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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/28/2013 P&Z Minutes 29-12MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION CASE NO. PZ -29 -12 Hearing Date: March 28, 2013 PROPERTY ADDRESS: 1703 E. Kensington Road PETITIONER: The Alden Foundation PUBLICATION DATE: March 13, 2013 PIN NUMBER: 03 -36 -100- 028 -0000 REQUESTS: 1) Conditional Use for a Final Planned Unit Development consisting of senior housing; 2) Variation to increase the maximum permitted building height from 35 to 36.5 feet; 3) Variation to decrease the required parking lot setback from 10 to 6 feet along the west property line; and 4) Variation to decrease the required parking lot setback from 10 to 0 feet along the south property line. MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF MEMBER PRESENT: INTERESTED PARTIES: Richard Rogers (Chair) Tom Fitzgerald William Beattie Keith Youngquist Joseph Donnelly Leo Floros Jacqueline Hinaber Sharon Otteman Consuelo Andrade, Senior Planner Beth Demes, Robert Kim Chairman Richard Rogers called the meeting to order at 8:10 p.m. Mr. Beattie made a motion to approve the minutes of the January 24, 2013 meeting; Mr. Youngquist seconded the motion. Commissioner Youngquist and Chairman Rogers approved the minutes and Commissioners Fitzgerald and Beattie abstained from voting. Chairman Rogers asked Ms. Andrade if the two approvals were enough; and Ms. Andrade said she didn't believe that it was. The minutes would be placed on the next Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting agenda for further consideration. Chairman Rogers introduced Case PZ- 29 -12, 1703 E. Kensington Road, The Alden Foundation. Ms. Andrade stated the Petitioner for case number PZ -29 -12 was seeking approval of a Conditional Use for a Final Planned Unit Development consisting of senior housing and Variations to 1) increase the building height and 2) reduce the required parking lot setbacks for the property located at 1703 E. Kensington Road. Ms. Andrade stated the Subject Property is located on the south side of Kensington Road, just east of the Wolf and Kensington Road intersection. She stated the Subject Property is currently vacant land and zoned R -4 Multi - Family Residence District. Richard Rogers, Chair PZ -29 -12 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting March 28th, 2013 Page 1 of 5 Ms. Andrade stated the Petitioner plans to develop an independent senior housing facility. The building will measure three stories at each end and will provide ninety two (92) dwelling units, including a unit for an on -site building caretaker. Seventy (70) units will be one - bedroom and twenty two (22) will be two- bedroom units. Additionally, the building will include ancillary uses on the 1st floor of the building, such as a community room, library, and computer room to support the senior housing units. Ms. Andrade said the Petitioner's site plan indicated the development will be served by two full access drives from Kensington Road. The first access drive currently exists and is located on the Walgreen's lot. The second access drive will be constructed at the east end of the site and will be aligned with Heritage Drive to the north. Ms. Andrade stated that the Petitioner indicated a generator will be installed on the outside of the building that will back up the elevators, emergency lighting, communications, fire alarm system and two furnaces that operate the first floor community room in case of power outage. Ms. Andrade explained the proposed development will comply with the R4 Multi- Family Residence District's building setback requirements, with the exception of the building height and parking lot setbacks. The proposed three -story building will measure thirty six and one half (36.5) feet in height, which will exceed the maximum 35' permitted building height. The proposed parking lot setbacks along the west and south property lines will also not meet the code requirement. Variations to reduce the required parking lot setbacks from ten (10) feet to six (6) feet along the west property line and from ten (10) feet to zero (0) along the south property line are required. Ms. Andrade showed a table which portrayed the parking requirements for the development. Ms. Andrade stated the Petitioner's proposal will require seventy five (75) parking spaces and provides ninety eight (98) parking spaces, which would exceed the minimum number of parking spaces required by twenty three (23). Ms. Andrade said the elevation plans indicate the building would be primarily constructed out of brick, cement board siding, and stone accents. The design consisted of expansive windows on each floor of the building and on each elevation. The west and east wings would include a pitched asphalt shingle roof system; which will be compatible with the single family residents to the North. Ms. Andrade said the Petitioner also submitted landscape and photometric plans. Ms. Andrade showed that the plans do not meet Village Code and the landscape and photometric plans will be required to be revised to comply with all of the Code requirements. Ms. Andrade confirmed the standards for a Variation are listed in Section 14.203 of the Village Zoning Ordinance