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 19, 2014 6 7 Call to Order 8 Chairman Decker called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Board Room of Village Hall. Members 9 Craig, Geslicki, Lown, Schofield, Sussholz and Wolfmark were present. A quorum was present. 10 11 Village Staff present included Tom Poupard, Director Development and Planning Services, Village of 12 Northbrook; and Denise Kauffman, Recorder. 13 14 Chairman Decker welcomed Member Wolfmark to the ZBA. 15 16 Review of Minutes 17 Member Craig, seconded by Member Lown, moved to approve the minutes of the March 31, 2014 18 meeting, as presented. On a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 19 20 General Public Comments 21 There were no comments from the public. 22 23 Public Hearing and Consideration of the Following Petitions 24 Chairman Decker announced that four positive votes from Members would be required to pass any of 25 the variances proposed this evening. 26 27 Chairman Decker announced that the dockets would first be heard in the public hearing portion of the 28 meeting. ZBA deliberation and decision regarding the dockets would occur immediately following the 29 hearing, during the regular meeting. It was announced that if members of the audience are not able to 30 stay for the regular meeting, they can contact the Zoning Administrator for results. Petitioners will be 31 sworn in and should address the Board. Neighbors within 250 feet were notified of each petition. As 32 required by state statute, the hearing notice for all dockets were properly published. 33 34 DOCKET NO. 14-Z-4 (843 Meadow Road) -- Petition by Normandy Remodeling of Hinsdale, Illinois on 35 behalf of the property owners, Susan Troester and Kirk Kline, for variations to: A) Reduce the required 36 combined interior yard setback (25% of lot width) from 17.9 feet to 11 feet; and B) Reduce the required 37 south interior side yard setback from 6 feet to 4.75 feet on the property commonly known as 843 38 Meadow Road (PREI No 04-10-119-006-0000) and is located in the R-5 Single Family Residential district. 39 The variations are requested to allow the construction of a garage and building addition on the first floor 40 of the existing single story residence. 41 42 Petitioners including Normandy Builders representative and owners Susan Troester and Kirk Kline were 43 sworn in. Petitioner was asked if notice to neighbors was provided. Petitioner responded that notice 44 was provided and proof of certified mail delivery was provided to the ZBA staff. Petitioner disclosed 45 that two of the certified letters were returned as not delivered but there has not been any opposition 46 from neighbors identified and the petitioners provided a letter of support from an adjoining neighbor 47 for the garage and first floor addition.  1 2 Petitioner described the variation requested and discussed the drawings as provided to members in 3 their packets. Discussion included the decision to request a bump out or build out as opposed to a more 4 intrusive second story addition. Petitioner said there is no basement in their home. There was then 5 discussion of the size of the garage addition. 6 7 Member Craig questioned the safety of distance between two structures and Director Poupard said the 8 minimum requirement by the fire safety code is five feet combined between the two properties. The 9 fire department requires five to six feet between both homes. Member Sussholz also cautioned that the 10 International Building Code for fire separation will need to be followed near the property line. 11 12 Member Gesliski inquired about the bay and the side yard. There was additional questioning from 13 members regarding the placement of the air condition unit. Petitioners again said there is no 14 opposition from neighbors. 15 16 Member Craig, seconded by Member Lown moved to close the public hearing. On a voice vote, the 17 motion carried unanimously. 18 19 Member Lown, seconded by Member Craig, moved to accept the petition by Normandy Remodeling of 20 Hinsdale, Illinois on behalf of the property owners, Susan Troester and Kirk Kline, for variations to: A) 21 Reduce the required combined interior yard setback (25% of lot width) from 17.9 feet to 11 feet; and B) 22 Reduce the required south interior side yard setback from 6 feet to 4.75 feet on the property commonly 23 known as 843 Meadow Road (PREI No 04-10-119-006-0000) and is located in the R-5 Single Family 24 Residential district and allow the variations as requested to allow the construction of a garage and 25 building addition on the first floor of the existing single story residence. 26 27 On a roll call vote, all members voted aye and the motion to approve carried unanimously. 28 29 DOCKET NO. 14-Z-5 (1217 Western Ave) – Petition by Mark Eric Brenner Architects, Inc. of Northbrook, 30 Illinois on behalf of the property owners, Todd and Heidi Daniels, for a variation to reduce the required 31 interior side yard setback from 6 feet to 1.24 feet. The property is commonly known as 1217 Western 32 Avenue (PREI No. 04-10-119-006-000) and is located in the R-5 Single Family Residential district. The 33 variation is requested to allow the construction of an air conditioner unit and back-up power generator 34 on the property. 35 36 Motion by Craig and seconded by Lown to open the public hearing on Docket No. 14-Z-5. On a voice 37 vote, the motion carried unanimously. 38 39 Petitioners Mark Brenner and Todd Daniels were sworn in. Petitioner Daniels thanked the ZBA members 40 for their time and consideration and acknowledged that they have been before the members previously. 41 Chairman Decker asked petitioners to define a time frame for completion. Petitioner said that they can 42 secure construction loans for the remainder of the project upon completion of the garage. Petitioner 43 estimated it would take 12 months to complete the home construction with that construction 44 anticipated to begin in August. 