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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/24/2000 ZBA minutes 37-99 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MOUNT PROSPECT ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS CASE NO. ZBA-37-99 Hearing Date: February 24, 2000 PETITIONER: Bruce Adreani, Norwood Builders SUBJECT PROPERTY: Northwest Highway between Emerson St. and Main St. PUBLICATION DATE: February 9, 2000 DAILY HERALD REQUEST: Conditional Use for a PUD to Permit Construction of a Mixed-use Development MEMBERS PRESENT: Merrill Cotten Leo Floros Richard Rogers Keith Youngquist Arlene Juracek, Chairperson MEMBERS ABSENT: Elizabeth Luxem STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Michael Blue, AICP, Depnty Director of Community Development Jeffery Perkins, Planner 131TERESTED PARTIES: Bmco Adreani, Norwood Builders Jim Duerr, Norwood Builders Ron Radzik, Norwood Builders Matthew Itaylock, Hayloek Design Katht3m and Mauro Bruno Chairperson Arlene Juracek called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Minutes oftbe January 27, 2000 meeting were approved, with one abstention by Arlene Jumcek. Ms. Jumcok announced the postponement of Case ZBA-04-2000 until the meeting of March 23, 2000. The Board heard Case ZBA-37-99 at 7:39 p.m. Seffery Perkins, Planner, introduced the staff memorandum for the item, a proposal to construct a structure containing 22,700 sq.tL of commercial space and 34 condominium units, a 32 on-site surface parking spaces, 18 on-street spaces and 51 underground spaces. Based on a Request for Proposals issued last year in support of the Downtown Strategic Plan, the Village Board selected the applicant as the developer for Phase IB of Downtown redevelopment - a mixed- use development on Northwest Highway in the downtown. Phase IA, consisting of 205 condominiums and a public parking lot, was approved in 1999 and is currently under construction. Mr. Perkins described the subject property, a vacant parcel on Northwest Highway between Main Street and Emerson Street, and added that the Village has acquired the property and has a development agreement with the applicant for the purchase and development of the property. Mr. Perkins stated that the proposed development would consist of 22,700 gross square feet of commercial space on the ground floor and a total of 34 condominium units on the second and third floor. He stated that the site would be served by 51 parking spaces in an underground garage beneath the principal structure, 33 surface spaces on the site, and 18 on-street spaces to be created with the development. Mr. Perkins stated that the site is zoned BSC Central Commercial Core district, that "Planned unit developments, mixed commercial and residential" are listed as Conditional Uses in the district and that the proposed'mixed-use development may be permitted in the zoning district following approval of the PUD as a Conditional Use: Zoning Board of Appeals ZBA-37-99 Arlene Juracek, Chairperson Page 2 He then said that the applicant had submitted revised plans addressing some of the comments included in the staf~ report and distributed copies of revised plans to the ZBA. Mr. Perkins described the proposed development's building setbacks, density, and building height and stated that the proposal meets Zoning Code requirements for those items. Mr. Perkins then described the applicant's submitted elevations and contrasted them with the elevations included in the applicant's response to the Village's R.F.P. He also described a proposed outdoor dining area to the north of the Emerson Street fagade and gave staff's position that the area would better reflect the original proposal and be better utilized as a semi-enclosed dining area allowing for use 9fthe area most of the year, rather than just in the summer. He then stated Village staff's other concerns with the proposed elevations: that the proposed building materials lank the degree of contrast shown in the. RFP elevations, that much of the architectural detail has been eliminated for the building roof. He added that Staff has met with the applicant to discuss those issues and building materials to be used at the site, and that the applicant agreed to address staffcencerns and identify building materials prior to Village Board consideration. Mr. Perkins described parking for the site. He stated that the total parking requirement for the site would be 135 paces and a total of 102 spaces are currently proposed. He added that, because the site does not meet its parking requirement, the developer must enter into a parking agreement with a nearby property or properties to provide the additional 33 parking spaces. He also spoke about the importance of keeping parking on and around the site available for customers and visitors to the site, rather than employees and commuters and recommended requiring the applicant to provide the Village with an agreement to allow for Village enforcement of parking time limits. He also described changes to the existing Village parking lots south of and west of Village Hall that would accompany the development. Mr. Perkins reviewed the applicant's preliminary landscape plans for the development. He stated that the plans include primarily hardscape areas with small planting areas along the Elmhurst Road and Emerson Street frontages and that the plans follow the requirements of the Mount Prospect Streetscape Plan between the buildings and the edge of pavement. He added that Village staff is working with the developer to find an appropriate focal point, in the form of landscaping, public art, street furniture, or some combination of those elements for the corner of Northwest Highway and Emerson Street. Mr. Perkins described provisions in the Downtown Redevelopment Plan calling for specialty retail businesses and businesses with night and weekend