Planning and Zoning Commission

PLAN COMMISSION MINUTES City of Geneva 109 James Street - City Council Chambers Meeting #1151– January 8, 2015 Chairman Rogers called the Plan Commission meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Roll call followed: Present: Commissioners, Dziadus, Erickson, Evans, Leidig (@ 7:05 p.m.), Mead, Stevenson, Stocking, Chairman Rogers Absent: Commissioner Case Others Present: Community Development Dir. Richard Untch; Planners Dave DeGroot and Paul Evans; Recording Secretary Celeste Weilandt ________________________________________________________________________________ Approval of the December 11, 2014 Meeting Minutes (Commissioner Leidig arrives.) Motion by Commissioner Mead, seconded by Commissioner Erickson, to approve the December 11, 2014 meeting minutes. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote of 8-0. Review and Recommendation Session (Public Hearing held and closed on 12/11/2014): 4.A. Park Place – Requests for (1) an amendment to the City’s adopted Downtown Station- Area Master Plan to change the future land use designation of the property from “Single- Family Residential” to “Single-Family Residential, Attached”; (2) a Zoning Map amendment to rezone the property from the R6 Two- and Three-Family Residential District to the R7 Multi- Family Residential District; and (3) a Special Use for Preliminary/Final Planned Unit Development Plan Approval. Location: Block 2 of the Original Town of Geneva, bounded by North Street to the north, Stevens Street to the south, north 1st Street to the east, and north 2nd Street to the west. Applicant: Oak Creek Capital Partners. Chairman Rogers confirmed with Commissioner Evans that she did review the above petition; she confirmed she had. The chairman reminded the public that the hearing was closed and no further comments would be accepted at this meeting. City Planner David DeGroot read and summarized the main points/concerns from the public hearing held on December 11, 2014 regarding this petition -- mainly, the height and massing of the buildings. In response, the developer lowered the height of the building by one foot, bringing the height to 38 feet, 10 inches and also clipping the gables on the side elevations to reduce the massing. Continuing, Mr. DeGroot reported there was concern about the color of the proposed buildings. As a response, the developer has modified the color schemes of the building and has provided three color combinations for buyers to chose from. (Revised color renderings were shown on the overhead.) Commissioner Leidig shared her concerns about the roof pitch lowered and making the buildings “look worse.” However, Dir. Untch pointed out that there were a number of variation and design elements along the facades of the building that added to the buildings’ design and the roof clips and roof pitch were just a couple of design elements being modified. Another concern, as summarized by Planner DeGroot, was the Stevens Street access to the site, recalling that the property owner across the street expressed concern about vehicles exiting onto Stevens Street and having their headlights Geneva Plan Commission -2- January 8, 2015 shine into his home. The applicant, after discussing options with staff, has decided to keep the original Stevens Street access because it was determined that the owner’s home across Stevens Street sat higher than the proposed development and lights would not shine into the owner’s home. Traffic patterns were then discussed. Other concerns voiced during last month’s meeting included the development’s density, which would not be reduced by the developer. Lastly, questions about the school and park district cash contributions were mentioned but Mr. DeGroot stated that the developer was asking for credits for the remaining dwellings that would be demolished as part of the redevelopment. Mr. DeGroot reminded the commissioners that Geneva Park District voiced concerns with applying those credits and preferred to have the full cash contribution to be applied. It was pointed out by Commissioner Stocking, however, that the petitioner could, via the ordinance, petition the city to waive the cash contribution, wherein Mr. DeGroot confirmed same, stating that City Council did have the authority to grant relief to any regulation in the subdivision ordinance and that the applicant had the right to request that relief, with a two-thirds super-majority vote from City Council. Mr. DeGroot and Dir. Untch proceeded to provide details on that process. Amendment to the Downtown Station-Area Master Plan: Next, Planner DeGroot reviewed the staff analysis in detail as it related to the petitioner’s request for the rezoning from Single-Family Residential on the western half of the block to Single-Family Residential Attached, explaining the positives of such request and the city’s goal to increase density and housing diversity in the downtown area. Commissioner Stocking shared his support for staff’s Finding No. 3 as the Downtown Station-Area Master Plan promoted more density in areas near the downtown. Commissioner Stocking added that nothing had been developed on the proposed site since 1990 and if the site was not rezoned and redeveloped it would sit, or, it would have condos located on First Street and the other western side of the block would sit. Commissioners had no changes to staff’s findings. Zoning Map Amendment: Reviewing the zoning map amendment, Mr. DeGroot walked through each of the four (4) map amendment standards for the proposed amendment. No changes to the findings were voiced. Special Use for Preliminary and Final Planned Unit Development Plan Approval: Mr. DeGroot reviewed in detail the nine (9) standards for the Special Use request, asking for commissioner input, if any. Standard No. 1: No changes to the finding. Standard No. 2: Commissioners indicated that the proposal was an improvement over what was there now and the development would not diminish the nearby properties, but would enhance the