Zoning Board of Appeals

Agenda for ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS November 20, 2024 | 7:30 PM Council Chambers – Village of Hall – 5127 Oakton Street, Skokie, IL 60077 1) Call to Order Declaration of Quorum 2) Roll Call 3) Approval of November 15, 2023 Meeting Minutes 4) Old Business 5) New Business a. 2024-01Z – 8240 Harding Ave Daniel & Daniela Petrean request a variation in order to construct a second-floor addition resulting in the continuation of the combined side yards equaling 12.8 feet rather than the 17.5 feet minimum as required by Section 118-125 (6) b. of the Skokie Village Zoning Code in an R2 Single-Family district. PINs: 10-23-309-027-0000 & 10-23-309-040-0000 b. 2024-02Z – 9100 Kenton Ave Nashaud Qureishi requests a variation to maintain a residence with a height of 28-foot 10-inch rather than the 28-foot maximum as allowed by Section 118-124 (3) a. of the Skokie Village Zoning Code in an R1 Single-Family district. PIN: 10-15-303-050-0000 6) Public Comment 7) Communications from Staff 8) Adjournment Individuals with questions or feedback about an agenda item may contact Brian Augustine, Zoning Administrator at brian.augustine@skokie.org or 847.933.8223 All emails and comments submitted will be made public and shared with this body. The Village, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, requests that persons with disabilities who require certain accommodations to allow them to observe or participate in this hearing, or who have questions about the accessibility of the meeting facilities, contact the Village’s ADA coordinator Angel Schnur at angel.schnur@skokie.org or 847.933.8400. The Village encourages individuals to sign-up for its eNews for important information from the City and its government partners by visiting www.skokie.org VOSDOCS-#623226-v1-Meeting_Agenda_-_Zoning_Board_of_Appeals  Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting Minutes Date: November 15, 2023 ZBA MEMBERS PRESENT: Brian O’Donnell - Chair Richard Perlin - Vice-Chair Israel Pollack, Nicholas Werth, Elaine Jacobson, David Putrus, and David Solovy ZBA MEMBER ABSENT: Sean Arden, Sharon Roos-Kirkpatrick STAFF PRESENT: Tyler Kobylski, Asst Corporation Council, Brian Augustine, Zoning Administrator, and Marlene Bargamian, Administrative Assistant (I) CALL TO ORDER A quorum being present, Chair O’Donnell called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. (II) APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion to approve the minutes of the October 18, 2023 meeting was made by ZBA member Jacobson and seconded by Vice-Chair Perlin. Ayes: Unanimous voice vote in unison (III) RULING ON NOTICE Assistant Corporation Counsel Kobylski determined that notice was proper and correct. (IV) CASE DESCRIPTION Case 2023-03Z – 4801 Golf Road 120 427, FT Orchard LLC, on behalf of Status Unlimited and their permit expeditor, Expedite The Diehl, request a sign variation in order to establish a second signable area on the east façade of the building rather than the one allowable signable area per façade as required by Section 82-2 of the Skokie Village Code in a B2 Commercial district. PIN: 10-16-206-049-0000 Ms. Tracey Diehl, agent for the applicant, BMO Bank, presented the case. She hoped to clear up any confusion by saying that originally, they thought (2) variances were needed; one for each sign request on a building façade. However, it was decided that the proposed sign on the north façade was code compliant and only (1) variance was needed for the east building façade. BMO Bank will occupy the first-floor space; previously used by 5/3 Bank and before that, MB Financial Bank. The conflict is on the Skokie Boulevard elevation. The signable area has a centered Pure Medical Spa sign at the top; the tenant is located on the 2nd floor of the building. In her opinion, the sign code was written with strip malls in mind where tenants are side by side. In this multi-tenant building, the tenants are vertical, and BMO cannot ask the spa to move their sign. They are proposing to locate their sign below the windows also on the east façade. The Appearance Review Commission approved their sign location request at the August 2023 meeting. # 615840 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting minutes November 15, 2023  ZBA member Pollack commented that on a site visit, he noted that potentially, the sign could be blocked from view by trees. He also said that it is very costly to move a sign and the uncertainty of its location for illumination. ZBA member Solovy inquired if the sign is illuminated at night. Ms. Diehl stated that they will be following Village Code recommendations. Vice-Chair Perlin concurred that this is a unique situation. The rules of the Sign Code are meant for strip malls with side by side tenants. If they were oriented side by side instead of top and bottom, this case would not need a variance at all. Chairman O’Donnell stated the sign is wayfinding as well as branding in nature. It would delineate the tenants. He also asking who would bear the expense to move the spa sign and restore the façade? ZBA member Werth added that it would be very confusing to add the BMO sign on top and off to the side next to the Pure Medical Spa sign. He compared this request to the last meeting, where the ground sign location was discussed. The chairman stated that each case is judged on its own merits and recommendations for Case 2023-02Z were specific to the Main Street corridor improvements. Ms. Diehl had no further comments and in closing, thanked Brian Augustine for the extensive work and review of this project. The Chair added that the Zoning Board is very proud of Village staff; they very responsive, professional and knowledgeable. (V) RECOMMENDATIONS AND VOTING A motion was made to grant a variance, without conditions, to establish a second signable area on the east façade of the building rather than the one allowable area per façade as required by Section 82-2 of the Skokie Village Code in a B2 Commercial district. Motion: Pollack Second: Solovy Absent: Arden Roos-Kirkpatrick Ayes: 7 Nays: 0 A covenant is not required. (VI) ITEMS FOR COMMUNICATION Chairman O’Donnell welcomed David Putrus to the Zoning Board as this was his 1st meeting. The next meeting on Dec. 6, 2023 has been cancelled due to lack of cases. There will not be another ZBA meeting in 2023 as there is a conflict with the December 20, 2023 Appearance Commission meeting. The Chairman wished all Happy Holidays. (VII) ADJOURNMENT Chair O’Donnell adjourned the meeting at 8:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, Marlene Bargamian, Administrative Assistant # 615840 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting minutes November 15, 2023