Building & Zoning Committee

VILLAGE OF NILES 1000 Civic Center Drive Niles, IL 60714 www.vniles.com Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 29, 2018 8:15 AM Village Hall BUILDING AND ZONING COMMITTEE MEETING Chairman Denise McCreery - Trustee Members Charles Ostman – Community Development Director Rich Wlodarski – Community Development Assistant Director Tom Kanelos – Chairman Planning and Zoning Hadley Skeffington–Vos – Deputy Village Manager Danielle Grcic – Village Attorney Rich Mangold – Resident Building and Zoning Meeting Minutes November 29, 2018 Committee Meeting CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL The Niles Building and Zoning Committee meeting was called to order at 8:15 AM. Present: 7 - Chairman McCreery, Ostman, Wlodarski, Kanelos, Grcic, Mangold and Skeffington-Vos Guests: 1 – Christina Nesnikowski Absent: 0 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairman McCreery asked if there were any additions, clarifications or corrections to the minutes of October 25, 2018 meeting. Tom Kanelos approved the minutes and Chuck Ostman seconded it. AYES: 7 - Chairman McCreery, Ostman, Wlodarski, Kanelos, Grcic, Mangold and Skeffington- Vos. NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 OLD BUSINESS I. EnerGov software update Chuck Ostman mentioned that EnerGov has user training starting on February 4th and one week later on the February 11th it will go live with software. The week after next, however, training for modules and software for EnerGov starts. Data conversion is good but we have a few outstanding issues with fire where information in other software’s still need to be retrieved but other than that everything is going smooth and on target. Chairman McCreery asked Hadley Skeffington Vos about other software’s. Hadley replied that the new software in finance is called Munis which is a Tyler product and is now up and running with their financials. There is still Payroll, Human Resource, Time-keeping and Utility-billing that they are working on. Payroll is, however, the next one in line to go live beginning in January, followed by Execu Time, Human Resources by May and after that Utility-billing. Chairman McCreery asked Hadley if it is typical with our timeline compared to other municipalities and Hadley replied that we are in an accelerated time line compared to other municipalities. Village of Niles Page 2 of 6 Building and Zoning Meeting Minutes November 29, 2018 Committee Meeting Chuck said we have weekly meetings with Tyler to go over outstanding issues. We just had a meeting Tuesday and spoke on line with the trainer who is coming out in a week and a half and we are going to record all the training so if anyone has to go back to review it at a future date they can use it or it can be used for any new employees. Chairman McCreery asked Chuck if the inspectors are set with devices to use in the field and Chuck mentioned that Apple tablets have been purchased but have not been released yet because we are still a few months away from going live. Chuck also mentioned that the tablets will have protective covers and screens on them in case they are dropped. II. Discussion on outdoor seating. Chuck Ostman is still working on the outdoor seating which will include outdoor product displays, drive aisles which can be a danger to the pedestrians and noise issues that will be reviewed by the Public Safety Committee before the next meeting. III. Discussion on outdoor yard decorations/furniture. Chuck Ostman apologized that we are missing a document regarding the encroachment required set-backs for lawn decorations. The appropriate place to further define it is Table 9-1, encroachments into required yards which includes front, back and side yards. Chuck continued to say we need to define lawn furniture and lawn decorations in front yards and trampolines, which were previously mentioned, are not permitted. After much discussion, it was decided that we will review this subject again at our next meeting so everyone can review this table and make any other adjustments. Chairman McCreery also mentioned that maybe a quick video or Utube made up to show how overall care to properties can be helpful for our residents. Chuck Ostman said he would talk to Mitchell Johnson in Communications about making up a video or Utube. Tom Kanelos made a motion to table item number three under old business until the next meeting and Richard Mangold seconded it. AYES: 7 – Chairman McCreery, Ostman, Wlodarski, Kanelos, Grcic, Mangold and Skeffington-Vos NAYS: 0 NEW BUSINESS I. Discussion on Section Chapter 22-590, rental licenses and fees. Village of Niles Page 3 of 6 Building and Zoning Meeting Minutes November 29, 2018 Committee Meeting Chuck Ostman mentioned that we in Niles are in line for rental