Zoning Board of Appeals

1 APPROVED 2 MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 3 VILLAGE OF NORTHBROOK 4 COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS 5 May 20, 2013 6 7 1. Call to Order 8 Chairman Decker called the meeting to order at 7:34 pm in the Board Room of 9 Village Hall. Members Decker, Lown, Menn, Robicsek, and Schofield (5) were 10 present. Members Craig and Pick (2) were absent. A quorum was present. 11 12 Village staff present included J. Maisch, Zoning Adminstrator and Code Enforcement 13 Official, and L. Sweet, Recorder. 14 15 2. Review of Minutes 16 Member Robicsek, seconded by Member Schofield, motioned to approve the 17 minutes of the February 25, 2013 meeting, as presented. On voice vote, the minutes 18 were approved. Member Robicsek abstained. 19 20 3. General Public Comments 21 There were no comments from the audience. 22 23 Chairman Decker announced this is Member Menn’s last meeting. He suggested ZBA 24 members consider a motion to make Member Menn acting chair of the meeting. 25 Member Robicsek motioned, seconded by Member Lown, to appoint Member Menn 26 acting chair of the meeting. Member Menn continued as Acting Chairman. 27 28 4. Public Hearing and Consideration of Petitions: 29 Acting Chairman Menn announced that the dockets would first be heard in the 30 public hearing portion of the meeting. ZBA deliberation and decision regarding the 31 docket would occur immediately following the hearing, during the regular meeting. 32 Petitioners will be sworn in, and should address the Board. As required by state 33 statute, the hearing notice for both dockets was published in the May 2, 2013 34 Northbrook Star. 35 36 DOCKET NO. 13-Z-3 – Petition by Jay and Jennifer Anderson for a variation to 37 reduce the required rear yard setback from 40’ to 30’-10” on the R-4 Single Family 38 Residential property commonly known as 2124 Evert Court (04-16-406-037). The 39 purpose of the variation is to construct a second story addition over a portion of the 40 existing first floor. 41 42 Acting Chairman Menn swore in the Petitioners. Acting Chairman Menn asked if 43 neighbors were notified and staff informed. The Petitioners responded yes. Peter 44 Brinkerhoff, project architect, of 2000 Robincrest, Glenview, addressed the ZBA. 45 The Petitioner is seeking a rear yard setback. The house was build in 1969. The rear 46 setback was 30 feet back then, but is now 40 feet. The Petitioner would like to build  Minutes of a Regular Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting May 20, 2013 1 an addition over the garage, but it will encroach into the new setback. The addition 2 will match the adjacent two-story part of the house. The proposed addition is 3 within the allowable FAR. Note that it is a rear yard setback variation request, and 4 is not on the public side of the property. The lot is an odd shape due to its cul-du-sac 5 location. A number of homes in the area have a reduced rear yard setback. One of 6 the neighbors within the same cul-de-sac received a similar variation. The proposed 7 addition is in harmony with the neighborhood and Northbrook’s Comprehensive 8 Plan. Mr. Brinkerhoff continued that part of the proposal is also to add a single story 9 5-foot addition. He is open for questions. 10 11 Acting Chair Menn asked staff if it is okay that the ZBA does not have a site plan with 12 dimensions for the one-story addition. J. Maish responded the request and 13 subsequent motion only pertain to the part of the proposal that needs a variation to 14 reduce the setback. Acting Chair Menn commented that the ZBA sees this all the 15 time, and called for questions from members. Member Robicsek asked for 16 confirmation they are building only over the existing 16-foot first floor area shown. 17 The Petitioner replied yes. Member Lown, seconded by Member Robicsek, 18 motioned to close the public hearing. The motion passed by voice vote. 19 20 Acting Chair Menn commented the architect showed pictures of what the addition 21 will look like. Member Robicsek added the application provides all available 22 information. Member Robicsek, seconded by Member Decker, motioned to accept 23 the proposed variation: 24 25 DOCKET NO. 13-Z-3, a petition by Jay and Jennifer Anderson for a variation 26 to reduce the required rear yard setback from 40’ to 30’-10” on the R-4 27 Single Family Residential property commonly known as 2124 Evert Court 28 (04-16-406-037). The purpose of the variation is to construct a second story 29 addition over a portion of the existing first floor. 30 31 Roll was called: Ayes (5) Members Decker, Lown, Menn, Robicsek, Schofield. 32 33 The ZBA returned to the public hearing. 34 35 DOCKET NO. 13-Z-4 – Petition by Heinz Titze, ACME Alliance, LLC on behalf of the 36 property owner, Globea Property Associations, P.O. Box 592, Jackson, WY 83001 for 37 variations to: A) Reduce the required west side yard setback from 25’ to 6’-8”; and 38 B) Reduce the required rear yard setback from 15’ to 14’-2” on the I-1, Restricted 39 Industrial property commonly known as 3610 Commercial Avenue (04-06-202- 40 010, 04-06-202-025, 04-06-202-006, 04-06-202-007). The purpose of the variation 41 is to construct a one-story addition. 