Planning and Zoning Commission

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD MEEETING MINUTES DATE OF MEETING: April 13, 2023 PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION Village Hall Board Room 7:00 pm 2020 Chestnut Street Homewood, IL 60430 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Sierzega called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM. ROLL CALL: In attendance were members Bransky, Cap, Johnson, O’Brien, Castaneda, and Chairman Sierzega. Members Cap and Alfonso was absent. Present from the Village were Director of Economic and Community Development Angela Mesaros and Village Planner Valerie Berstene. There was one person in the audience. The public was able to listen and watch the meeting via Zoom webinar. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: Chairman Sierzega asked if there were any changes or corrections to the minutes of March 9, 2023. Staff Liaison Mesaros corrected the year in the date in the header. A motion was made by Member O’Brien to approve the minutes of March 9 2023, as corrected; seconded by Member Bransky. AYES: Members Bransky, Johnson, O’Brien, and Chairman Sierzega NAYS: None ABSTENTIONS: Member Castaneda ABSENT: Members Alfonso and Cap REGULAR BUSINESS: CASE 23-08 – Public Hearing for a Special Use Permit for a Salon at 18668 Dixie Highway Chairman Sierzega read aloud a description of the case. He asked if Staff had heard from any neighboring property owners from the notification of the requested special use permit. Village Planner Berstene replied that they had not heard from anyone. Chairman Sierzega swore in the applicant, DeShola Spencer. Ms. Spencer restated her request for a special use permit to operate a salon, explaining the unforeseen costs for plumbing work that resulted in requesting a new special use permit to locate the business two doors down from where she was granted a special use permit in February 2023. Chairman Sierzega asked to confirm the size of the tenant space. Ms. DeShola stated it is 540 sf. Meeting Minutes | April 13, 2023 Last Revised: 05/02/2023 Q:\Planning and Zoning Commission\MEETINGS\2023\4.MINUTES\2023-04-13 PZC Minutes.final.docx  Planning & Zoning Commission Village of Homewood Chairman Sierzega asked a series of questions to clarify the details of the business operations, provided by Ms. Spencer and summarized as follows: - The business will specialize in dreadlocks. - The business will be by appointment only. - The proprietor will be the only service provider and will serve one customer at a time with a maximum of two customers in the space at a time. - Hours of operation will be roughly 9:00 am – 7:00 pm, primarily Thursday – Saturday, to possibly include Tuesday and Wednesday. The applicant reminded the Commission that she is a college professor as her primary occupation, providing hair services as a secondary source of income. Member O’Brien stated that the third finding of fact stating “The proposed business will not have a negative impact on other surrounding businesses or properties” should be removed because it is an opinion, not a fact. A motion was made by Member Bransky to recommend approval of Case 23-08 to grant a Special Use Permit for a Salon Establishment in B-3 General Business District for “The Natural You, LLC” at 18668 Dixie Highway, and incorporate the findings of fact as amended; seconded by Member O’Brien. AYES: Members Bransky, Johnson, O’Brien, Castaneda, and Chairman Sierzega NAYS: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: Members Alfonso and Cap. CASE 23-13 – Public Hearing for Text Amendment to Basketball Equipment and Sports Courts Chairman Sierzega read aloud a description of the case and invited Staff Liaison Mesaros to represent the Village of Homewood as the applicant. Member Bransky asked to clarify the scope of what is on the table to be regulated- whether it includes a backboard and hoop mounted on the building. Village Planner Berstene explained that the discussion at the previous meeting identified the subject of regulation as permanent, pole-mounted hoops. Based on this clarification, Member Bransky requested to keep a setback requirement from the front lot line. The Commissioners agreed to maintain the existing requirement for a 10-foot setback from the front lot line. Member O’Brien raised the question of two hoops in the front yard. Members discussed and determined that a limitation of one hoop in the front yard be established. Member O’Brien identified that there is a required set back from the interior side lot line. Members discussed and determined to reword the setback requirements to be 5 feet from any side lots lines. Member O’Brien asked