activity. He added that the applicant and Village staff are working to establish a mutually acceptable method of ensuring that the mix of commercial uses in the structure will fulfil the requirements of the Plan. Mr. Perkins then briefly diseuased the request in terms of Zoning Code Standards for Planned Unit Developments and Conditional Uses and gave Staff's r~commandation for approval of the proposed Planned Unit Development, with the cenditions included in the staff report. Ms. Juracek asked if Board members had any qUestions for Jeff and asked if required public notice had been given for the item. Mr. Perkins stated that notice in the form cfa newspaper legal ad, mailed notices, and signs had been given. Ms. Juracek then asked if the petitioner wanted to speak. Bruce Adreani, Jim Duerr, Ron Radzik, and Matthew Haylock were sworn in. Mr. Adreani stated this development would be the gateway to Mount Prospect and that the initial rendering was submitted with the hope of being chosen for the project. He said he is impressed with Village staff on the timely acquisition of the property and site preparation. He stated that, in further work with staff and the archit6et, they have prepared a new rendering, which is before the Board tonight. He responded to comments that the latest renderings were boring. He said that on the new design some celors are different and no Dryvit will be used, also that the final project may have different brick colors based on availability. The new rendering has some deletions and some improvements over the original. He approached the easel to point out the differences. He said that in order to make the project more pedestrian friendly and increase visibility to the interior stores, they had included outdoor dining, for which they have received many favorable Zoning Board of Appeals Z BA-37-99 Arlene Juracek, Chairperson Page 3 comments. He pointed out changes in the original brick arches which would be more expensive than the original drawings but more symmetrical and similar to those used for shops in France or England. The building will be 52' high at the peak because each floor is more than I0' high and the apartments would have higher ceilings as they will be called "the lofts of Village Centre". He said they are willing to add any faux chimneys, weathervanes, etc., as desired. Mr. Rogers asked about the possibility of eliminating dormers. Mr. Ronald Redzik of Norwood Builders came forward to say the dormers were necessary as they would be active skylights which would provide light to the loft condos; Ms. Juracek said she would like to see the plan include the original fanx chimneys. Mr. Adreani said more color could be provided by using different color awnings and that building materials would be submitted for final approval. Mr. Adreani also said Norwood would help with fund raising for a focal feature for the area. With reference to the conditions recommended by staff, Mr. Adreani asked that I-W, aM Architects be deleted from stuffs conditions and replaced by Haylock. He asked that the outdoor dining area concept be allowed to remain. Mr. Adreani stated they would be very willing to work with the Village on selecting a tenant mix and that Norwood would be amenable to working with staff on parking lot redesign. He also said Norwood would contact Bank One and various area churches regarding the availability of parking spaces in their lots. With reference to staffs condition #9, Mr. Adreani directed the Board's attention to the chart of landscape materials they had prepared for the project. He stuted Norwood would work with the Village regarding brick pavers and outdoor furniture to be used for a focal point. Engineering plans are not finalized, Mr. Adrcani said they are working with the different government agencies on the approval of those. Ms. Juracek asked about the nature of permits. Mr. Adreani said they would provide the sewer and water runoff and drainage of the parking area design to MWRD for permits Ms. Juracek said the site elevations and material choices seem tuntutive and would building samples be ready for submission to the Village Board quickly. Mr. Adreani reminded the Board about the brick shortage and said Norwood works with many companies and will have a display at the property site. Michael Blue, Deputy Director of Community Development, stated that there were brick problems with the other developments being built by Norwood. He agreed it is a challenge to get the bricks, but it also is important to know if the bricks and other materials to be used are available. Mr. Blue said that as part of its recommendation the ZBA should decide which elevation they prefer so Norwood can bring it to the Village Board with definite materials. Ms. Juracek said she liked the original design because of the variety of materials used. She said she did not want the proposed development to be the same color brick throughout the project and not the same color as the Clocktower Condominiums. Ms. Juracek also noted the importance of striping the Northwest Highway on-street parking spaces. Mr. Rogers suggested substituting pre-cast concrete panels with the appearance of bricks for the brick, as shown in the original proposal. He also stated his feeling that the original elevation was desirable since it was more "fanciful" and had more variety in the roof line. Mr. Redgers indicated his desire that there by no Dryvit material on the building. He had no issue with the Main Street end of the building being octagonal (a change from rounded in the original) and approved of shortening the Emerson Street fuc~ade in order to open up the courtyard. Mr. Rodgers indicated that his main concerns were that there be sufficient variety in the color and texture of the construction materials. Mr. Adreani said that type of concrete panel Mr. P, odgers suggested was usually used for