Industrial & Commercial Development Commission

1 Approved 2 MINUTES OF THE VILLAGE OF NORTHBROOK INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT 3 COMMISSION 4 Village Hall Terrace Room 5 April 26, 2016 6 Members Present : Chairman Patrick Lederer, Mark Freeman, Tensley Garris, Dave Gottlieb, Brian Lee, 7 Dick Leopold, Richard Rushkewicz, Thomas Washburn, and Curtis Wilens 8 Members Absent: Rik Blyth, Larry Hershkovitz 9 Staff Present: David Schoon, Assistant Director, Development and Planning Services 10 Guest Speakers: Kevin Frangiamore, Director of the Fire Prevention Bureau and Director Poupard, 11 Director of Development and Planning Services 12 Public Present: None 13 Recorder: Sue Anetsberger 14 Call to Oder & Introductions 15 ICDC Chairman Lederer called the meeting to order in the Terrace Room of Village Hall at 7:35 a.m. 16 Review of Minutes 17 On a motion made and seconded, the February 23, 2016 ICDC meeting minutes were approved as 18 presented. 19 Public Comment-Hear from the Audience - None 20 It was noted that the Discussion Regarding Village Building Permit and Inspection Process would precede 21 the Community Planning & Economic Development Coordinator Report 22 Discussion Regarding Village Building Permit and Inspection Process 23 Kevin Frangiamore, Director of the Fire Prevention Bureau, and Tom Poupard, Director of Development 24 and Planning Services, introduced themselves. A handout was distributed to membership on Northbrook 25 Economic Data (date March 2016) identifying current trends. Director Poupard stated that the building 26 process is externally driven by private sector development. In 2016 there has had a few big projects 27 and more are coming. He stated that the single family market is also picking up. 28 So far this year 1400 inspections were made in February and 1300 in March. Director Poupard cited 29 NorthShore 770 as a project that was driving a large number of the inspections. Each unit generates a 30 number of inspections and staff is scheduled to be there two days per week. This effects fire inspection 31 as well. Our goal is to schedule an inspection within 3 working days of the request. We have brought in 32 supplemental contract employees to help manage the inspection workload while NS770 is underway. 33 Inspection costs are lumped into the cost of the building permit with two inspections attempts and an 34 added penalty fee of $75 imposed on the third and additional inspection attempts.  ICDC Meeting Minutes – April 26, 2016 1 The Village invested in new software to help manage the permit and inspection process. Inspectors have 2 tablets and inspection results can now be emailed out. Although Northbrook has eliminated a large 3 number of local amendments to the building code, the State of Illinois mandates that municipalities 4 follow the International Energy Conservation Code and the Illinois Plumbing Code. 5 A question was asked if staff is having to educate contractors or were they well versed in the rules. 6 Director Poupard answered that it varies widely and that on residential projects, owners often go with 7 the low bid. This can in some cases create problems. 8 Chairman Lederer inquired how the Village sets the inspection expectations with the inspectors. Director 9 Poupard answered that staff meet every two to three months to review what is important and what is 10 not. Inspectors can point out items in the code that may need to be reviewed. 11 A question was asked about the size of staff for the past five years. Director Poupard answered that 12 personnel on the inspector side have been built back up. One plan reviewer manages the process while 13 plan review has been farmed out to trained individuals. Clerical customer service staff has grown to four 14 staffers from three staffers. Kevin Frangiamore answered that he previously handled all fire prevention. 15 In 2013 another fire prevention staffer was added. Redevelopment continues within Northbrook but 16 there is little new land available for new development, but we have fewer planners now than we did 17 before the recession. 18 Member Garris asked if there are inspection result numbers available to benchmark against other 19 communities. Director Poupard answered that there are too many differences in how communities 20 report inspections to do a fair comparison. 21 Chairman Lederer asked a question about when an inspector's review results in requirements that are 22 different than what is shown on the approved permit plans. Director Poupard answered that plans that 23 are approved with a building permit contain stamps that contain notes regarding compliance with all 24 applicable codes as permit drawings can never completely tell the whole story regarding compliance. 25 There may be a judgment call but all work performed must be in compliance within specific codes. Kevin 26 Frangiamore answered that life safety is the most important issue with regard to fire inspection. 27 Chairman Lederer asked a question about where are the biggest issues as far as commercial inspections? 28 Director Poupard answered that the biggest challenges occur when there is use change. 29 Member Gottlieb asked if the amount of revenue generated from the permitting process is tracked. 30 Director Poupard answered that it is and revenue budget expectations have been exceeded so far. 31 Community Planning Report 32 David Schoon, Village Staff Liaison provided information on the current status of development projects 33 Northeast Northbrook: (1) NorthShore 770 - All businesses are open except PNC Bank. Twenty percent 34 of the 349 residential units have received occupancy permits; (2) 430 Dundee Marathon and the Rehab 35 Institute - Applicants are working on getting their documents ready to come in for approval; (3) 1000 36 Skokie Mixed Use Project - Village Board needs to give final plan approval before beginning construction. 