Planning and Zoning Commission

PLAN COMMISSION MINUTES City of Geneva 109 James Street - City Council Chambers Meeting #1135 – August 22, 2013 Chairman Rogers called the Plan Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Roll call followed: Present: Commissioners Case, Erickson, Evans, Leidig, Mead, Stevenson, Stocking, Chairman Rogers Others Present: Community Development Dir. Dick Untch; Planner David DeGroot; Chicago-area Real Time Court Reporter Joanne Ely; and Recording Secretary Celeste Weilandt Public Present: Nancy Luyten, 124 S. 2nd Street, Geneva; Terry Adams with Adams Design Group, Inc, 2243 Pepper Valley Drive, Geneva; ________________________________________________________________________________ Approval of the June 27, 2013 Meeting Minutes Minutes of the June 27, 2013 meeting were approved on motion by Commissioner Erickson, seconded by Commissioner Leidig. Motion carried by voice vote of 8-0. Approval of the July 11, 2013 Meeting Minutes Minutes of the July 11, 2013 meeting were approved on motion by Commissioner Erickson, seconded by Commissioner Leidig. Motion carried by voice vote of 8-0. Public Hearing Special Use - A request, pursuant to Section 11-6D-3 and 11-14-4 of the Geneva Zoning Ordinance, for a special use to allow a restaurant in the B3 Business District. Sign Variation - A request, pursuant to Section 11-14-5A of the Geneva Zoning Ordinance, to allow two freestanding signs on a single zoning lot. (Applicant: Nancy Luyten, 124 S. Second Street) Chairman Rogers reviewed the protocol for the public hearing and swore in those individuals that would be speaking on this matter. [See Transcript from Chicago-Area Real Time Reporters] Commissioner Erickson moved to close the public hearing. Commissioner Stevenson seconded the motion. Motion carried by voice vote of 8-0. Commissioner Erickson moved to waive the bifurcated process and voting on the petition, seconded by Commission Mead. Motion carried by voice vote of 8-0. Before the final motion was made, Planner DeGroot noted that in the applicant’s narrative there was discussion about light poles to be added to the property which were not shown in the plans and therefore asked that a condition be included in the motion for a special use that those plans be submitted for review and approval by staff prior to building permit issuance. Geneva Plan Commission -2- August 22, 2013 Ms. Luyten clarified that she wanted to install two or three lamp posts to light the patio area and a couple of areas that would be on the property for ambiance and light. Staff asked that those plans be submitted. Commissioner Mead made a motion to approve a request, pursuant to Section 11-6D-3 and 11- 14-4 of the Geneva Zoning Ordinance, for a special use to allow a restaurant in the B3 Business District at 124 S. Second Street, subject to the nine (9) Findings of Fact provided in staff’s report and that any lighting on-site not shown on the submitted drawings be subject to staff approval. Seconded by Commissioner Evans. Roll call: Aye: Case, Erickson, Evans, Leidig, Mead, Stevenson, Stocking, Rogers Nay: None MOTION PASSED. VOTE: 8-0 Commissioner Mead moved to approve the sign variation request, pursuant to Section 11-14- 5A of the Geneva Zoning Ordinance, to allow two free-standing signs on a single zoning lot at 124 S. Second Street, subject to staff’s five (5) Findings of Fact. Seconded by Commissioner Evans. Roll call: Aye: Case, Erickson, Evans, Leidig, Mead, Stevenson, Stocking, Rogers Nay: None MOTION PASSED. VOTE: 8-0 Public Comment - None Other Business Planner DeGroot reported that the Nicolaou PUD amendments were approved by City Council and the formal application for the Prairie Ridge concept for single-family homes was submitted to staff for review and will be completed tomorrow. This Monday the Committee of the Whole will be discussing the consolidation of the Zoning Board of Appeals with the Plan Commission. Dir. Untch reported this topic has had some internal discussion and what is planned is that the ZBA authority will be transferred to the Planning Commission. The consolidation is basically due to the number of advisory groups that an applicant has to go through as well as to streamline the review process. Additionally, Dir. Untch reported that the ZBA was not meeting very often. Dir Untch envisions there will be a Plan Commission segment to the agenda and also a separate ZBA segment. Per Dir. Untch a number of municipalities have consolidated meetings. More information would be forthcoming. Commission Erickson raised inquiry about a specific mailbox across from Faith Lutheran Church and asked whether there were certain regulations for this particular type of mailbox, wherein he was informed that the postal service had specific requirements. In reviewing the June 27th minutes, a question was raised as to how the vice chairman was chosen, wherein Planner DeGroot explained that in the city’s bylaws the mayor can appoint a vice chairman. Also announced was the fact that neighbors near the former Mill Race Inn were objecting to the multi- use zoning in the master plan for the former Mill Race site. Dir. Untch proceeded to explain the latest developments occurring with the residents and staff with regard to some vacant lots south of the Mill Race restaurant and the current zoning that exists there. Specifically, Dir. Untch shared some of the conversation he had with a couple of individuals, one who was interested in purchasing a lot but was concerned about the multi-family/townhome zoning that was depicted under the Downtown Master Plan and another individual who already had purchased a nearby lot. A neighborhood meeting also took place with residents, the mayor, two aldermen and staff which resulted in bringing the zoning and the Downtown Master Plan issue before the Committee of the Whole recently to see if direction could Geneva Plan Commission -3- August 22, 2013 be given to the Plan Commission to hold hearings to change the documents. Dir. Untch confirmed that the commission will be reviewing these two issues in the future. Conversation among the commissioners followed that the Downtown Master Plan was not a zoning ordinance and this could open up further issues of precedence. Other comments followed that the Master Plan was a community plan created from input by the residents and was based on principles. Staff confirmed there were 21 public meetings held on the master plan, plenty of notification was provided to the residence, and an interactive web site was even created to glean community input. Last comments by staff included updating the definition of the term “family” within the City’s ordinance. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m. on motion by Commissioner Evans. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.