops (two routes stop at the corner of the subject property), and abundance of shopping and thousands of jobs. Mr. Zimny commented that there is a lack of high-end rental housing in Deerfield and there is a lot of opportunity with the location of the site as it is relative to various municipal and transportation elements. He believes that providing a new development on this corner will help freshen up the eastern edge of the industrial park, which has grown worn and tired in some aspects. Mr. Zimny identified the following as critical components of the proposed project that would be beneficial to the Village, including: 1.) The existing building is not on the tax rolls and creates zero tax liability; however, the proposed building will generate an estimated $700,000 to $750,000 worth of annual tax revenues, and more than 100,000 dollars of that tax revenue would be applied directly to the Village itself; 2.) Based on the current ordinances, there would be an immediate infusion of revenue into the Village of Deerfield based on the permit fees and the impact fees, which is currently anticipate to be an estimated two million dollars; 3.) 60% of their homes are one bedroom or smaller, and would be affordable to individuals with an annual income of $70,000 which is far less than the average household income of $135,000 in Deerfield; 4.) The average rents of the units will range from $1,350 to $3,200 a month, which would qualify a household income of $49,000 to $116,000 year; 5.) Upscale rental housing also helps to retain employers within the neighborhood; 6.) The amount of money that residents that live in the community spend within the community, including: shopping, eating out, buying fuel; all of which generate sales tax that is beneficial to the Village. Mr. Zimny concluded that Gilbane is excited about this opportunity; and is confident that they have the ability to bring a life to Lake Cook Road, and appreciates the Village’s time on this matter. Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 7 Mike De Rouin, President, FitzGerald Associates Architects, commented that his company has a long history of designing all types of multi-family housing. The proposed building consists of highly amentized, luxury apartments that are a part of today’s market demand. FitzGerald Associates is involved in many projects such as this one throughout the Chicagoland region. The building is situated about 220 feet off of Lake Cook Road at the north setback, with a small surface parking lot at the front with a small circular drive drop off area at the northwest corner of the building. This corner is where the lobby and building amenities will be located and will feed through to the inner courtyard to the pool. The development will be fully landscaped both inside the courtyard garden, along the perimeter of the building and along the street frontage. On the far east side of the property is a drive lane that connects out to Lake Cook Road, and also leads to the buildings parking garage entry which is located at the middle of the east side of the building. The garage ramp will go underneath the building and provide basement parking for the residents. There will be an estimated 96 outdoor surface parking spaces and approximately 200 parking spaces inside the building for the 212 resident units. The loading area is located on the southeast corner of the building and this is where move- ins, move-outs and trash hauling will occur. Mr. De Rouin explained that the current drawings for the building design do not have any coloring or any representative materials because they would like feedback from the Plan Commissions on the proposed building before they take the next steps. He presented an image of the building, and explained that the building will have a lot of glass at the ground floor where the lobby and the entry will be located, as well as the building amenities and the drop-off area. The building façade will consist of two different types of siding materials; and there will be a mix of balconies that are designed to intentionally break up the massing of the building in order to create interest to the wall (avoiding having one long wall). Mr. De Rouin reiterated that the drawings represent their architectural intent for the building, but they are looking for feedback from the Plan Commission. Steve Corcoran, traffic engineer, Eriksson Engineering Associate, LTD, commented that their traffic study was performed while the American Hellenic Academy was still operating at 1085 Lake Cook Road. The traffic study determined that the estimated trip generation for the proposed apartment complex is less than the traffic generated for the Greek school. He also pointed out that the zoning for this location would allow for a medical office or office building on this property, and the proposed multi-family apartment building will generate less traffic than both types of uses. The proposed use would generate counter-rush hour traffic, which will help minimize any traffic congestion. He noted that in the morning, the other uses in the center are generating inbound traffic with vehicle traffic dropping off at the Jewish High School to the south and businesses professionals arriving at their office buildings to the west, while the apartment building will be generating outbound traffic, as residents leave for work; and in the afternoon, the apartment residents will be coming back home, as the school and office uses will be leaving for the day. The second access that the Greek school had along the road, just north of the Jewish high school will be eliminated from the property. He commented this Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 8 would eliminate traffic