properties. Chuck also said the one thing the Mayor asked us to include in our software was to monitor the complaints on the rental vs: owner occupied households and see if we can provide a report at the end of the year stating the percentage of complaints of each. After much discussion, Chuck said we are at 20.2% for affordable housing in the Village of Niles but some other communities are higher but Tom Kanelos said he felt most committees are lower. Chairman McCreery also mentioned that we have options for people who want to move into the community and if we see a significant increase in people requiring licenses to rent houses we know we need to keep an eye on it. Chuck mentioned the licensing fees will be reviewed and be mentioned again at the next meeting. He will also come back with information of what it will cost the Village of Niles to enforce the rental housing program. Chairman McCreery agreed what Chuck said and added that we will continue to monitor the rental licenses and fees. II. Land Purchase Policy. Chuck Ostman said Mayor Przybylo has requested a Land Purchase Policy in regards to future Village land purchases. Chuck said it started out with Ross Klicker and then went to the Legal Department, some outside consultants and then went in front of the Finance Committee which they supported it. Danielle Grcic said the only addition from the Finance Committee was that we added in the ethics but everything else was approved. She also said that what we added in was that any land purchase or land purchase policy would follow the ethics ordinance. Chuck said it went through the Finance Committee, Building and Zoning Committee and then it will move on to the Village Board. Chairman McCreery asked Danielle Grcic to please brief us on the land purchase policy in general. Danielle said the purpose of the policy is to further the economic growth within the needed area. If the Tif District has any redevelopment plans, anything to go with the 20-30 plan or if we would purchase land if there is a municipal purpose for the property. This municipal purpose could entail for example, needing a new public works building, police station or whatever it may be. After we look at the purpose, we continue on and go further and say what we do when we need something, then someone has to identify the property. What this policy does is it tells us what Village of Niles Page 4 of 6 Building and Zoning Meeting Minutes November 29, 2018 Committee Meeting happens if a staff member or elected official identifies the policy and it also gives the option of an owner to tell the Village my land is within the Tif District and I would like to sell it and are you a purchaser? Either way it will require disclosure and it is disclosure to staff, to the board, of the location, purchase price, any issues with the property, any environmental issues, how the property is going to advance the particular plan or the municipal objective and the funding sources and it is all fact sensitive. Once we get to that point then we will have a form to fill out which will be provided to the Village Manager, the Mayor and trustees and it will get discussed and go through executive session. If it is approved it would go through public meeting and the form would be taken from them. In essence this is exactly how it is handled and the purpose of having it written down in a policy is for people to know how it is handled and that way the public and anyone interested in how we determine what land is feasible or not, they know that this is the process. After more discussion on how the policy was written etc.: Chairman McCreery entertained a motion to recommend moving this municipal Land Purchase Policy forward to the next level. Richard Mangold made a motion that we approve the recommended Land Purchase Policy. Chuck Ostman seconded it. AYES: 7 – Chairman McCreery, Ostman, Wlodarski, Kanelos, Grcic, Mangold, and Skeffington-Vos NAYS: 0 III. OPEN DISCUSSION Chairman McCreery introduced her guest Christina Lesnikowski to the Building and Zoning Board and she is here to talk about the idea of this board and the Village in general allowing opportunities for beekeeping as a hobby. After much discussion, Chairman McCreery wants this to be put on the agenda for a future meeting since the bee season does not start until March of 2019. NEXT MEETING DATE – Thursday, January 17, 2018. Village of Niles Page 5 of 6 Building and Zoning Meeting Minutes November 29, 2018 Committee Meeting ADJOURNMENT Chairman McCreery made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:30am. Richard Mangold moved to adjourn. Seconded by Hadley Skeffington-Voss, on roll call was: AYES: 7 - Chairman McCreery, Ostman, Wlodarski, Kanelos, Grcic, Mangold and Skeffington- Vos. NAYS: 0 Village of Niles Page 6 of 6