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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/28/2005 P&Z minutes 23-05 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION CASE NO. PZ-23-05 Hearing Date: July 28, 2005 PROPERTY ADDRESS: 50 E. Northwest Highway PETITIONER: John Anderson, Commuter Fitness 204 W. Sunset Road, Mount Prospect, IL 60056 OWNER: Norwood Builders PUBLICATION DATE: July 13, 2005 PIN#: 08-12-108-042-1032/1031/1011/1021/1001/1034/1033 REQUEST: Conditional Use approval for a gym MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Arlene Juracek Joseph Donnelly Marlys Haaland Ronald Roberts Richard Rogers MEMBERS ABSENT: Leo Floros Keith Youngquist STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Clare Sloan, Neighborhood Planner Jason Zawila, Long Range Planner Elizabeth Schuh, Planning Intern Christina Park, Planning Intern Ellen Divita, Deputy Director, Community Development Chairperson Arlene Juracek called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Richard Rogers moved to approve the minutes of the June 23,2005 meeting and Joseph Donnelly seconded the motion. The motion was approved 5-0. At 7:46 PM Ms. Juracek introduced Case No. PZ-23-05 a request for Conditional Use approval for a Gym at 50 E. Northwest Highway. She said that this case would be Village Board Final. Claire Sloan, Neighborhood Planner, summarized the request. She said the subject property is located on the north side of Northwest Highway, between Emerson and Main Streets. The Subject Property, known as the "Lofts & Shops" is a mixed use development and includes approximately 20,950 square feet of retail/commercial space on the first floor and 34 condominiums (total) on the second and third floors. The Subject Property is zoned B5C Downtown Commercial Core Planned Unit Development and is bordered by the B5C district to the north, east, and west and by the Union Pacific (Metra) rail road tracks to the south. The Petitioner proposes to modify the interior of the 2,934 sq. ft. tenant space and operate a gym. The attached information includes a floor plan for the operation and indicates that the facility will include cardiovascular machines, a free weight area, exercise machines, and a locker room. The locker room will have showers, lockers, and restrooms. The Petitioner proposes to market the facility primarily to residents of the Lofts & Shops building, people who live in the downtown area, and commuters who take the train. The Petitioner's application states that the clients would walk to the facility because they live in close proximity to the facility or use their existing parking space (i.e. commuters who drive to the train). PZ-23-05 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting July 28, 2005 Page 2 Ms. Sloan reported that the Subject Property previously obtained Conditional Use approval in 1999 for a Planned Unit Development, mixed use facility. The Subject Property includes 34 residential units and 10 commercial tenant spaces. Shortly after the Lofts & Shops mixed-use project was approved, the developer entered into an agreement with the Village and leases 40 parking spaces in the Village's parking deck. Employees who work in the Lofts & Shop development are required to park in the Village parking deck to ensure the surface and street parking lot is available for customers. The Lofts & Shops site includes an underground parking garage for the residential units. Currently, while the site is under construction, there are 49 surfaces spaces for the Lofts & Shops, neighboring office space, restaurant, and bakery as well as 21 on street parking spaces. In addition, the Village parking deck, located less than one block from the Subject property, has 383 free parking spaces available to downtown shoppers. A free valet service parks vehicles in the parking deck during peak dining hours, which ensures the Village parking deck is used for 'longer trips' and that the surface lot spaces are turned over quickly by people making 'short trips' to the mixed use development or the neighboring businesses. Staff reviewed the parking situation and found that the proposed gym requires 7 parking spaces to comply with Zoning Ordinance requirements (5 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. then divided in half because it is located downtown). However, the development was approved with a retail use in mind, which requires 12 parking spaces (4/1,000 sq. ft.). Therefore, the proposed gym will have a less intense impact on the Lofts & Shops development and the neighboring properties because it requires fewer parking spaces. Ms. Sloan reported that the standards for Conditional Uses are listed in Section 14.203.F.8 of the Village Zoning Ordinance and include seven specific findings that must be made in order to approve a Conditional Use. The following list is a summary of these findings: the Conditional Use will not have a detrimental impact on the public health, safety, morals, comfort or general welfare; the Conditional Use will not be injurious to the use, enjoyment, or value of other properties in the vicinity or impede the orderly development of those properties; adequate provision of utilities, drainage, and design of access and egress to minimize congestion on Village streets; and compliance of the Conditional Use with the provisions of