Plan Commission

STAFF REPORT 2017-48P: Special Use Permit Community Development Department Council Chambers, 7:30 PM, December 21, 2017 To: Paul Luke, Chairman, Skokie Plan Commission From: Mike Voitik, Planning Technician Re: 2017-48P: Special Use Permit 5214 and 5240 Main Street General Information Location 5214 and 5240 Main Street Purpose To obtain approval for a special use permit for religious assembly and any relief that may be discovered during the review of this case. Petitioner Pankow Associates, Inc., and 5214 W. Main St., LLC, on behalf of Calvary Redemption Center Size of Site 35,470 square feet (0.81 acres) with frontage on Main Street, Lincoln Avenue, and Latrobe Avenue. Existing Zoning & B1 Service Commercial – 1- and 2-story, multi-tenant office Land Use building containing an accounting office and an accounting service, surface parking lot Adjacent Zoning & North R2 Single-Family – detached residences Land Use South NX Neighborhood Mixed-Use – legislative and executive function, community food service, service to the elderly and disabled East B1 Service Commercial – social assistance, welfare, and charitable service, multi-tenant office building West B1 Service Commercial – grocery store, caterer, dental laboratory B2 Commercial – consulting service Comprehensive Plan The site is designated as Retail/Service Employment. SITE INFORMATION • Latrobe Avenue runs between the site containing the building (5214 Main Street) and the site containing the parking lot (5240 Main Street). Both sites are located within 1 lot of record, however. VOSDOCS-#525948-v1-Staff_Report_-_2017-48P_-_Special_Use_Permit__5214_and_5240_Main_Street 1 of 9 • Public sidewalks are present along Main Street, Lincoln Avenue, and Latrobe Avenue. • Overhead utilities are present on the south side of the alley to the north of the subject site. • The parking lot is accessible from two driveways at the east-west alley. • The site is directly served by the Pace 210 Lincoln Avenue bus. PETITIONER’S SUBMITTAL The petitioners are requesting a special use permit for religious assembly at 5214 and 5240 Main Street in a B1 Service Commercial district, and any relief that may be discovered during the review of this case. Calvary Redemption Center, which currently has approximately 150 members, has outgrown its existing facility that it leases at 8256 Skokie Boulevard (case 2013-28P) and intends to purchase the subject site and remodel the first floor of the existing office building at 5214 Main Street in order to operate a 192-seat church and related uses. The proposed use will share the building with the existing accounting office, which will continue to operate on the second floor. Both tenants will share the 52 space parking lot that is located at 5240 Main Street, on the west side of Latrobe Avenue. Church services will be held on Friday evenings (7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) and Sunday mornings (10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.). The church office will be open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Bible studies will take place on Wednesday and Sunday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. With regards to how the use will impact the neighborhood, the church explains that “all activities are relatively quiet and will take place within the building without negative impact to neighboring properties.” STAFF ANALYSIS Comments Staff Comment and Review sheets were sent to all pertinent departments and were received from the Fire Prevention, Engineering, Forestry, and Planning Division. All other departments returned the sheets with no comments regarding the subject case. Fire Prevention The Fire Prevention Bureau would like to make the petitioner aware that the following will be required for the building: 1. A full fire alarm. 2. Direct connect/monitoring of alarm to Skokie Dispatch. 3. An addressable annunciator panel for residential units at main entrance. 4. A Knox-Box with functioning keys in it at the main entrance. VOSDOCS-#525948-v1-Staff_Report_-_2017-48P_-_Special_Use_Permit__5214_and_5240_Main_Street 2 of 9  5. A sprinkler system. 6. Fire department connection must be within 100' of a village fire hydrant (a fire engineer will have to calculate the demand to see if the building will need a fire pump). 7. Illuminated exits. 8. Strobes in bathrooms. 9. If a full kitchen is provided, a hood and duct suppression system must be installed. 10. Proper mounted portable extinguishers. 