industrial and office buildings. Mr. Rogers noted it is often used for Chicago rowhouses to provide more variety. Mr. Adreani also said he would prefer using brick in different colors for variety. Mr. Adreani also said the comer of Northwest Highway and Main Street had been redesigned in the revised elevation in order to be symmetrical with the one at Emerson. Mr. Rogers said smooth and m'asonry surfaces should be utilized and roofs should b~ different types. Mr. ^dreani said white, rough-faced or Renaissance stone would provide a lighter look, and that they would go hack to coloring board to provide more variety. Zoning Board of Appeals ZBA-37-99 Arlene Juracek, Chairperson Page 4 Keith Youngquist said he had served on the original Ad Hoc Committee and that committee had been very excited about the original draWings for the downtown area, which were provided by Norwood Builders. However he understood that they were conceptual and might change somewhat. Mr. Youngquist said the chimney removal is satisfactory to him and he said the dormer utilization was a great idea, He said his preference would be to hold down the number of changes of materials and colors to four or five, and to avoid a "circus" appearance by keeping long expanses oftbe various materials. He asked if the wing shown on the Emerson elevation of the drawing was an attempt to continue around the comer. Mr~ Adreani said that was a first floor commercial exte.nsion only. Mr. Perkins said the first floor of the building actually extends out a few more feet and the building steps back on the second floor. This is an extension of the commercial space in the rear - allowing for larger and more usable spaces. Mr. Adreani pointed out that it will be important for renting the spaces (and the viability of the businesses) to ensure visibility to the rear.. Mr. Youngquist said the original plans looked beautiful from Northwest Highway and he was glad to see Norwood is carrying the exact level detail around building, and he wanted to compliment them for that. He said pre-cast slabs, as suggested by Mr. Rogers, would be good for creating variety in the facade. Mr. Younquist said he has no problem with the absence of fanx chimneys and weathervanes. Michael Blue said Norwood employs a third party broker as part of the rental process and they have agreed that the Village will have and opportunity to meet with the broker. Ms. Juracek said we would not want only restaurants but other types of businesses. Mr. Adreani agreed. Leo Floros asked if there would be single stores going all the way through ~the building and if any of the stores migh.~ .~ be offices. Mr. Adreani said the comer stores would probably go through but the others would be stores facing Northwest Highway and backed up by a common corridor, with another set of stores facing the couRyard. He said there would be fifteen or sixteen stores in the building. Mr. Blue remarked that storefronts on parking lot side likely would not be of the same caliber as on the Northwest Highway side. The stores facing the street would be businesses that require more visibility. Therefore, it was reasonable to expect offices or some service businesses on the courtyard side. Adreani said they had considered th6 idea of larger stores but the best retail use is smaller, easier to rent, stores. Mr. Rogers said he agreed with the outdoor dining concept as it would give more visibility to the stores facing the cou~yard. Merrill Cotten said he considered the question to be whether we want the development to be more quaint, as in the original renderings, or more modem day, like the new drawings. He asked if we wanted to be more tike Long Grove or have a more distinctive look. He added that using different brick colors would give a very desirable appearance. Ms. Juracek said we were not striving to look like another Long Grove but we do like variety. She also noted that the project should not look llke a building built at one time, but like buildings built at different times. She said symmetry is important, but the facade should not look like a monolith. She suggested the builder vary the colors and architecture as much as possible. Keith Youngquist asked how water runoff would be handled. Mr. Adreani said that there will be a fiat roof in the middle of the buildings with interior drains connected to the storm sewer system and a gutter system along outsid ~- area. He also stated that trash storage will be in indoor dumpsters, which will be taken out through the rear of the-? building. s. Juracek asked if there were any more questions or any questions from the audience. There being none, she closed the Public Hearing at 8:42 and asked for discussion by the Zoning Board. Ms. Juracek said this proposal meets the needs of the Village and has had a lot of pre-planning and a lot of groundwork by many people. She said we had heard much discussion about staffs recommendations particularly recommendation #3, which pertains to an outdoor dining area. She said Mr. Youngquist and Mr. Rogers have both made persuasive statements in support of the petitioner's view that visibility is critical to tenants. Ms. Juracek said he would support that view and suggested removal of condition #3. Richard Rogers made a motion to recommend approval for a Conditional Use to allow the proposed Planned Unit Development with the conditions included in the staff report, with the elimination of condition 3 and the addition of the word "general" before the word "conformance" in condition I. Keith Youngquist- seconded the motion. UPON ROLL CALL: AYES: Cotten, Floros, Rogers, Youngquist, and Juracek NAYS: None Motion was approved 5-0. At 9:25 p.m., after two other cases were heard, Richard Rogers made motion to adjourn, seconded by Keith Youngquist. The motion was approved by voice vote and the meeting was adjourned. Barbara Swiatek, Planning Secretary