45 46 Members Geslicki and Susholz questioned the petitioner on the power units for the house and the 47 garage and where the generator would be used. Discussion included that the generator is a 15kw unit.  1 Members asked petitioner why the generator is not to be placed closer to the home. Petitioner said the 2 power for the generator comes off the south end of property from Western Avenue. 3 4 Chairman Decker inquired about the size of the generator and the decibel noise level of the generator. 5 There was discussion of screening around generator for noise. Petitioner discussed adding three sides 6 of landscape for sound abatement and visual appeal. 7 8 Members questioned petitioner about coming before the ZBA a number of times. Concerns by 9 Members about petitioner continuing to come back asking for additional variances. 10 11 Discussion then continued about placement of the generator in the setback near the pool to meet the 12 setback requirement. Further discussion included putting it to the east, not blocking any doors. 13 14 Member Geslicki again questioned the proposal as presented and that proposal was too close to 15 property line. 16 17 There was further questioning from Members regarding flooding issues and a dual pump system. 18 19 Member Schofield questioned the petitioner about what still remains to be completed on this project as 20 it was proposed two years ago. Petitioner said the sidewalk, landscaping and driveway remain to be 21 done and the interior rough inspections have been done. Petitioner said financing for working on house 22 will be available as soon as this other work is complete. Discussion then turned to completing the 23 project on the exterior and the interior prior to installation of the generator. 24 25 Member Geslicki again said this was too close to the property line. 26 27 Member Lown opened discussion about how often the generator would be used in a year. And then the 28 Members questioned how often the generator would cycle or re-set itself. Member Sussholz said the 29 units are able to be programmed to cycle at a time that would be least disturbing for neighbors. 30 31 Member Craig, seconded by Member Schofield, moved to close the public hearing. On a voice vote, the 32 motion passed unanimously. 33 34 It was noted that members of the audience wished to address DOCKET NO. 14-Z-5. Motion by Member 35 Schofield and seconded by Member Craig to re-open the public hearing. On a voice vote, the motion 36 passed unanimously and the public hearing on DOCKET NO. 14-Z-5 continued. 37 38 Neighbor to the north side of property at 1217 Western Ave, Thomas Suqi, addressed the members to 39 express his concern about noise and the placement of the generator close to his property. He expressed 40 his opposition to the variance request. Suqi said his major concern was noise. 41 42 Director Poupard said the specificaitons submitted stated the unit would cycle once a week for 15 43 minutes at 66 decibels. 44 45 Chairman Decker thanked Mr. Suqi for expressing his concerns. 46 47 Motion by Member Craig and seconded by Member Schofield to close the public hearing. On a voice 48 vote, the motion passed unanimously.  1 2 In the regular meeting, discussion continued and Member Lown recognized the concerns of the 3 neighbor and said the generator will go on the property and it is desired that it go in the best place for 4 all. Chairman Decker said that other placement options for the generator may be more intrusive for the 5 neighbors. There was more discussion about using landscape to screen the generator; however the 6 Board agreed that this Board doesn’t have authority to impose screening. The Building Department 7 could work with petitioner regarding screening. 8 9 Members again had questions about timeframe for completing the work. Discussion also continued 10 regarding placement of generator within 18” of a structure. There was discussion of placement of the 11 A/C unit behind the garage so it would be in compliance with the setback. Members suggested that 12 petitioner come back after completion of construction and this would give time for petitioner to 13 consider screening. 14 15 Discussion then turned to separating and considering the A/C unit and the generator separately. 16 17 Member Schofield, seconded by Member Craig, moved to: 18 19 (1) to accept the variation to reduce the required interior side yard setback from 6 feet to 1.24 feet 20 to install the A/C unit; and 21 (2) to continue the public hearing to July 28, 2014 for consideration of installation of the requested 22 back-up power generator on the property at 1217 Western Avenue. 23 On a roll call vote, Members Craig, Lown, Schofield, Wolfmark and Decker (5) voted aye; Members 24 Geslicki and Sussholz (2) voted no. The motion carries. 25 26 Member Schofield, seconded by Member Crain, motioned to continue the public hearing for DOCKET 27 NO 14-Z-6 (32 Bridlewood Road) to June 23, 2014 after notification was received from Petitioner’s 28 Attorney, James Zahn, that Petitioner is reevaluating and adjusting the design of his future home to 29 accommodate the concerns of his neighbors. On a voice vote, motion carries. 30 31 Members from audience approached podium and asked to be heard on DOCKET NO 14-Z-6 (32 32 Bridlewood Road). Member Craig, seconded by Lown, motioned to open the public hearing for the 33 purpose of collecting testimony for inclusion in the record regarding DOCKET NO 14-Z-6 (32 Bridlewood 34 Road). On a voice vote, motion passed. 35 36 Amy Tanner, resident at 27 Bridlewood Road (not contiguous to 32 Bridlewood Road), gave testimony to 37 be included in the record of her opposition to proposed variance. Tanner is opposed to making the 38 setback change from 40’ to 25’ and added that this small parcel of pie-shaped land cannot 39 accommodate the home as currently planned. 40 41 Chairman Decker thanked Tanner for her comments. 42 43 Old Business 44 There was no old business. 45 46 New Business 47 There was no new business. 1 2 Adjournment 3 There being no further business, Member Lown, seconded by Member Geslicki, moved to adjourn the 4 meeting at 8:58 p.m. On a voice vote, the motion unanimously carried. 5 6 Respectfully submitted, 7 8 Denise Kauffman/Recorder