11. Proper emergency lighting and lighted exits per code. 12. Must have an outside weather proof horn/clear strobe mounted near the front door which activates on water flow only. Engineering Division The parking requirement for the subject site is not met. A total of 52 parking spaces are provided. The proposed use requires 48 spaces alone and the accounting office on the second floor requires 64 spaces, resulting in a 12-space deficit. R7-8 and R7- I-101 $250 fine signage must be installed at all handicapped parking spaces. Forestry Division Forestry staff notes that there are several errors that need to be corrected in the descriptions of the existing plant species on the Landscape Site Plan. Parking lot trees should consist of an approved parking lot tree species, such as Kentucky coffeetree, honeylocust, hybrid elm, or hackberry. If the trees cannot be spaced 15 feet apart, 1 tree should be moved to the southeast corner of the parking lot. Foresty staff recommends that the proposed sod within the parking lot be replaced with mulch and perennials, such as daylilies, and other salt and drought tolerant species. The existing parkways at Main Street and Latrobe Avenue contain gravel, which is a violation of §118-232(d) of the Village Code, and must be removed and restored with sod or a Village-approved ground cover. Planning Division The Planning Division recommends approval of the special use permit request for religious assembly. It was discovered during the review of this case that relief from §118-218 will need to be requested in order to provide 52 parking spaces rather than the required 64 spaces. The relief can be justified since the existing accounting office (that will share the building with the proposed use) is closed on evenings and weekends, when most of the church activity will be taking place. Additional parking is available on both sides of Latrobe Avenue between the 5214 and 5240 Main Street as well as along the north side of Main Street between Laramie Avenue and Latrobe Avenue. Although traffic within the east-west alley to the north of the parking lot may increase slightly during weekends since Latrobe Avenue is not accessible from VOSDOCS-#525948-v1-Staff_Report_-_2017-48P_-_Special_Use_Permit__5214_and_5240_Main_Street 3 of 9  eastbound Lincoln Avenue/Main Street, staff does not anticipate that undue traffic congestion will be created by the proposed use. The maximum seating capacity in the worship area shall be limited to 192 seats. Any increase in the seating capacity or the overall area that the church occupies in the building shall require an amendment to the special use permit through the full public hearing process. Any change in user to another religious group shall require an application for a new special use permit, including public hearings. The guardrail running along the north side of the building between the 2 rear doors must be removed and a trash corral must be constructed to enclose the trash containers that serve the site. The proposed ground sign must be located outside of the 15’x15’ sight distance triangle at the southwest corner of the 5214 Main Street site and must be drawn on the Architectural Site Plan and the Landscape Site Plan. Both plans must show an additional 2’ by 6’ bicycle parking space installed to the east of the three spaces shown on the drawing. The eastern bike rack is to be shifted to the east and centered between the existing eastern 2’ by 6’ space and the new space. APPEARANCE COMMISSION Appearance Commission review is not required. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends that the petitioners’ request for a special use permit for religious assembly at 5214 and 5240 Main Street in a B1 Service Commercial district be APPROVED, based upon the Proposed Positive Findings of Fact and subject to the recommended and standard special use permit conditions listed below, and that relief be granted from §118-218 to provide 52 parking spaces rather than the required 64 spaces. RECOMMENDED SPECIAL USE CONDITIONS 1. Prior to the adoption of the ordinance by the Board of Trustees, the petitioners must revise the Architectural Site Plan and the Landscape Site Plan to show: a. The installation of a trash corral on the north side of the building, between the 2 rear doors. b. The location of the proposed ground sign, which is to be placed outside of the 15’x15’ sight distance triangle at the southwest corner of the 5214 Main Street site. c. The addition of a 4th 2’x6’ bicycle parking space at the east end of the bicycle parking area and the eastward relocation of the eastern bicycle rack so that it is centered between the existing eastern 2’ by 6’ space and the new space. 2. Prior to the adoption of the ordinance by the Board of Trustees, the petitioners must VOSDOCS-#525948-v1-Staff_Report_-_2017-48P_-_Special_Use_Permit__5214_and_5240_Main_Street 4 of 9  revise the Landscape Site Plan to show: a. The installation of sod within the Main Street and Latrobe Avenue parkways. b. The correct descriptions of all existing plant species. c. The replacement of the proposed parking lot trees with Village-approved parking lot tree species, such as Kentucky coffeetree, honeylocust, hybrid elm, or hackberry. If the trees cannot be spaced 15 feet apart, 1 tree should be moved to the southeast corner of the parking lot. d. The replacement of the proposed sod within the parking lot with mulch and perennials. 