near the high school and the synagogue that the Hellenic school was generating. Mr. Corcoran commented that there is also going to be a new right-in and right-out on Lake Cook Road (which has been pre-approved by the County) to help minimize any impact that the apartment complex may have on the traffic at the Lake Cook Road and Pine Street intersection. He also noted that there will be approximately 1.5 parking spaces provided per dwelling unit, which approximately 9% - 10% variation from the Village’s code requirements. Commissioner Bromberg asked if traffic would be allowed to leave the center, cross Lake Cook Road and continue north on Pine Street since this would be the logical way for residents to get to downtown Deerfield. Mr. Corcoran does not believe that residents would use Pine Street as a cut through to downtown Deerfield, because it goes through a residential neighborhood, with a lot of stop signs and a reduced speed limit. He thinks that the quicker way (and preferred route) to access downtown Deerfield will be to make a right onto Lake Cook Road and turn left onto Pfingsten/Kates Road to cut through to Waukegan Road. He added that the volume of traffic (from the center) using Pine Street as a cut through right now is very low. Commissioner Bromberg pointed out that the reason that the volume of cut-through traffic is low right now is likely because no students from the Greek school lived in Deerfield. He added that many of the office users do not live in Deerfield, and do not have a reason to access downtown Deerfield. He commented that at the end of the day the center users exit the property and go east or west on Lake Cook Road to get out of Deerfield. However, the residents of the apartment complex will be living in Deerfield, and will have many reasons to access downtown Deerfield: to go to the post office, bank, grocery store, etc. and will likely use Pine Street as a cut-through. Commissioner Bromberg explained that he is concerned that a large amount of traffic will be cutting through the residential area north of Lake Cook Road on Pine Street. Mr. Corcoran commented that ultimately it is the Village’s decision on whether or not there should be a restriction on traffic moving through there. He noted that currently there is an ordinance that restricts traffic from using Pine Street as a cut-through. He also noted that there is still a low volume of traffic that ignores those restrictions. He assured the Plan Commission that his team is willing to work with the Village to accommodate their requests on restricting traffic flow through that area. Commissioner Bromberg commented that traffic exiting the center at the Lake Cook Road and Pine Street intersection used to only be able to turn right or left, and did not have an option to continue north onto Pine Street, but that was taken out, and an option to continue straight was added. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that the County’s position is that the north/south traffic could be allowed to access Pine Street, but it is the Village that restricts the access there. Commissioner Bromberg asked if the Village could request that traffic exiting the property at the Lake Cook/Pine intersection could be restricted to a right or left turn only once again. Mr. Ryckaert commented that the Village’s Engineering Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 9 Department would have to contact the County to discuss potential changes to that intersection. He added that the Board would be discussing this issue in the near future. Commissioner Jacoby asked for clarification on which access road was going to be removed from the property. Mr. Zimny explained that it is the east/west access that is about 100 feet back from the Lake Cook Road right-of-way. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that there would still be an east/west access into their parking lot. Mr. Zimny commented that it is an easement that cannot be eliminated based on covenants that are on the plat to keep that frontage road there. The only way that frontage road can be removed is if the various landowners agree. Chairperson Oppenheim asked if the parking lot is off the existing frontage road. Mr. Zimny confirmed. Mr. Corcoran explained that the Greek school was previously using the frontage road to have parents enter into the northern driveway (on the north side of the building) and exit out onto the south side of the building onto the north/south road, south of the frontage road. Commissioner Shayman asked about the road around the detention area. Mr. Corcoran explained that there is a gravel road around the detention to the east of the property, which is for maintenance access to the detention area. Erik Doersching, Executive Vice President & Managing Partner, Tracy Cross & Associates, Inc., commented that his company conducted a detailed market analysis to determine the potential to develop rental apartments with this property. Despite the two major apartment developments that have been recently introduced in Deerfield: AMLI and Woodview, they found a market to add additional units to this general area. In the northshore market area, which consists of Shields, Northfield, West Deerfield and Moraine townships, 300 new apartment units could be absorbed annually over the next five years for a total of 1,500 units. Mr. Doersching commented that based on their analysis, they feel that that the 300 unit absorption potential in this market could double in any given year where supply is made available. He commented that the northshore has been so undersupplied with new product for years. It has been only recently that new product has been brought to market in Deerfield, Glenview, Northbrook