surrounding properties. The development was not a piece-meal project. Standard No. 3: Mr. DeGroot reviewed the parking/traffic generation as it related to AM/PM peak hours, summarizing that the development would not generate significant trips. Staff did recommend, however, that a condition be added to not allow parking on North Street because it was a substandard width. No changes to the findings except for the aforementioned condition added by staff. Standards No. 4 through 9: No changes to the findings. Requested Zoning Relief: Mr. DeGroot reported that the developer has requested three zoning deviations: Geneva Plan Commission -3- January 8, 2015 1) a minimum street yard setback of 10 feet instead of 20 feet. Per Mr. DeGroot there was concern raised at the public hearing about the reduced setback but he pointed out the developer was requesting a minimum setback of 10 feet, taken from the property line, and pointing out the Mews (phonetic) development was set back 20 feet from the property line. For the proposed development, however, there was the 10 feet from the property line, then the public sidewalk, and then 20 feet of parkway, for a total of about 30 feet as the minimum setback from the roadway to the buildings’ facades. The buildings’ elevations also varied with some setbacks going to the porches and having the major mass of the buildings set behind the building. 2) a maximum lot coverage of 70.1 percent instead of 65 percent. Mr. DeGroot explained that this was a satisfactory request in that the parking was internal and there was enough green space provided on all four sides of the block. 3) a maximum building height of 38 feet 10 inches instead of 35 feet. Per Mr. DeGroot, the height had been reduced by one foot. No further comments/questions were voiced from the commissioners. Commissioner Mead made a motion to approve an amendment to the City’s adopted Downtown Station-Area Master Plan to change the future land use designation of the property from “Single-Family Residential” to “Single-Family Residential, Attached” (excluding P.I.N. 12- 03-276-008 and 12-03-276-009). Seconded by Commissioner Evans. Roll call: Aye: Dziadus, Erickson, Evans, Leidig, Mead, Stevenson, Stocking, Chairman Rogers Nay: None MOTION PASSED. VOTE: 8-0 Commissioner Mead made a motion to approve a Zoning Map amendment to rezone the property from the R6 Two- and Three-Family Residential District to the R7 Multi-Family Residential District, including the findings of fact on page 4 of the staff report. Seconded by Commissioner Leidig. Roll call: Aye: Dziadus, Erickson, Evans, Leidig, Mead, Stevenson, Stocking, Chairman Rogers Nay: None MOTION PASSED. VOTE: 8-0 Commissioner Mead moved to approve a Special Use for Preliminary/Final Planned Unit Development Plan Approval, including the findings of fact on page 6 of the staff report and subject to the following conditions: a. The following zoning relief from the R7 Multiple-Family District: 1) a minimum street yard setback of 10 feet instead of 20 feet; 2) a maximum lot coverage of 70.1 percent instead of 65 percent; 3) a maximum building height of 38 feet 10 inches instead of 35 feet. b. The applicant shall record the plat of vacation for property in N. 2nd Street right-of-way and pay to the City $43,500 to compensate for the land and the cost of the appraisal; c. The building materials and colors shall be as shown in the attached architectural elevations and renderings of staff’s report. Any change in the building materials or colors shall be subject to review and approval by the Director of Community Development; d. On-street parking shall be prohibited on both sides of North Street; Geneva Plan Commission -4- January 8, 2015 e. The applicant shall make a cash contribution to the School District in the amount of $20,049.27; f. The applicant shall make a cash contribution to the Park District in the amount of $88,692.70; and g. Final engineering approval prior to building permit issuance. Seconded by Commissioner Leidig. Roll call: Aye: Erickson, Evans, Leidig, Mead, Stevenson, Stocking, Chairman Rogers Nay: Dziadus MOTION PASSED. VOTE: 7-1 Commissioner Dziadus stated he felt the cash contribution should be at the full amount and not be credited. Chairman Rogers stated that City Council would have the final vote on the above matter. Public Comment – None. Other Business Mr. DeGroot referenced copies of the Homes for a Changing Region Plan were on the dais for the commissioners. The project was a result of over two years’ worth of work. Dir. Untch indicated there were plans to meet with the partner communities (North Aurora, St. Charles and Batavia) in February or March to work on a number of steps to implement. Two areas the steering committee is looking at is employer-assisted housing and preparing informational material on the data that has been developed regarding future needs of housing in the aging demographics. Dir. Untch explained how employer-assisted housing worked. Mr. DeGroot announced that this was Dir. Untch’s last official meeting with his retirement occurring on January 16, 2015. Accolades followed by commissioners and Chairman Rogers. Dir. Untch thanked the commissioners for their work and shared kind words about city staff and the Geneva community. City Planner Paul Evans reported on upcoming proposals: 2700 Keslinger medical proposal, a Gary Lane conceptual review, and the Meadowbrook Manor project. Dialog followed as to what the issues were regarding the two parties on the Meadowbrook project and the access issues with Keslinger Road. Updates also followed on the Marquette Companies project, the nearby Burgess Norton office property, and the Downtown Zoning ordinance. Dir. Untch shared some of the zoning changes expected. Asked if the commission would be revisiting the electronic sign topic, Mr. DeGroot said the matter was still on his agenda. Adjournment Meeting was adjourned at 8:08 p.m. on motion by Commissioner Evans. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote of 8-0.