the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Code, and other Village Ordinances. Other departments reviewed the Petitioner's proposal and did not object to the proposed use. However, Staff has concerns regarding the parking situation. Ms. Sloan reported that the Petitioner is marketing the gym to people who already live in the downtown area or will already be in the area for another purpose, such as taking the train. In theory, the use will not generate new and/or additional vehicle trips to the site. The Petitioner states in the attached application that he anticipates needing less than 1 space for every 10 customers and that the peak usage times would vary. Based on the fact that the gym is geared toward commuters, it is reasonable to anticipate peak usage times during the morning and evening commutes. Since LePeep closes at 2pm, there would not be a parking conflict in the evening (per Zoning regulations, 30 parking spaces would be available). However, the free valet service is available during the lunch and evening dining hours for people who are not interested in parking in the Village parking deck when surface parking is not available. Since there are alternatives to the surface and street parking (free valet service, parking deck less than 1000' from the site) and the fact that the use will be marketed to people who will already be in the downtown area, it is reasonable to conclude that Commuter Express patrons will not create a parking deficiency for the site. Ms. Sloan said the proposed gym meets the Conditional Use standards contained in Section 14.203.F.8 of the Zoning Ordinance. Based on these findings, Staff recommends that the Planning & Zoning Commission approve the following motion: "to approve a Conditional Use permit to allow a gym to operate, as detailed in the Petitioner's application, at 50 E. Northwest Highway, Case No. PZ-23-05, subject to the condition that the Commuter Fitness employees park in the municipal parking deck." Ms. Sloan said that the Village Board's decision is final for this case. PZ-23-05 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting July 28,2005 Page 3 Richard Rogers asked staff how many employees would be working at the facility and if a traffic study was completed for this case. Ms. Sloan replied that the applicant would be able to answer how many employees would be working at the gym and that a traffic study was not completed. Ms. Jurack wanted clarification on planning staffs concern of the parking situation. Ms. Sloan noted the sensitivity of available parking in a downtown district and said staff just wanted to take extra care. She stated that the original use for this location was retail and that this gym would require less parking than was originally intended and wanted to make sure that was clearly stated and understood. John Anderson, the applicant, was sworn in. He thanked the commission for the opportunity to propose his business, Commuter Fitness. He described that his customer base would consist of people living in condos in the area that do not have an existing fitness centers and train commuters. He further explained that equipment layout for Commuter Express is set up for circuit training that typically takes 45 minutes to an hour to work out and that his customers would be in and out within one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes. He knows that parking is an issue in the area and said this would not be a problem for his business because his customer base would be coming down from the condominiums or were already parked for the train station. He also said that he would have 3 employees at a maximum at all hours of operation and that his employees would use the municipal parking deck. Mr. Anderson closed his presentation by saying that he was planning to use the same signage that the jeweler next door uses and would be in compliance with Village code. Richard Rogers asked if Mr. Anderson if he ever anticipated all the work machines being used at one time. Mr. Anderson did not foresee all the machines being used at one time. Joseph Donnely asked how many customers Mr. Anderson predicted working out in Commuter Fitness at a time. Mr. Anderson replied that he did not realistically expect there to be more than 15 people there at a time. Ms. Juracek asked if customers had to make appointments or could just walk into Commuter Fitness. Mr. Anderson replied that they could walk in during the operational hours which would be from 5 :00 am in the morning until 9:00 pm in the evening. Ms. Juracek asked if there were any questions from the audience. There were none and the Public Hearing was closed. Richard Rogers made a motion to approve the conditional use for a Gym at 50 E. Northwest Highway, Case No. PZ-23-05. Joe Donnelly seconded the motion. UPON ROLL CALL: AYES: Donnelly, Haaland, Roberts, Rogers, and Juracek NAYS: None Motion was approved 5-0. The case will go to Village Board for their consideration PZ-23-05 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting July 28, 2005 Page 4 After hearing five more cases, Richard Rogers made a motion to adjourn at 10:03 pm, seconded by Ronald Roberts. The motion was approved by a voice vote and the meeting was adjourned. Jason R. Zawila, Long Range Planner CIDocuments and SettingslkdewislLocal SettingslTemporary Internet FilesIOLK2IPZ-23-05 50 E NW HWY CU - Commuter Fitness Gym 7-28-05.doc