and Highland Park, yet there’s 15,000 to 16,000 rental households in this area that have not had new product to choose from, nor has there been new product for the new renter household growth that has occurred. He commented that renters have had to go elsewhere. In the last two years, this northshore market area that they have studied has already absorbed 1,100 units. So, even though there’s a demand base for 1,100 units annually, when supply is made available for an area where demand has been pent up for so long it can double in that period of time. This particular (Gilbane) development will help meet the demands that exist in the market place. It will not have a negative impact on either AMLI or Woodview. Woodview is currently at 90% occupancy, so they will reach stabilized at 95% in approximately two months; AMLI is at 78.1% occupancy and they will reach 95% stabilization in about September or October based upon their current incremental absorption rate. By the time this development would start preleasing, those two developments will be at stabilized occupancy, and the proposed development will start to absorb at a rate commensurate with the demand basis at the time based upon new rental household growth. Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 10 The project itself is very well designed in terms of the unit mix with options of studio, one and two bedroom units and should fit very well into the market in terms of its rent position, as well as its highly amenitized environment. In addition to studying all of the rental apartment communities that exist, how well new ones are doing and if there has been any impact on existing, they also analyze apartment communities that are currently under construction. In regards to the demand base of 1,500 plus units over the next five years, as of right now, only about half of those units are in the planning pipeline across the northshore. This development will not create any type of saturation; it will just achieve its fair share of this demand base that exists locally. Commissioner Shayman pointed out that the proposed apartment complex would be isolated on Lake Cook Road away from amenities such as stores, restaurants, etc., and asked if other apartment complexes closer to amenities would be more appealing to consumers. Mr. Doersching explained that most suburban apartment complexes are located away from the downtown area, and it is not viewed as a diseconomy that residents would have to drive to those amenities; 80% to 90% of suburban developments exist that way, so they do not see it as a negative. Commissioner Bromberg asked if they expected families with children to rent units in the proposed apartment complex. Mr. Doersching responded that they didn’t expect families with children to rent units in the building; reiterating that the primary tenant profile, in like developments will be younger professional singles, young couples without children, middle aged singles, never-nested couples and empty nesters. There continues to be an increase in the percentage of renter households in the market place. The reason for this that consumers are worried about the security of their investments in terms of a for-sale product; consumers need to remain mobile; and consumers like the amenitized environment that’s created by this luxury community. Mr. Doersching reiterated that the suburbs remain under supplied, and it is nice to see communities in the northshore area meeting the need that is out there. Commissioner Bromberg asked if they know how many children are currently living in AMLI and Woodview. Mr. Doersching responded that he did not have those numbers, but that the primary tenant profile of both AMLI and Woodview is the same as the one he described for the proposed apartment complex; based on the tenant profile. He does not think there are very many children living in those apartment complexes. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that the petitioners are asking for a number of variations from code in order to construct the proposed building, including variations on the setback on three sides of the building (60 feet instead of 100 feet on the north; 20 feet instead of 50 feet on the west; and 20 feet instead of 50 feet on the south). Mr. Zimny commented that the proposed building is 49 ft. 4 in. tall; however, it is only 48 ft. from predevelopment grade so it is technically within a 3 ft. height variance and the building could come down in height. The height has been set as proposed, with a 3 ft. height variance, which is the same variation that were approved for AMLI. He reiterated that if the 3 ft. variance is not needed, the building height would be lessened. The building is 49 ft. 4 in. because the first floor is going to be sunk lower than the predevelopment grade per the code. He added that the building is 1 ½ ft. is lower than Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 11 predevelopment grade and that does not count toward the building height. Mr. Zimny commented that he would confirm this with Village staff. Chairperson Oppenheim continued that the petitioners were also asking for a variation on the height of the building, a variation for 35 parking spaces, and a variation for the loading area to be half as long as required. Mr. Zimny explained that in their experience a fifty-foot loading berth is more for a commercial or an industrial use. The property is zoned I-1; therefore, the required loading area is sized for a commercial/industrial use. Realistically, residents are going to be using smaller vehicles, such as 25 feet cargo vans, to move their belongings into their units, therefore the proposed size of the loading berth will be able to accommodate the proposed use. The proposed loading berth is also internal to the building. