City Council Planning Sessions

June 23, 2025 I. Call to Order The regular Wheaton City Council Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Suess. The following were: Physically Present: Mayor Suess Councilwoman Bray-Parker Councilwoman Brice Councilman Brown Councilman Clousing Councilwoman Robbins Councilman Weller Absent: None City Staff Present: Michael G. Dzugan, City Manager William Kolschowsky, Assistant City Manager Joseph Tebrugge, Director of Engineering Kristopher Dunn, Development Engineer Halie Cardinal, Public Relations Coordinator II. Approval of Planning Session Minutes – June 9, 2025 The Council approved the June 9, 2025, Planning Session minutes. III. Consideration of Use of Lot 3 Pavilion and Public Plaza Areas City Manager Dzugan informed the Council that requests for private events by downtown businesses and individuals have prompted him to seek Council direction on whether the Lot 3 pavilion and adjacent public plaza areas may be used for events not open to the public. Currently, Lot 3 is primarily used for leased parking, the French Market, and community events. If additional users are permitted to reserve the pavilion, availability would probably be limited to late Saturday afternoons. City Manager Dzugan discussed three additional users of Lot 3: community events held by local government units, downtown businesses located within the boundaries of Special Service Area #9 (SSA #9) or the Central Business District (CBD), and private parties. City Manager Dzugan recommended that reservations of Lot 3 be permitted for community events and downtown businesses, excluding private parties. These users would be required to follow the special use permit procedure, provide insurance naming the City as an additional insured, and compensate the City for any staff time involved in preparing of managing the site. Regarding the adjacent public plazas, he recommended defining them in City Code as a public park to limit their use to City-sponsored events. He requested Council consideration on the allowable uses of Lot 3 and the public plazas before drafting an ordinance.  WHEATON CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES June 23, 2025 In response to a Council question, City Manager Dzugan clarified that eligible users would be located within the boundaries of the special service area. The Council agreed to the allowed Lot 3 users and to the proposed distinctions between Lot 3 and the plazas; the Council then directed City Manager Dzugan to draft an ordinance reflecting their decision. IV. Flood Resiliency Update Director of Engineering Joseph Tebrugge reviewed staff’s May 13, 2024 previous presentation to Council. At that session, staff presented two options for the Glendale Avenue Flood Improvement Project (“Glendale Avenue”). Capital Project 1 would regrade swales on private property to allow water to flow to Hoffman Park; Capital Project 2 would construct a 42” storm sewer parallel to the existing 30” storm sewer to accommodate increased stormwater runoff from large rain events. At that time, Council directed staff to proceed with Option 2. Since the previous stormwater update, two projects – Cadillac and Wakeman and Dorset Drive – have been completed. Staff have also conducted public meetings for six potential projects. Director of Engineering Tebrugge outlined the framework used to prioritize stormwater projects, which involves a point system to rank flood-prone capital projects based on the projected ease of construction, which approximates the difficulty of obtaining public support, e.g., securing easements and funding availability. Once Glendale Avenue is completed, the Turf, Countryside, and Ranch Flood Prone Area Project (TCR) would be next. TCR would entail reconstructing Turf and Ranch streets to improve the pavement’s ability to channel stormwater along with a separate, localized project to floodproof homes on Ranch and Turf Roads. Since the pavement on these streets has reached the end of its useful life, this project would reconstruct these streets while also improving the area’s stormwater conveyance. Director of Engineering Tebrugge informed Council that staff has submitted grant applications for federal funding for TCR. Initially, the City received $2,000,000 from congressionally directed spending, however, the grant amount was reduced to $500,000 before being halted entirely. Final engineering estimates for TCR would depend on whether grant funding is secured. Capital Project 2, initially estimated at $210,000, has now been revised to $545,000. Director of Engineering Tebrugge attributed the cost increase to the increased size of storm sewer pipe needed to accommodate the increased amount of rainfall in a 100-year storm as defined in the recently issued Bulletin 75. The installation of a larger storm sewer pipe would require water main relocation and street repairs. Given these recent developments, Director of Engineering Tebrugge requested that the Council reconsider the two options. Council discussed the merits of Capital Project 1 versus Capital Project 2. Capital Project 1 would be less expensive and offer protection from 100-year storms but Capital Project 2, with the updated engineering costs, would be more expensive and only provide protection from 50-year storms. Director of Engineering Tebrugge estimated that Capital Project 1 would probably take less time to complete. In response to a Council question, he replied that the easements would prevent homeowners from erecting structures over the swales and any unauthorized regrading could result in a violation notice. In response to a Council question, Director of Engineering Tebrugge responded that, for Capital Project 2, the 42-inch pipe originally proposed could be installed, but it would provide protection from 50-year storms and would still require replacing water main. It would be possible to provide 2  WHEATON CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES June 23, 2025 100-year storm by installing a box culvert; this would increase the cost of the project and construction near homes in a limited space. Additionally, in response to a Council question, he replied that Capital Project 2 would address only a minor section of Glendale Avenue’s water main. Replacing the entire water main would expand the scope of the project and increase the costs for a stormwater project that still provides less protection than Capital Project 1. Council directed staff to proceed with Capital Project 1. City Manager Dzugan informed the Council that he would authorize final engineering design that would be completed before meeting with the homeowners on Glendale Avenue for feedback. He added that, since the two completed stormwater projects were funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, a funding strategy for future projects will need to be developed in future discussions. Director of Engineering Tebrugge provided updates on other stormwater and sewer projects to the Council and informed them that staff will seek Council direction on these projects in the future. V. Public Comment There was no public comment. VI. City Council/City Staff Comments Mayor Suess encouraged residents to visit the 4th of July parade on Main Street, the Municipal Band’s annual concert, and the Field of Honor Display at Seven Gables Park. He also thanked the Fine and Cultural Arts Commission for their efforts in setting up the Make Music Wheaton event. VII. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:57 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Erik Berg 3