3. The guardrail running along the north side of the building between the 2 rear doors must be removed and a trash corral must be constructed to enclose the trash containers that serve the site. 4. The maximum seating capacity in the worship area shall be limited to 192 seats. Any increase in the seating capacity or the overall area that the church occupies in the building shall require an amendment to the special use permit through the full public hearing process. 5. Any change in user to another religious group shall require an application for a new special use permit, including full public hearings. STANDARD SPECIAL USE CONDITIONS 6. The petitioner must operate the proposed use in substantial conformance with the final Village approved Architectural Site Plan dated <insert date of final approved plan>, Landscape Site Plan dated <insert date of final approved plan>, and Ground Floor Plan dated <insert date of final approved plan>, and Second Floor Plan dated <insert date of final approved plan>. 7. All fencing, walls, sidewalks, driveways, curbs, wheel stops, parking areas, signage, landscaping, structures, and any other facilities or infrastructure on the Subject Property must be maintained in a good state of repair, and when needed, be repaired or replaced in a timely manner. 8. Parking lot and exterior lighting must meet IES standards, be full cut-off design and be directed away from adjacent properties, subject to the approval of the Engineering Division. 9. Any sound systems shall at all times maintain audio levels that are compliant with the Skokie Village Code. 10. All existing damaged public sidewalks or public sidewalks damaged due to the implementation of this plan shall be replaced. 11. No objects are allowed within a 15-foot sight distance triangle between 30” and 84” from grade except traffic control devices listed in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. VOSDOCS-#525948-v1-Staff_Report_-_2017-48P_-_Special_Use_Permit__5214_and_5240_Main_Street 5 of 9 12. All fencing, walls, sidewalks, driveways, curbs, wheel stops, parking areas, signage, landscaping, structures, and any other facilities or infrastructure on the Subject Property shall be maintained in a good state of repair, and when needed, be repaired or replaced in a timely manner. 13. All private and public sidewalks must be maintained free of snow, ice, sleet, or other objects that may impede travel. 14. All off-street parking spaces must be legibly striped and maintained. 15. Any plan to modify parking lot striping must be approved by the Director of Engineering. 16. The proposed development shall have a minimum of 52 off-street vehicle parking spaces including 3 handicapped parking spaces, as indicated on the Architectural Site Plan, <insert date of final approved plan>. 17. The handicapped parking spaces shall be installed and maintained in compliance with State of Illinois Accessibility Standards and the Skokie Village Code, including required signage. 18. Vehicles shall not be allowed to be parked in or otherwise block common driveways, sidewalks, aisles, or other points of access at any time, shall only be parked in designated parking spaces, and shall not overlap the striped lines of designated parking spaces. 19. No required parking space on the site may be for the exclusive use of any tenant. 20. The petitioner shall sign an "Agreement for Installation and Maintenance of Landscaping" to assure that the Subject Property and parkway landscaping is completed and maintained, including trimming, watering, and replacing of dead plant materials in a timely manner in accordance with the final approved landscape plan. A copy of said Agreement is attached hereto, marked Exhibit “A” and hereby made part of this Ordinance. This “Agreement for Installation and Maintenance of Landscaping" shall be recorded at the petitioner’s expense. 21. All modifications to building elevations, signage, and landscaping shall be subject to the review and approval of the Skokie Appearance Commission. 22. All signage must conform to the Skokie Village Code. Any sign on the Subject Property that is in violation of that Code must be removed or modified to conform with the Village Code prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit. 23. All buildings must meet current International Building and NFPA Life Safety Codes as amended. 24. Prior to the issuance of building permits, the petitioners must submit to the Planning Division of the Community Development Department the name, address, and telephone number of the company and contact person responsible for site maintenance in compliance with the special use permit. 25. If work is to be performed on public property or if public property is utilized or VOSDOCS-#525948-v1-Staff_Report_-_2017-48P_-_Special_Use_Permit__5214_and_5240_Main_Street 6 of 9  impacted during construction and/or development, the owner shall provide, or shall cause the developer and/or contractor to provide, the Village of Skokie with a certificate of insurance naming the Village of Skokie as additionally insured for any and all claims related to any and all work. The owner shall hold, and shall cause the developer and/or contractor to hold, the Village of Skokie harmless and indemnify the Village for any and all claims for property damage or personal injury related to work on or use of public property. 