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that in her opinion, the many requested variations for the project suggest a density and size for the development that is too large for the space and it indicates that there is not enough space on this site for the proposed apartment complex as its being conceptually presented now. Chairperson Oppenheim expressed her concern that although there is typically thought to be a certain synergy created when a variety of users share spaces (such as a mix of office, residential, school and institutional), the proposed apartment complex would greatly increase the incoming and outgoing traffic for the property. She advised the petitioners that they would need to present very detailed, compelling evidence that the apartment complex would work with all the other uses on the property and accessing this property could be done in a safe and efficient manner. She noted that this property is complicated in terms of the way it needs to be shared. She commented that she was troubled by the size of this building being contained on the size of this site. Commissioner Berg commented that he was also very concerned by the number and extent of variations that are being requested. He advised the petitioners that they need to address the potential conflicts with the neighboring school. Mr. Zimny explained that it is a challenging site. Mr. Zimny commented that the code requires a 100 ft. setback; however, the lot is 475 ft. deep and the building line setback is 220 ft., therefore, half the lot is non-buildable. He added that if you consider the challenge of where the building can be placed, the amount of variations that are being requested is more easily understood. He noted that the amount of requested variations is consistent or no more than what AMLI asked for on their property. The rear and side yard variations are purely a function of the building being pushed back. The only approved use for this site is an office use. An 80,000 - 100,000 sq. ft. office building could be built on this site within two to three stories, and it would be within the zoning height and setback limits. Mr. Zimny commented that a building of this type would yield the same amount of parking that Gilbane is requesting for their proposed development. An office use would have more of a traffic impact on the site than a residential use. Mr. Zimny commented that he was confident that they would be able to present more tangible evidence of how the operations of an apartment building works from a traffic flow perspective during their next meeting with the Plan Commission. Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 12 Chairperson Oppenheim commented that the Village encourages residential buildings to be located in pedestrian friendly spaces with walkability, so placing an apartment complex on this site in a business park is a little different from the Village’s expectation for livability. Lake Cook Road is not a residentially friendly area and this site is landlocked. This property does not give residents the option of walking around the site or to nearby locations; the same discussion was had with AMLI about their site. Chairperson Oppenheim advised the petitioners that they needed to have more justification for placing their proposed apartment complex on this site, and a more convincing argument that it’s appropriate for people to live there. She added that the access in and out concerns her given the fact that there is a high school directly behind the proposed building. Commissioner Bromberg commented that a big difference between the AMLI site and the proposed building site is the proximity to the high school. He noted that the other major difference is that the Lake Cook/Wilmot intersection is very different than the Lake Cook/Pine intersection. Commissioner Bromberg has a lot of concerns about the Lake Cook/Pine intersection, and thinks that it would need a lot of work to accommodate the additional traffic flow from the apartment building. Mr. Zimny commented that during their next meeting they will have more statistical traffic data to demonstrate that the Lake Cook/Pine intersection, as well as the center will be able to accommodate the additional traffic. Mr. Zimny commented at the next meeting they will present data that will demonstrate how their proposed plans will better the frontage road and Pine intersection from an evening perspective. He explained that there is currently a 154-second delay at the Lake Cook/Pine intersection in the rush hour peak, and their plan takes this delay down to 50 seconds by adding the right-in/right-out and changing the timing of the lights on Lake Cook Road (a left turn lane was determined to not be beneficial to that intersection). Chairperson Oppenheim advised that it was important to provide details on how the addition of a right-in/right-out on the east side of the property would work, as that would be a critical change to the site access, as well as provide detail on how traffic is going to move through the site. Commissioner Shayman commented that he is concerned about the requested variations on the south and west side of the building. Chairperson Oppenheim asked the petitioners if there was potential to downsize the building, or if the proposed building was sized to meet the demands of their investment. Mr. Zimny responded that downsizing was not feasible, since having less units would hurt the economics of the deal, and there would not be enough return on their investment. Public Comment Tracy Riggan, representative, Oracle, commented that his building is located at 1405 Lake Cook Road in the