42 43 Acting Chair Menn disclosed he was in the Petitioners’ architect’s office today for an 44 unrelated purpose. Acting Chair Menn swore in architect Sara Gensberg, 105 45 Revere Drive, and other representatives. The Petitioner confirmed notice was given 46 to staff. They are requesting a zoning variation on the west and NW sides of the 2  Minutes of a Regular Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting May 20, 2013 1 property to build an addition to the current building. The Petitioner is open for 2 questions. Member Robicsek commented he like the proposal but would like to 3 know why a hardship exists. Acting Chair Menn followed up by asking why they are 4 adding to this corner when there is an abundance of room elsewhere. The 5 Petitioner explained because of production flow in their dye-casting business. It 6 would be cumbersome to move their equipment and loading dock. Their business 7 opened in 1964. 8 9 Acting Chair Menn commented the addition would be where the furnaces are 10 located, so supplies would be unloading directly into the furnaces. Member Decker 11 asked if this is a safety issue. Acting Chair Menn commented they would have to 12 move all of their heavy equipment. Member Lown asked if the Petitioner is in the 13 whole building. They replied yes. 14 15 Member Robicsek asked for more information about the different zoning setback 16 requirements when the building was constructed. J. Masich replied she would have 17 to examine the old code. Acting Chair Menn asked Zoning Administrator Maisch if 18 adding more production space is related to parking. J. Maisch replied mechanical 19 equipment does not require parking. Acting Chair Menn noted that in the original 20 building, space was set aside for equipment. Would moving equipment increase the 21 production area? J. Maisch responded it would come up during the building permit 22 review. 23 24 Member Schofield noted the building is very close to the lot line, and inquired if that 25 is that okay with the fire department? J. Maisch responded there is access around 26 the back. Acting Chair Menn asked for confirmation the Petitioner understands that 27 staff has asked that outdoor storage be moved inside? The Petitioner acknowledged 28 they would move the items inside the addition. Member Robiceck commented 29 according to zoning code, if the lot is 6 times bigger then needed, it’s not a good 30 argument for allowing a setback variation. Acting Chair Menn noted there is a fence 31 that needs to be repaired. The Petitioner will comply and fix the fence. 32 33 Member Lown, seconded by Member Schofield, motioned to close the public 34 hearing. Acting Chair Menn commented any chance we get to keep an industrial 35 business in the Village without creating an eyesore is a plus. The majority of people 36 who drive by the building will not notice this addition. Member Robicsek asked 37 about trees shown on west side of property, and if they were negotiated prior to 38 today. J. Maisch responded they currently exist. The Petitioner added they were 39 planted many years ago. Member Lown agreed that she wants to keep business in 40 town. Member Decker felt this proposal made the property safer. Acting Chair 41 Menn commented commercial furnaces are very heavy. Member Decker, seconded 42 by Member Schofield, motioned to approve: 43 44 DOCKET NO. 13-Z-4 – Petition by Heinz Titze, ACME Alliance, LLC on behalf 45 of the property owner, Globea Property Associations, P.O. Box 592, Jackson, 46 WY 83001 for variations to: A) Reduce the required west side yard setback 3  Minutes of a Regular Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting May 20, 2013 1 from 25’ to 6’-8”; and B) Reduce the required rear yard setback from 15’ to 2 14’-2” on the I-1, Restricted Industrial property commonly known as 3610 3 Commercial Avenue (04-06-202-010, 04-06-202-025, 04-06-202-006, 04- 4 06-202-007). The purpose of the variation is to construct a one-story 5 addition. 6 7 Subject to Petitioner repairing fence in backyard and moving all outdoor storage 8 inside. Roll was called: Ayes (5) Members Decker, Lown, Menn, Robicsek, Schofield. 9 10 5. Old Business 11 There was no old business. 12 13 6. New Business 14 Chairman Decker would like to announce the ZBA was fortunate to have Member 15 Menn for 15 plus years of service. Chairman Decker wishes Member Menn the best. 16 Member Menn has given so much over the years—his effort and experience are 17 appreciated. Chairman Decker wishes him well. 18 19 Member Menn thanked everyone. He looks forward to seeing everyone in 20 community. The Village is interviewing one or two architects to fill his vacancy. 21 22 7. Adjourn 23 There being no further business, Member Robicsek, seconded by Member Lown, 24 moved to adjourn the meeting. On voice vote, the motion carried. Acting Chairman 25 Menn adjourned the meeting at 8:02 pm. 26 27 Respectfully submitted, 28 29 /s/ Lindsay Sweet 30 Recorder 4