26. The petitioners shall comply with all Federal and State statutes, laws, rules and regulations and all Village codes, ordinances, rules, and regulations. 27. Failure to abide by any and all terms of this Ordinance shall be cause for the Village to initiate hearings to determine whether the subject Ordinance, as well as any applicable business licenses, should be revised or revoked. 28. The petitioners shall pay all costs related to any hearings conducted as a result of non-compliance with any of the provisions of the enabling ordinance. The costs shall include but not be limited to court reporter fees, attorney fees, and staff time required researching and conducting said hearing. ATTACHMENTS 1. Proposed Positive Findings of Fact 2. Architectural Site Plan, dated December 8, 2017 3. Landscape Site Plan, dated December 8, 2017 4. Ground Floor Plan, dated December 8, 2017 5. Second Floor Plan, dated October 17, 2017 6. Site Photos, dated October 17, 2017 7. Proposed Ground Sign Location Photo, received November 1, 2017 8. Plat of Survey, dated May 1, 1979 9. Land Use and Zoning Map VOSDOCS-#525948-v1-Staff_Report_-_2017-48P_-_Special_Use_Permit__5214_and_5240_Main_Street 7 of 9 Proposed Positive Findings of Fact 2017-48P: Special Use Permit Community Development Department Council Chambers, 7:30 PM, December 21, 2017 Consideration Finding The request is consistent with the intent of The request for religious assembly is the Comprehensive Plan. consistent with the intent of the retail/service employment use identified in the Comprehensive Plan. The request will not adversely affect There should be no adverse effects of the adjacent properties. proposed use upon the properties that are adjacent to the subject site. The existing accounting office that will share the building with the proposed use is closed on evenings and weekends, when most of the church activity will be taking place. The request is compatible with the existing The request for religious assembly is or allowable uses of adjacent properties. compatible with the existing or allowable uses of adjacent properties. The request demonstrates that adequate Adequate public facilities exist to serve public facilities, including roads, drainage, the requested use. utilities, and police and fire protection exist or will exist to serve the requested use at the time such facilities are needed. The request demonstrates adequate Adequate provision for maintenance and provision for maintenance and use of the use of the associated structure is associated structures. demonstrated by the request. The request has considered and, to the The existing parking lot has no degree possible, addressed the adverse landscaping and the petitioner will be effects on the natural environment. required to install parking lot trees and landscaping, which will add permeable surface to the property, decreasing the amount of runoff from the parking lot while also enhancing its appearance. VOSDOCS-#525948-v1-Staff_Report_-_2017-48P_-_Special_Use_Permit__5214_and_5240_Main_Street 8 of 9 The request will not create undue traffic Although traffic within the east-west alley congestion. to the north of the parking lot may increase slightly during weekends since Latrobe Avenue is not accessible from eastbound Lincoln Avenue/Main Street, staff does not anticipate that undue traffic congestion will be created by the proposed use. Most of the traffic generated by the use will occur during evenings and weekends, when most other businesses within the area are closed. Traffic circulation within the alley to the north of the 5214 Main Street building will improve with the removal of the parking spaces along the north wall of the building. Vehicles parked within these spaces encroach into the public alley because the spaces are not legally wide enough. The request will not adversely affect public There should be no adverse effect upon health, safety, and welfare. public health, safety, and welfare. The request conforms to all applicable All applicable provisions of this code are provisions of this code, except where relief conformed to by the request with the is granted with the request. exception of parking. The request for relief can be justified since the existing accounting office that will share the building with the proposed use is closed on evenings and weekends, when most of the church activity will be taking place. Additional parking is available on both sides of Latrobe Avenue between the 5214 and 5240 Main Street as well as along the north side of Main Street between Laramie Avenue and Latrobe Avenue. VOSDOCS-#525948-v1-Staff_Report_-_2017-48P_-_Special_Use_Permit__5214_and_5240_Main_Street 9 of 9