and include seven specific findings that must be made in order to approve a Variation. Ms. Andrade summarized the findings as: • A hardship due to the physical surroundings, shape, or topographical conditions of a specific property not generally applicable to other properties in the same zoning district and not created by any person presently having an interest in the property. • Lack of desire to increase financial gain; and • Protection of the public welfare, other property, and neighborhood character Ms. Andrade stated the Petitioner is seeking Variations to the building height and parking setback requirements. The proposed three -story building includes a pitched roof and requires a Variation to increase the building height from thirty five (35) feet to thirty six and one half (36.5) feet. Ms. Andrade stated that the Petitioner explained that designing a building with a lower roof or with a flat roof would have been inferior from an architectural standpoint. The slight increase in the height requirement of one and a half (1.5) feet provides a more attractive building for the community. Richard Rogers, Chair PZ -29 -12 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting March 28th, 2013 Page 2 of 5 Ms. Andrade explained that the staff was supportive of the Variation request to increase the building height as the building would not be detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to other property or improvements in the neighborhood. Ms. Andrade repeated that the proposed building has been designed to be compatible with the surrounding properties. Ms. Andrade said the Petitioner also requested Variations to reduce the required parking lot setbacks. The Petitioner stated in the application that the shape of the site is long and narrow. Ms. Andrade explained the proposed development was designed to accommodate the required fire lane and to preserve needed parking. There is a detention pond located at the east end of the project site, which limited the project site to the west end. Ms. Andrade explained the staff was supportive of the parking lot Variation requests as they will not be detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to other property. She also stated the fire lane will have minimal use only during times of emergency and will not be regularly utilized by vehicles thereby lessening the effects of this variation request. Ms. Andrade stated the standards for approving a Planned Unit Development are listed in Section 14.504 of the Village Zoning Ordinance. The section contains specific findings that must be made in order to approve a Planned Unit Development. These standards relate to the following: • The proposed development complies with the regulations of the district or districts in which it is to be located; • The principal use in the proposed planned unit development is consistent with the recommendations of the comprehensive plan of the village for the area containing the subject site; • The proposed planned unit development is in the public interest and is consistent with the purposes of this zoning ordinance. • That the streets have been designed to avoid inconvenient or unsafe access to the planned unit development and for the surrounding neighborhood; and that the development does not create an excessive burden on public parks, recreation areas, schools, and other public facilities which serve or are proposed to serve the planned unit development. Ms. Andrade explained the proposed senior housing PUD was compatible with the underlying R -4 Multi- Family Residence Zoning District and was consistent with the Village's Comprehensive Land Use Map. The Village Comprehensive Plan designated the property as Multi - Family Residential Use. This designation is appropriate for a multi -unit residential development, such as the proposed senior housing development. The senior housing development is compatible with the surrounding area and will provide housing for seniors, which the community has expressed a need for. The need for affordable senior housing was a long established goal of the Village. Per the Petitioner, the proposed senior housing development will consist of rents that will be affordable to seniors at 30 %, 50% and 60% of the Chicago area median income. Ms. Andrade stated that staff found the request for a Conditional Use for a Final Planned Unit Development consisting of senior housing and Variation requests to the building height and parking lot setbacks met the standards for the requests as listed in the Zoning Code and that granting such requests would be in the best interest of the Village. Ms. Andrade stated that based on these findings Staff recommended that Planning & Zoning Commission recommend approval of the following motions: "To adopt staff findings in the staff report as the findings of the Planning and Zoning Commission and recommend approval of: A. A Conditional Use for a Final Planned Unit Development consisting of senior housing; B. A Variation to increase the maximum permitted building height from thirty five (35) feet to thirty six and one half (36.5) feet; Richard Rogers, Chair PZ -29 -12 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting March 28th, 2013 Page 3 of 5 C. A Variation to reduce the required parking