2  ICDC Meeting Minutes – April 26, 2016 1 The applicant reduced the residential component by 10%; (4) Lock Up Self Storage at 990 Skokie Blvd.- 2 Structure has been demolished, project moving forward; (5) JCC Expansion - Project off Revere Drive is 3 moving forward; (6) Kemper Sports at 500 Skokie and UBS at 5 Revere Drive seek special permit 4 approval for outdoor wall signage over 20 feet from grade; Northwest Communities (7) Northbrook 5 Memory Care Facility - 99 Point Drive construction project is moving along; (8) Timber's Edge - 3895 6 Dundee – site improvements are being in and developer in for permits on three homes; (9) Dunkin 7 Donuts at 2775 Dundee - Project is under construction after IDOT issues were resolved; (10) Rogan at 8 3455 Woodhead Drive is seeking special permit for wall sign 20 ft. from grade; (11) Noggin Builders at 9 3000 Dundee is seeking expansion not far from current site, should be approved tonight by Board; (12) 10 US HealthVest Psychiatric Hospital - 4201 Lake Cook - Board held a preliminary review, 5 out of 7 Board 11 members were not interested in rezoning and amending restrictive covenant; (13) Atlas Fiber and Wiss 12 Janney Elstner Class 6b requests were approved; Downtown Northbrook (14) Village Green Center - 13 project continues to move along after underground site work issues were resolved; (15) Jacobs Homes - 14 1179-1291 Shermer – had been deferred to Planning and Zoning, where the number of units were 15 reduced from 72 to 68 with increased setback along Shermer Rd.; Southeast Northbrook (16) Toyota of 16 Northbrook 1500-50 Frontage Rd., formal application for changes was submitted; (17) Edward R. James - 17 Voltz and Waukegan – Concept plan was approved for 32 units. Board approved connection to Lee Rd. 18 with gate for emergency vehicles and development’s residents only; (18) Lodge on Founders Drive 19 expansion should receive Board approval in May; South Northbrook (19) Metro Self Storage at 2121 20 Shermer should be completed soon; (20) Patriot Care - Shermer and Techny - Waiting for applicant to 21 resubmit; (21) Royal Truck Repair at Old Willow and Shermer Rd. - Waiting on formal application, last 22 staff heard project moving forward; (22) Hanover Company Apartment Building at Shermer Rd. and 23 Stanley - will present to the Board tonight on proposed new apartment project; (23) Ultimo Motors – 24 Board to consider sales tax rebate for high end used car dealership looking at 1808-1850 Holste site; (24) 25 Economic Development Committee met earlier this month to discuss benefits of 6b requests. Further 26 discussion will look at the future of older industrial areas within the community. 27 Staff Liaison Schoon reported that Industrial and Commercial Services District allow some other uses in 28 the South Shermer area. Member Washburn stated that new residential units coming up within the 29 Village could be near 1,000 in number with an average of 2,000 new people entering the community. He 30 inquired as to where the new residents are coming from. Staff Liaison Schoon answered that some are 31 downsizing and moving into these types of units, and younger people are moving into the area into 32 existing homes as supported by statistics from the school districts. 33 Member Garris asked if speculation is coming to fruition on the absorption of apartment units in all of 34 the apartment complexes being constructed in the area. 35 Update Regarding Pace Bus Shelter in Sky Harbor & Change in Pace Designated Transit Stops 36 Liaison Schoon reported that Pace is reviewing the rider counts to evaluate the demand for a requested 37 bus shelter in Sky Harbor at Commercial Avenue and Academy Drive. He is waiting on Pace to get back 38 to him. Liaison Schoon provided a handout where Pace states that bus routes are changing from flexible 39 pick-up services, whereby an individual is able to flag down a bus, to posted stops only service. 40 Chairman Lederer stated that it would be more correct to have a shelter now because of the designated 3  ICDC Meeting Minutes – April 26, 2016 1 pick up spots. Membership will look at the option of having commercial ads placed on shelters and the 2 possibility of Village participation after receiving the Pace report. 3 Discussion Regarding Future Presentations & Programs - Workforce Development - 4 Employers finding employees in the area was identified as a major concern at the last Commission 5 meeting. Since the last meeting, Member Garris and Liaison Schoon ideas to address the issue and 6 discussed such items job fairs, a web page with resources, etc. In the end, they favored pulling together 7 a group of people from local businesses to identify what the Commission could do to help businesses 8 find new employees and to retain their current workforce. Liaison Schoon asked if this is something that 9 the Commission would like to pursue and to discuss further. Expertise from outsiders was identified as 10 important for Village and Chamber to be successful in their mission. Member Garris stated that the 11 targeted employees needed were mostly hourly workers. Member Rushkewicz suggested identifying 12 individuals from the business visits that would be willing to participate. At the next meeting, the 13 Commission will discuss if this is the approach it would like to take. 14 Business Visits 15 Liaison Schoon stated that he is working on follow up visit information for membership to continue with 16 their business visits. 17 New Business 18 Member Garris noted that the Economic Outlook Breakfast with speaker Jack Ablin is scheduled for 19 Thursday, April 28, 2016. 20 Adjourn 21 On motion made and seconded, the meeting was adjourned at 9:07 a.m. The next meeting is scheduled 22 for Tuesday, May 24, at 7:30 a.m. 23 Respectfully Submitted 24 Sue Anetsberger 25 4