Textura office building. He commented that his company is interested in learning more about how the utilities will be impacted from this Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 13 development and the area as a whole. Chairperson Oppenheim responded that the Village has not received any information about utilities. She advised the petitioners to have information on the utilities for their next meeting. Alan Frankel, Vice President, Board of Directors, Chicagoland Jewish High School, commented that they are very concerned about the adverse impact that the proposed Gilbane project will have on their property, school and neighbors. The proposed project raises issues with respect to traffic, bulk, height, infrastructure, setbacks, use compatibility and security. Their school undertook a two years site selection process before choosing its current home at Lake Cook and Pine. As a school, especially as a Jewish school, security and safety are their top priority. Their facility has been constructed with security in mind. They do not have any signage facing the Tri-State spur or Lake Cook Road to indicate the presence of a Jewish school. They do not display the American and Israeli flags outside as much as they would like. They do not have any first floor classrooms or student areas with glass windows facing their driveway or the access road to the east and north of the facility. They have armed security in the building during school hours and some after school events. They cooperate closely with the Deerfield police to assure that they are as ready as possible if they are confronted with violence. The school agrees with its surrounding neighbors that no multi-family use at 1085 Lake Cook Road site is consistent with their current uses. Most of their classrooms face north, currently overlooking the trees and neighborhoods of Deerfield. Gilbane’s proposed residential project will allow sight lines from tenants’ windows directly into their students’ classrooms and common areas. Gilbane seeks a variation to shorten the distance between their respective windows (approximately 65-70ft.). Their students will be confronted with private apartment buildings right outside their classrooms on the second and third floor of their building. With this development, to protect their students, they would likely have no choice but to permanently obscure their windows, transforming their bright, free school into something quite different. Mr. Frankel doubts that there is any other suburban school that has apartment building windows right across the street from classrooms. Currently, the Deerfield police know that vehicle traffic around the school or synagogue at night is suspicious, and patrol the area for suspicious vehicles on the premises at night. With multi-family residences on the site, they will be faced with 24-hour traffic, including times when they do not have any security personnel on their site and nothing to alert the police to potential threats against the school or the synagogue. Gilbane also seeks a variation to reduce parking, which increases the likelihood that residents and visitors will use their site illegally for parking during peak times. The high school is concerned about traffic; at peak morning and evening times, traffic is already heavy; causing backups from left turning traffic on westbound Lake Cook Road into Pine Street. A residential facility will add significantly to peak load traffic, which poses a quality of life issue for the school and surrounding community. There is also a safety issue, by affecting ease of access of emergency vehicles, as gridlock occurs at Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 14 the access road during peak times. Gilbane’s description of complimentary traffic flows overlooks that much of their traffic goes in both directions as parents’ drop-off and pick- up students before and after school, and additional inbound traffic arrives for after school activities for night meetings, athletics and the like. The proposed fire lane wedged between the proposed residential building and their property does not appear to have an exit, and would require a fire engine to reverse out of the fire lane to exit the property. He commented that other vehicles are likely to drive to the south and be trapped as well. There are other potential capacity issues, such as the proposed facility may cause overuse of the existing infrastructure such as sewers and other utilities. Mr. Frankel concluded that the school will not consent to any changes to existing setbacks; they will not grant any easements for access to utilities, electric service, plumbing, sewers or vehicles; and, they will oppose any multi-family unit construction on this site. Chairperson Oppenheim advised the petitioners that it would be in their best interest to address the concerns voiced about emergency vehicles and safety. Roy Splansky, Chair of the Real Estate and Construction Committee, BJBE, complimented Gilbane’s presentation and on being a quality developer who would no doubt build a nice facility. He expressed his disapproval of having the development built on this particular site. BJBE strongly opposes any multi-family development on this site. One of BJBE’s five core values is community, which includes their own membership community, as well as the larger community by which they reside. They are proud of the relationships that they have forged with the Chicagoland Jewish High School and with their neighbors in the Deerfield Business Center. They also had a strong relationship with the Hellenic Academy that previously operated a day school at 1085 Lake Cook Road. These relationships are critical to provide a safe and secure