Planning and Zoning Commission

Village of Homewood Planning and Zoning Commission Thursday, August 11, 2022 7:00 p.m. Village Hall Board Room 2020 Chestnut Road Homewood, IL 60430 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Sierzega called the meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members attended: Alfonso, Bransky, Cap, Johnson, O’Brien, Castaneda, and Chairman Sierzega; Present from the Village were Economic and Community Development Director Angela Mesaros, Village Planner Valerie Berstene, and Building Department Secretary Darlene Leonard. There were two people in the audience. The public was able to listen and watch the meeting via zoom webinar. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Chairman Sierzega asked if there were any corrections or changes to the minutes of July 14, 2022. Member O’Brien stated on page 1 in the middle change “suggested” to “corrected” A motion was made by Member Bransky to approve the minutes of July 14, 2022, as amended; seconded by Member O’Brien. AYES: Members Bransky, Cap, Castaneda, O’Brien. NAYS: None ABSTENTIONS: Member Alfonso, Member Johnson, and Chairman Sierzega ABSENT: None Case No. 22-17 – Variance from garage height at 17904 Park Avenue: Village Planner Berstene stated the case has been withdrawn. Case No. 22-23 – Site Plan Review and Case No. 22-24 Parking Variance at 810 Maple Ave: Chairman Sierzega introduced the case and swore in the petitioner Mohammad Majid, 9200 S. 78th Ave. Hickory Hills, and Vincenzo Colella, 239 Concord Ln., Carol Stream. Chairman Sierzega asked if the property had been purchased. Mr. Majid stated yes, and that he wants to renovate it into two store fronts. Chairman Sierzega asked if it is the old Discount Tire building and how big it is. Mr. Majid stated, yes, it is the old Discount Tire building and it is roughly 12,000 square feet. Chairman Sierzega stated there are 28 parking spaces, but the requirement is 48 and asked if research had been done on where the additional spaces would come from. Mr. Majid stated the number of spaces is correct. Mr. Colella stated they had reached out to Kohl’s but had not gotten a response. Mr. 1 Colella added the building was constructed for auto repair with storage and the estimated number of staff and shoppers for each new use is five. Chairman Sierzega asked if they reached out to Kohl’s. Mr. Colella sated yes. Chairman Sierzega stated there was no communication from Kohl’s. Mr. Colella stated they reached out, but have gotten no response or correspondence. Chairman Sierzega asked if they had other ideas or options for parking. Mr. Majid stated no. Member Bransky asked what the uses would be in the spaces and added that the materials stated beauty supply and tobacco, and asked if they could elaborate to get an idea of the foot traffic and business hours. Mr. Majid stated the beauty supply location will sell hair, wigs, accessories, etc. Member Bransky asked if the building will be split 50/50. Mr. Majid stated no, closer to 70 (beauty supply)/30 (tobacco). The other side will sell cigars, cigarettes, and have a humidor for premium cigars. Mr. Majid stated the hours are expected to be 8 AM to 8 PM, and close earlier on Sundays, around 5 PM. Mr. Majid stated most customers for the smoke shop are in later in the day during the week and early on Saturdays. Mr. Majid stated has 10 other locations for tobacco store and rarely has more that 5-6 people in at the same time. Member Bransky stated that it is not a high traffic use, and asked if there would be a smoking area or lounge. Mr. Majid stated no, it is strictly retail. The beauty place has business early in the day when the smoke shop has less business. Mr. Majid stated, for the beauty supply store, the customers will buy their supplies and leave. There is strong business at both businesses, but not at the same time. Member Bransky asked the number of employees at both locations. Mr. Majid stated the salon will have two employees and the smoke shop will be one, but may have an additional employee in the evenings. Member Alfonso asked how much of the building will the businesses use. Mr. Majid stated the tobacco shop is 4,000 square feet with a back storage area. Member Alfonso asked if there would be a third business at the location. Mr. Majid stated no, and the beauty store would not have storage in the back as everything will be on display. They will have a “back area,” but it will be for receiving items only. Member Cap asked how the building would be transformed. Because the drawing does not indicate where the doors will be, how the building will be divided, or how the parking will serve both uses. Mr. Majid stated the beauty supply will be on the south end. Mr. Colella stated the entry will be on the east. Member Cap asked if the door on the northwest corner would be a secondary or staff entrance. Mr. Majid stated the door in the middle would be closed off. Mr. Colella stated both doors are being closed off and the primary entrance will be on the east side by the parking lot. 2 Member Cap stated that doing so would put a premium on the parking on the east side of the building and the parking on the west side would be a long walk. Mr. Majid stated the parking on the west side would be for staff. Member Cap stated that Village Staff shared the Site Plan Review Committee’s memo and asked if there is any issue with implementing their recommendations. Mr. Colella stated it is not a problem and they can implement all of it. Member Cap asked if they had done any research about Homewood. Mr. Colella stated he did a little, but his partner is more familiar. Member Cap stated the Village usually want something in writing for parking, and it is not the first time they have requested it. Member Cap added that Kohl’s isn’t the only adjacent property, there is the office building to the west or even possibly, Best Buy. Mr. Colella stated they ruled out the others because of safety concerns for the patrons. Member Cap stated it is not unusual and fairly common to have patrons cross a street when having a parking agreement. Member