Planning and Zoning Commission

PLAN COMMISSION MINUTES City of Geneva 109 James Street - City Council Chambers Meeting #1142 – February 13, 2014 Vice Chairman Stocking called the Plan Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Roll call followed: Present: Commissioners Case, Erickson, Evans, Leidig (arrives 7:03 p.m.), Mead, Stevenson, Vice Chairman Stocking Absent: Chairman Rogers Others Present: Community Development Dir. Dick Untch; Recording Secretary Celeste Weilandt; Chicago-area Realtime Court Rptr. Paula Quetsch Public Present: Messrs. Doug Kight, John Green, John Harper, and Dave Wilde with First Baptist Church of Geneva ________________________________________________________________________________ Approval of the January 9, 2014 Meeting Minutes Minutes of the January 9, 2014 meeting were approved on motion by Commissioner Erickson, Seconded by Commissioner Mead. Motion carried by voice vote of 6-0. Public Hearing Preliminary/Final Planned Unit Development - Request to re-establish a preliminary planned unit development (originally approved by Ordinance 2003-03) and final planned unit development plan approval for Phase 2, a 23,200 square foot building addition to the existing facility. Vice Chairman Stocking read the protocol for the public hearing (Commissioner Leidig arrives.) and swore in those individuals that would be speaking on the above petition. [See Transcript from Chicago-Area Real Time Reporters] Commissioner Mead moved to close the public hearing, seconded by Commissioner Erickson. Motion carried by voice vote of 7-0. Commissioner Mead moved to waive the two-week bifurcated process and vote on the above petition. Seconded by Commissioner Leidig. Motion carried by voice vote of 7-0. Dir. Untch indicated that the development team reviewed the staff submittal and provided two sets of comments and, overall, the changes to the preliminary PUD do comply with the bulk regulations of the B-1 Business District and the regulations of the Westhaven PUD. Significant parking is provided on- site in excess of what is required in the city’s Zoning Ordinance. Outstanding issues have been identified were being worked out. Staff recommended the four conditions listed in its report as conditions for approval prior to the issuance of a building permit. Dir. Untch reviewed the original findings of fact issued back in 2003 as they relate to the Special Use Standards: Standard No. 1) regarding conformity with the Comprehensive Plan -- the proposed use is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, as proposed; Standard No. 2) re: impact on value of adjacent/nearby properties -- the master plan for the development of this property as a church will include architecture and landscaping that is appropriate to the adjacent residential uses. Current buffering to the north already exists and the addition and church are compatible with the neighboring uses; Standard No. 3) re: potential impact on traffic, traffic congestion, and parking -- the existing church and proposed addition will provide sufficient parking to meet the needs of the worship services Geneva Plan Commission -2- February 13, 2014 and other activities; heaviest use will occur on Sunday mornings when traffic on nearby roadways is minimal. Access points into the site have been established and approved by the appropriate agencies; Standard No. 4: re: ingress/egress -- the two existing entrances will remain as part of the use and its expansion; Standard No. 5: re: adverse effects/changes in the character of the area -- the existing church and expansion are a compatible use and in scale with the residential subdivisions and, architecturally, the church and expansion have a compatible relationship with the neighborhoods; Standard No. 6) re: adverse impact on the use/development of adjacent properties -- the existing church and expansion will not adversely affect the use/development of adjacent properties due to the access from arterial roads, compatible architecture, and building scale and openness of the property; Standard No. 7: re: adequacy of utilities and drainage, parking -- stormwater management and retention are currently provided on-site and meeting the existing and future site development of the property as planned; Standard No. 8: re: compliance with all City regulations, conditions and requirements -- the development does comply with the requirements of the City’s codes and the standards that have been established in the original PUD; and Standard No. 9: re: architectural appeal and function -- the architecture is compatible with the adjacent residential uses and churches are considered compatible with residential uses. Based on those findings, staff recommended approval of this request. Commissioner Mead moved to approve the request to re-establish a preliminary planned unit development (originally approved by Ordinance 2003-03) and final planned unit development plan approval for Phase 2, a 23,200 square foot building addition to the existing facility, including the four (4) conditions listed in staff’s report and including staff’s original findings of fact. Seconded by Commissioner Evans. (Commissioner Leidig recuses herself.) Roll call: Aye: Case, Erickson, Evans, Mead, Stevenson, Stocking Nay: None Abstain: Leidig MOTION CARRIED. VOTE: 6-0-1 Public Comment - None Other Business - Dir. Untch reported on the following: computer laptops and electronic packets will become available May 2014; City Council approved the sign variation for the Country House; Pulte Homes (from last month) is looking to submit its packet in March 2014; and the Downtown Zoning Ordinance update is moving forward thanks to the technical assistance of the RTA. Details followed. Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning is assisting the City and is moving forward with the housing plan, with draft housing policy recommendations to be discussed by the Geneva Housing Task Force next month, followed by City Council review. Historic Preservation staff is looking to provide a series of videos on various topics involving historic preservation as well as an update of the city’s 1999 Historic Resources Survey. To date, there is no mention of changing districts. Dialog followed on the new medical marijuana law, the location of growing centers and dispensaries, and the strict requirements for such facilities. Dir. Untch envisions that if such a petition were to come forward, a presentation to the Committee of the Whole would occur initially to get direction. Vice Chairman Stocking noted that interior neon lighting in some of the businesses was becoming a concern, wherein Dir. Untch stated the new sign regulations should address that issue specifically. Lastly, Dir. Untch reported that a number of applications have been received for the new Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals. Adjournment Meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m. on motion by Commissioner Evans. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.