HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/23/2001 ZBA minutes 24-2001 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF Tm~
MOUNT PROSPECT ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
CASE NO. ZBA-24-2001 Hearing Date: August 23, 2001
PETITIONER: Mafia Mazur
1778 Cree Lane
Mount Prospect, IL 60056
PUBLICATION DATE: August 8, 2001 Journal & Tot>ics
REQUEST: Conditional Use to allow a circular drive
MEMBERS PRESENT: Leo Floros
Richard Rogers
Keith Youngquist
Arlene Juracek, Chairperson
MEMBERS ABSENT: Merrill Cotten
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Judy Connolly, AICP, Senior Planner
Mike Blue, AICP, Community Development Deputy Director
INTERESTED PARTIES: Mafia Mazur
Chairperson Arlene Juracek called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. The minutes of the July 26, 2001 meeting were
approved 4-0. At 7:55, after hearing a case under Old Business, Chairperson Arlene Juraeek introduced Case No.
ZBA-24-01, a request for a Conditional Use to allow a circular drive.
Judy Cormolly, Senior Planner, introduced the staff memorandum for the case. Ms. Connolly reported that staff
reviewed the petitioners' plat of survey, site plan, visited the site, and found that this request for a circular driveway
differs from other requests recently considered. The subject property does not have an unusually oversized lot width
and the proposed circular drive would require more pavement in the front yard than the amount that is characteristic of
other properties in the neighborhood. A site visit to the neighborhood con£wmed that the proposed circular driveway
would not be consistent with the character of the neighborhood.
Ms. Connolly said that staff evaluated traffic patterns in the neighborhood. She reported that the most recent traffic
accident in this neighborhood happened in January 1999. Also, the Police Department set up a special Traffic Detail at
the intersection of Cree and Basswood and found that traffic patterns are similar to other intersections of local streets.
She said that since the street has a standard curb and gutter configuration, the Engineering Division does not objeot to
the circular drive based on maintenance concerns or the impact on the existing drainage system. Ms. Connolly said
that the Forestry Division requires a 15-foot separation between the driveway and the parkway tree to ensure the tree's
viability and that it is not damaged by the proposed circular drive.
Ms. Connolly said that the proposed circular driveway would not have an adverse impact on the neighborhood, but it is
not needed as a solution to a traffic safety issue or because the street has a substandard pavement width. She said that
the petitioner's reason for the circular driveway are for convenience, but that the amount of pavement in the front yard
required for the circular drive would not be consistent with the character of the neighborhood. Therefore, the request
fails to meet the Conditional Use standards contained in the Zoning Ordinance. Ms. Connolly said that based on these
findings, staffrecommends that the ZBA make a recommendation to the Village Board to deny a Conditional Use for a
circular driveway for the residence at 1778 Cree Lane, Case No. ZBA-24-01.
Ms. Juracek asked the Zoning Board members if they had questions for staff. Keith Youngquist asked for clarification
on the lot size; Ms. Counolly said that it was 9,213.6 square feet. After general discussion about the aesthetic impact
of the circular drive, Chairperson Jumcek asked the petitioner to present her request.
Mafia Mazur, 1778 E. Crce, was sworn in and stated that she is the mother of 23-and 21 year olds and one small child.
She said that it is very difficult to carry groceries into the house and that a circular drive up to her front door would
allow her to transport the groceries into the house more easily.
oning Board of Appeals Z~A-24-2001
Arlene Juracek, Chairperson Page 2
Arlene Juracek asked if she could drive into the garage and take the groceries into the house from there. Ms. Mazur
said the garage does not have an entrance into the house and that the family accesses the garage from the hackyard.
She said that there are two other circular drives in the area and that it would not be bad for the neighborhood if their
house had a circular drive, too.
Ms. Juracek asked how many cars the family has and Ms. Mazur said there are four. She said that one car belongs to a
son who is in the army and that it is kept in the garage. She said the other part of the garage is used for storage.
At 8:10, Chairperson Juracek closed the public hearing and asked for discussion from the Zoning Board members.
Zoning Board members cited many reasons for their opposition to a circular drive at this address: the number of cars
parked on the circular drive would resemble a parking lot and de~:act from the residential nature of the area; it would
allow the sidewalk to be blocked in two places instead of one; and that the lot was not deep enough to provide an
atlractive circular drive.
Richard Rogers moved to approve the request for a Conditional Use to allow a circular drive at 1778 Cree Lane, Case
No. ZBA-24-01. Keith Youngquist seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: AYES:
NAYS: Floros, Rogers, Youngquist and Suraeek
Motion was denied 4-0.
At 8:45 p.m., after the Zoning Board heard another case, Richard Rogers made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Keith
Youngquist. The motion was approved by a voice vote and the meeting was adjourned.
Barbara Swi~tel~, P~ing Secretary
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