lot setback from ten (10) feet to six (6) feet along the west property line; and D. A Variation to reduce the required parking lot setback from ten (10) feet to zero (0) feet along the south property line, subject to the conditions listed in the Staff Report" Ms. Andrade stated The Village Board's decision is final for this case. Chairman Rogers asked if the plan was the same as the plan they approved approximately ten (10) years ago. Ms. Andrade stated the plan was essentially the same as a preliminary site plan that was approved in 2011. There was general discussion regarding the setback variations on the south end of the project. Mr. Beattie asked about the building height calculations and inquired if it was calculated differently because of the pitched roof design. There was general discussion about how the building height was calculated. Chairman Rogers asked if there were any more questions for the Staff, seeing none the Chairman opened up the floor to the Petitioner. Chairman Rogers swore in Beth Demes, Executive Director for The Alden Foundation, 4200 W. Peterson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Demes stated that they have been working on this project for about two and half (2.5) years and received preliminary PUD approval from the Village Board in March 2011; which was extended a year ago. Ms. Demes went on to say that they are very close to starting construction. She stated that the Senior Housing Development will consist of ninety two (92) apartments and is restricted to seniors who are 62 and older. Ms. Demes stated that the rent would range from $328.00 to $877.00 and that those amounts were based on different income levels. She clarified that the development was independent housing and supportive services would not be provided within the building. However, she also stated that the development would have a property manager who would organize events for the residents. Chairman Rogers asked if the project was government supported. Ms. Demes confirmed that it was. There was general discussion about the financing for the project. Ms. Demes showed a rendering of the building elevation and explained that there would be two (2) three (3) story wings and a center single story wing, which will house the common areas. Ms. Demes stated that the building is approximately 96,500 square feet and it is 60% brick masonry and the remaining part is made up of cement siding. She also stated that the building will be a certified Energy Star Building and as an Enterprise Green Communities Building. Ms. Demes explained the various common area amenities the building will offer. She stated the only change that has been made since the preliminary plans were approved was the addition of a backup generator on the property per the request of the Village planners. Ms. Demes talked about the location of the generator and explained how the backup generator would be used. Ms. Demes stated that there will be an emergency evacuation plan that would be set in place for the residents. Ms. Demes stated the Alden Foundation was presently working towards closing on the financing for the project and to do that they needed the permits for the construction. She informed the Commission that they have submitted the plans to the Village for permit approval. She also noted that the plans submitted included the requested changes Ms. Andrade pointed out in her report. Ms. Demes stated that they hope to close and begin construction in mid May. If they stay on schedule they plan to open the building in August 2014. Richard Rogers, Chair PZ -29 -12 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting March 28th, 2013 Page 4 of 5 Ms. Demes explained that without any advertising there are sixteen (16) seniors on a waiting list, six (6) of them are either from, or have family in Mount Prospect. Chairman Rogers thanked Ms. Andrade and the Petitioner for the detailed reviews and responses. Commissioner Youngquist asked if there were any assigned parking spaces. Ms. Demes responded there was not. Chairman Rogers asked if there was anyone else in the audience to address this case. Hearing none, he closed the public portion of the case and brought the discussion back to the board. Mr. Beattie made a motion to approve: A. A Conditional Use for the Final Plan approval of a Planned Unit Development consisting of senior housing; B. A Variation to increase the maximum permitted building height from 35 feet to 36.5 feet; C. A Variation to reduce the required parking lot setback from 10 feet to 6 feet along the west property line; and D. A Variation to reduce the required parking lot setback from 10 feet to 0 feet along the south property line, subject to the conditions listed in the Staff Report. Mr. Youngquist seconded the motion. UPON ROLL CALL: AYES: Fitzgerald, Beattie, Youngquist, Chairman Rogers NAYS: None Motion was approved 4 -0. The Village Board's decision is final for this case. Mr. Beattie made a motion, seconded by Mr. Youngquist to adjourn at 8:32 p.m. The motion was approved by a voice vote and the meeting was adjourned. Jenna Moder, Community Development Administrative Assistant Richard Rogers, Chair PZ -29 -12 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting March 28th, 2013 Page 5 of 5