about lights associated with sports courts. Members and Staff discussed the regulations of lights included in Section 44-05-12 of the Zoning Ordinance, limiting lights to be a full cut- off, maximum pole height, and footcandle maximum limits at the lot line. Member O’Brien asked about hours of use limits on lighting. Commission members agree that the regulations should state no lights are permitted for illuminating sports courts. Member Johnson cautioned that prohibiting lights could upset residents and that assigning a cut-off time for use of lights could be arbitrary. Staff Liaison Mesaros recommended that lighting be considered holistically- not only pertaining to lighting sports courts- and that Staff could look into this further. Member O’Brien corrected that use of the word “thorough” be removed from the response to the standards. Meeting Minutes | April 13, 2023 Last Revised: 05/02/2023 Q:\Planning and Zoning Commission\MEETINGS\2023\4.MINUTES\2023-04-13 PZC Minutes.final.docx  Planning & Zoning Commission Village of Homewood A motion was made by Member Bransky to recommend approval of Case 23-13 for a text amendment to revise regulations for basketball equipment and sports courts and incorporate the findings of fact into the record and corrections as noted in the discussion; seconded by Member O’Brien. AYES: Members Bransky, Johnson, O’Brien, Castaneda, and Chairman Sierzega NAYS: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: Members Alfonso and Cap. CASE 23-12 – Public Hearing for Map Amendment to Rezone Limited Properties from R1 to R2 Chairman Sierzega introduced the case. Member O’Brien made a motion to postpone indefinitely the case to include the all members of the Commission and provide additional time to in-take the content of the case. Chairman Sierzega recommended to continue to the next meeting. Member O’Brien stated a desire to have enough time to thoroughly review the details before discussing as a Commission. Staff Liaison Mesaros stated that this case has an impact on a property owner who is waiting to know the outcome to plan for and obtain permits for improvements to their property, so to continue the case without a date determined would not be fair. Member O’Brien requested additional background information on the pending applicant related to the rezoning case. Staff agreed to provide additional background information and additional labels on the maps in the exhibits. Member Johnson clarified that the reason for continuing would not be because one of the absent commission members owns a property subject to the rezoning, but that it is preferred to have all members present to have a full discussion. Member O’Brien stated that the depth of the content of the case may warrant a meeting unto itself, unencumbered by other cases to be heard on the same night. Members Johnson and Bransky asserted that the requested rezoning is a continued “clean up” to the zoning map to ensure that the character of developed properties match their zoning and that it is not so complex that it would warrant an entire meeting to discuss. Member Johnson moved continue the public hearing to the following meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission on April 27, 2023; seconded by Member Bransky. AYES: Members Bransky, Johnson, O’Brien, Castaneda, and Chairman Sierzega NAYS: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: Members Alfonso and Cap. OLD BUSINESS: None. NEW BUSINESS: Village Planner Berstene shared the news that Members Bransky and O’Brien will serve on the Steering Committee for the Downtown Transit-Oriented Development Master Plan. As Steering Committee members, the Commission members will serve as liaisons between the planning process and the Commission. All other members of the Commission are invited to participate in general opportunities to engage in the downtown planning process throughout the next year. Meeting Minutes | April 13, 2023 Last Revised: 05/02/2023 Q:\Planning and Zoning Commission\MEETINGS\2023\4.MINUTES\2023-04-13 PZC Minutes.final.docx  Planning & Zoning Commission Village of Homewood ADJOURN: Chairman Sierzega asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Member Castaneda moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:32 p.m., seconded by Member O’Brien. AYES: Members Bransky, Johnson, O’Brien, Castaneda, and Chairman Sierzega NAYS: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: Members Alfonso and Cap. Respectfully submitted, Angela Mesaros Director of Economic and Community Development Meeting Minutes | April 13, 2023 Last Revised: 05/02/2023 Q:\Planning and Zoning Commission\MEETINGS\2023\4.MINUTES\2023-04-13 PZC Minutes.final.docx