neighborhood. Allowing over 350 people to reside just seventy feet from classrooms is a serious safety concern. This development does not conform to regulations and will negatively affect the neighborhood. The development is in direct conflict with goals that have been set by the Village for PUD development. BJBE’s preschool program requires drop-off and pick- up daily at peak morning times, and their Hebrew school program has the same issue in the peak afternoon hours. The current traffic congestion in the center can be observed during the peak traffic times. Mr. Splansky noted that the petitioner stated that apartments will create less traffic conflicts than an 80,000 sq. ft. office building on the site. Mr. Splansky commented that any redevelopment that requires a change to the footprint will require zoning variances, which may or may not be approved by the Village. Traffic patterns comparing a nonconforming use to that of another nonconforming use should not be applicable. Allowing over 350 people to transverse this area will impede the normal and orderly traffic flow, which is also in direct conflict with the goals that the Village has set for a PUD development. He added that the petitioner stated that there is not a market for the existing 22,000 sq. ft. building. The fact is the property was marketed for its redevelopment potential for the purpose of maximizing value and not to users that would utilize the existing building. Users have approached both Deerfield Business Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 15 Center and BJBE to inquire about similar type spaces. In fact, Deerfield Business Center is selling a 21,000 sq. ft. building to an autistic consulting group. Mr. Splansky commented that he knows of two other groups with similar requirements, and that there is a market for the existing building at 1085 Lake Cook Road. Both the high school and BJBE chose this area with the Village’s support, and collectively invested more than 40 million dollars in their properties; and they are both here to stay. Mr. Splansky commented that although Gilbane stated that they are not a merchant builder, they have built and sold in other areas; they may be here for a couple of years, but they are not here for the ultimate long term as the Jewish high school and BJBE are. Mr. Splansky concluded that the petitioners proposed development is in direct violation with the PUD requirements, and BJBE strongly objects to any multi-family development on this site. Andrew Marwick, resident, 442 Kelburn, commented that in his opinion the concerns of the Jewish high school and BJBE are a fatal blow to this project. There are too many issues with security and incompatibility for this project to move forward, especially in regards to its proximity to the Jewish high school. He had issues with the design of Woodview and AMLI as well; especially is regards to Woodview’s proximity to residential housing, and how the building overlooked private residential properties. Mr. Marwick concluded that due to the many conflicting issues with the other uses in the center he does not think that the project is feasible for this location. Commissioner Bromberg asked if the proposed project is considered traditional housing, since the comprehensive plan states that the Village does not want there to be traditional housing south of Lake Cook Road. Chairperson Oppenheim added that the comprehensive plan also says that one of the goals of the Village is to encourage a variety of housing stock, in order to fulfill the needs of all people. Over the last few years, the Village has discussed the scarcity of quality rentals, and that has been true for a long time. In recent years, the demand for rental properties has grown, especially among younger generations (such as millennials) who are reluctant to purchase due to the housing market falling apart in the recent past. The two housing developments recently built in Deerfield, AMLI and Woodview, have a similar market group as the proposed developments have been successful. To the Village’s knowledge, neither of these apartment buildings have very many children living in them. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that she is skeptical as to how long this trend is going to continue, since younger people are beginning to re-enter the housing market as buyers. There is an influx of luxury apartments being built in the area and those will soon be available to the rental market. Chairperson Oppenheim commented that there is definitely a market for luxury apartments in the area, and the Village has encouraged the development of these types of apartment complexes. However, for this particular petition, the Village has to determine if the proposed development is appropriate for this space; and it is the Village’s obligation to let the petitioners know their own apprehensions and concerns, as well as those of their neighbors. Chairperson Oppenheim advised the petitioners to consider the concerns that have been voiced about the proposed development, Workshop Meeting April 13, 2017 Page 16 including concerns about emergency vehicles, security, traffic, compatibility with existing uses and the sufficiency of the utilities in the center; all of which will be considered during the Village’s decision to grant a special use for this type of development. Chairperson Oppenheim thanked everyone for sharing their concerns and assured them that the Village is going to take their concerns into consideration during their decision process. She encouraged anyone with additional concerns to contact Village staff to share their input. There being no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned. Respectfully Submitted, Mary Glowacz