Cap stated these are the rules and the Village has to look to implement them fairly. Member O’Brien asked staff, regarding the parking requirement, if it has been determined that any approvals are in the new ordinance so since it has not been approved yet it should be the current code. Village Planner Berstene stated the reference to the current labeling in the ordinance reflects the number from the current Village Code updated in October 2021. Member O’Brien asked if content has been added or updated. Staff Liaison Mesaros stated the content has not changed. Member Johnson asked if Kohl’s owns the entire parking lot to the north or if Saucy Crab owns some of it or if it is owned by the shopping center. Member Johnson stated that it’s a lot of spaces being used. Member Johnson stated even with a huge sale there is not a lot of demand, so he does not believe parking is a big concern. Member Castaneda asked how many people may be in the beauty shop. Mr. Majid stated 4-5. Member Castaneda asked the square footage of the beauty shop. Mr. Majid stated 7,000 square feet. Member Castaneda stated the building at this location is not the tight footprint downtown is, and she thinks the 28 spaces would cover it. Member Bransky stated on the application it says 48 spaces, and it is asking to be reduced to 26, but elsewhere it says 28. Staff Liaison Mesaros stated during the site plan review the Staff requested that the parking lot be restriped and the parking was changed to 26. Chairman Sierzega asked which portion is the beauty supply and asked if it will be open to the public. Mr. Colella showed a hard copy of the property to the Commission members. Mr. Majid stated yes, it will be open to the public. 3 Chairman Sierzega stated the smoke shop door will open to the parking lot on the east side, and asked where the beauty supply entrance will be located. Mr. Majid stated the same side. Chairman Sierzega asked if the rear doors will be for employees and how many employees both locations would have. Mr. Majid stated the rear doors are employee access and two employees at each location. Chairman Sierzega asked what products the smoke shop will sell and if it will include hookah jars and asked what the hours of both locations will be. Mr. Majid stated there will be a full line of tobacco products, but they will only sell the tobacco for hookahs. The hours for the smoke shop are Monday- Saturday 8AM to 9 PM or 9 AM to 9 PM, and Sundays t open at 8 AM or 9 AM and close around 6 PM. The beauty shop will have the same hours. Chairman Sierzega asked if the employees will park in the rear. Mr. Colella stated there will be seven striped spaces. Chairman Sierzega stated he is concerned about reaching out to the adjoining properties for additional parking if necessary and recommends researching the ownership of the lot to the north and trying to lease spaces. Chairman Sierzega asked if there will be a humidor. Mr. Majid stated yes. Chairman Sierzega asked if the beauty shop is a chain. Mr. Majid stated it is not, there are multiple locations, but it is not a franchise. Chairman Sierzega asked if they are able to meet the recommendations from the staff regarding the bollards, regrading, etc. Mr. Majid stated yes. Chairman Sierzega asked if the landscaping is in. Village Planner Berstene stated it is not included. There were comments from the Arborist, but they were very technical and they will be reviewed by the Appearance Commission next month. Member Cap asked if the traffic circulation as one-way traffic had been addressed. Mr. Colella stated the concern is the northeast corner because of a blind spot. They are willing to address it and there will be stop signs and clear lane markings. Mr. Colella stated they are not doing the one-way traffic because the angled parking decreased the number of parking spaces. Member O’Brien asked how truck delivery is being accommodated and where the loading dock is located. Mr. Majid stated there is no loading dock, just the rear door on the west side and stated the delivery vehicles will be the size of Amazon delivery vehicles. Chairman Sierzega asked if the parking lot will be torn out. Village Planner Berstene stated the lot will be milled down to the base. Chairman Sierzega asked about the timeline to open. Mr. Majid stated that both locations should open before the end of 2022. 4 Member Bransky asked if it can be added to Case 22-24 to have a good faith effort for contact about the parking lot to the north as a recommendation to the Village Board. Member Cap stated he is comfortable with that. A motion was made by Member Bransky to approve Case Number 22-23 Site Plan Review for the property located at 810 Maple Avenue; seconded by Member Alfonso. AYES: Members Alfonso, Bransky, Cap, Castaneda, Johnson, O’Brien, and Chairman Sierzega. NAYS: None ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: None A motion was made by Member Bransky to approve Case Number 22-2 Parking Variance for the property located at 810 Maple Avenue incorporating the Findings of Fact with the recommendation to attempt to contact the owner of the parking lot to the north for use of parking spaces; seconded by Member Johnson. AYES: Members Alfonso, Bransky, Cap, Castaneda, Johnson, O’Brien, and Chairman Sierzega. NAYS: None ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: None Chairman Sierzega stated that the applicant should try to contact the owner and have it in writing to show the Village Board. NEW BUSINESS: Village Planner Berstene stated the consultant has updated the zoning code and she will be sending out emails for discussion of the updated zoning code. OLD BUSINESS: NONE ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Sierzega asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Member Johnson moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:03 p.m., seconded by Member Cap. AYES: Members Alfonso, Bransky, Cap, Johnson, O’Brien, Castaneda, and Chairman Sierzega. NAYS: None ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: None Respectfully submitted, Angela M. Mesaros Staff Liaison 5