Downtown Zoning Committee

1 APPROVED 2 MINUTES OF THE VILLAGE OF NORTHBROOK 3 DOWNTOWN ZONING STEERING COMMITTEE 4 5 Village Hall Terrace Room 6 July 30, 2013 7 8 Members Present: Chairman Scott Cyphers, Susan Elfant, Steven Elisco, Selwyn Marcus, Lori 9 Jordison 10 11 Members Absent: None 12 13 Staff Present: Tom Poupard (Director, DPS), David Schoon (Assistant Director, DPS) 14 15 Call to Order & Introductions 16 Chairman Cyphers called the meeting to order in the Terrace Room of Village Hall at 7:05 p.m. 17 18 Public Comment- Hear from the Audience 19 None 20 21 Review of April 24, 2013 Meeting 22 Member Elisco moved, Member Elfant seconded, to approve the April 24, 2013, minutes as 23 submitted. On voice vote, the minutes were unanimously approved. 24 25 Recap of April 24 Committee Meeting 26 Director Poupard reminded the Committee regarding the discussion that took place at the April 24 27 meeting, which included a review of the draft Downtown Plan, introduction to form-based codes, 28 review of draft Downtown zoning district map and description. 29 30 Overview of Form-Based Regulations vs. Conventional Zoning Code 31 Poupard presented a PowerPoint presentation regarding form-based regulations and highlighted 32 differences between them and conventional zoning code regulations. In summary, form based 33 codes have five elements (1) a regulating plan, (2) treatment of public and private spaces, (3) 34 building form, (4) uses allowed, and (5) administration of form-based codes. 35 36 Commission members discussed the balance between being too prescriptive and creating the 37 downtown we want. They also discussed how the form based code can articulate vision to the 38 property owners, developer, and the community. 39 40 Boundaries for New Zoning District 41 Poupard briefly reviewed the Village’s Downtown Plan and its relationship with Farr Associates 42 proposed regulating plan for the downtown. The Committee then reviewed Staff’s version of the 43 Farr Associates regulation plan. The Committee made the following observations and decisions. 44 45  Downtown Zoning Committee Meeting Minutes July 30, 2013 1  The Mobil gas station and bike shop near Shermer & Walters should be included with the 2 form based code regulations and designated as Commercial Center District. Property to 3 the north of the condos on the northeast corner of Shermer and Waukegan should also be 4 included. However the condos should be left out as well as the four single family homes 5 along Angle, north of Walgreens. 6 7  Include Angle, Lincoln, Keystone streetscapes in regulating plan, not the residential 8 properties along them. 9 10  Regarding the C-1 area, form based code would provide specificity for design of buildings in 11 the Transition /Edge 2 District. 12 13  Regarding the Meadow Plaza site it should be zoned to allow greater height and density, 14 but also allow minor changes in the interim. 15 16  Regarding the Metra lot, Farr had proposed residential, staff suggesting mixed use such as 17 the General CBD designation. Poupard explained the difference between the Downtown 18 Core district and the General CBD district, in that the Downtown Core required commercial 19 uses on the first floor, while the General CBD allowed others. 20 21  At Spruce and Walters, staff recommending that it be designated more as a 22 Transition/Edge area. 23 24  Regarding the Meadow Plaza, staff will explore Farr Associates regarding creating blocks 25 with a street that runs along river and then connects to a roadway/driveway that lines up 26 with Keystone. Zoning should be Downtown Core or General CBD. 27 28  Regarding the vacant lot that is part of the Village Green Shopping Center along Shermer 29 Road, commercial uses should be required along the street and a mixture of uses allowed 30 above. 31 32  Include properties on the west side of Shermer, between Illinois and Brentwood, in form 33 based regulations as Transition/Edge 2 District. Along Shermer Road in this area, we 34 should explore incorporating green initiatives for stormwater management within the right 35 of way. 36 37  Include all properties on east side of Shermer between Maple to Illinois as Transition/Edge 38 2 District. 39 40 Key Elements of Downtown Plan Design Guidelines to Incorporate 41 The Committee briefly spoke about the design guidelines in the Downtown Plan. They concluded 42 that the guidelines are very broad and don’t feel bound by them. In fact, Farr can take them up a 43 notch.  Downtown Zoning Committee Meeting Minutes July 30, 2013 1 2 Schedule and Next Steps 3 Staff will work with consultant to bring a draft of the form based regulations for the downtown 4 back to the Committee later this year. Commission members indicated that they liked the 5 formatting and content of the Village of Lake Zurich form based regulations, and that it could be 6 more specific than those. 7 8 Other Business 9 There was none. 10 11 Adjourn 12 On motion made and seconded, the joint meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m. 13 14 Respectfully Submitted – 15 David Schoon