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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/27/2011 P&Z Minutes 17-10 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION CASE NO. PZ-17-10 Hearing Date: January 27, 2011 PROPERTY ADDRESS: 501 Midway Drive PETITIONER : Robert Kirk PUBLICATION DATE: January 12, 2011 PIN NUMBER: 08-23-402-010-0000 REQUEST: Conditional Use (Community Center and school) MEMBERS PRESENT: Richard Rogers, Chair William Beattie Joseph Donnelly Leo Floros Theo Foggy Ronald Roberts Keith Youngquist MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Brian Simmons, AICP, Deputy Director of Community Development Consuelo Andrade, Development Review Planner INTERESTED PARTIES : Robert Kirk, Yasar Serlik, Ergun Koyuncu, Serdar Kartal, Selvi Arifi, Jennifer Rivera, Memis Cetinkaya Chairman Richard Rogers called the meeting to order at 7:32 p.m. Chairman Rogers stated that the last case on the agenda, PZ-19-10, 1601 S. Busse Road would be continued to the February 24, 2011 Planning and Zoning Meeting. Mr. Donnelly made a motion to approve the minutes of the October 28, 2010 meeting; Mr. Beattie seconded the motion. The minutes were approved 7-0. After hearing one previous case, Chairman Rogers introduced Case PZ-17-10, 501 Midway, Niagara Educational Center at 7:47 p.m. Ms. Andrade stated the Petitioner requested a Conditional Use to operate a community center and school at 501 Midway Drive. The Subject Property is located on Midway Drive, a cul-de-sac street on the west side of Elmhurst Road, between Algonquin Road and Oakton Street. Ms. Andrade said the Subject Property is zoned B-3 Community Shopping and contains an office/warehouse building with related improvements. The property is bordered to the north and east by the B-3 District, and to the south and west by the R-4 Multi-Family Residential District. She said the Subject Property has a zoning history of Conditional Use approvals. The oldest zoning approval dates back to 2003 and the most recent zoning approval to 2009. In each instance, the Petitioner has allowed the Conditional Use approval to expire prior to obtaining a building permit from the Village. The Petitioner’s current request is to operate a 42,614 square foot community center and 29,569 square foot school such as was proposed in 2008. Ms. Andrade stated the community center and school would offer the same services and events as the 2008 approval. The community center would occupy approximately 60% of the building while the proposed school Richard Rogers, Chair PZ-17-10 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting January 27, 2011 Page 1 of 6 would occupy 40%. The school would teach grades K-8, and high school sometime in the future. The Petitioner would be required to make site and building improvements that were previously required, but never completed. st Ms. Andrade showed a floor plan that illustrated the interior layout of the 1 floor. The community center would occupy the southern portion building and would include a gym, offices, stage, assembly area, and classrooms. The school would occupy the northern portion of the building and would consist of a library, lab rooms, and classrooms. Ms. Andrade stated the second floor of the community center would include guest rooms and offices, just like the Conditional Use permits previously approved. The second floor of the school would have classrooms and a computer room. Ms. Andrade said the Zoning Ordinance required parking based on the use of each space. The required parking for the community center is based on the square footage of each space and would require 167 parking spaces. The school’s parking is based on the number of staff and high school students. The Village Code does not have a parking requirement for the K-8 students. Therefore, as currently proposed, the 35 staff members and 220 high school students would require 63 parking spaces. Therefore a total of 230 parking spaces are required. As proposed, the site would not comply with the required parking by providing only 218 parking spaces. The number of high school students would be required to be reduced in order to comply with the 16 parking spaces available for student parking after the community center and staff members have been taken into account. Ms. Andrade stated Staff had concerns that a parking deficiency may occur, the Petitioner would be required to submit enrollment lists to document compliance with the Village’s parking regulations. Ms. Andrade said besides the required Conditional Use, a building permit would also be required for the proposed uses. Compliance with all fire and building codes for an assembly and educational occupancy would be required. Additionally, one side of Midway Drive as well as the bulb of the cul-de-sac should be designated as ‘No Parking Fire Lane’. Site improvements, including the parking lot, would also have to completed per Village Code requirements. Finally, a photometric plan would be required to be submitted to ensure compliance with the lighting section of the Village Code. Ms. Andrade stated the standards for Conditional Uses are listed in the Zoning Ordinance and include specific findings that must be made in order to approve a Conditional Use. A summary of the standards are that the Conditional Use must 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; and adequate provision of utilities, drainage, and design of access and egress to minimize congestion on Village streets. Ms. Andrade said the Petitioner’s request has not changed from the previous Conditional Use approval to operate a community center and school on the Subject Property. The community center would offer the same services and events as the previous request. The school’s student enrollment and staff would be restricted as necessary in order to comply with parking requirements. The Petitioner has agreed to submit enrollment lists to the Village upon request of the Director of Community Development to document compliance with the Village’s parking regulations. The footprint of the building would remain the same and exterior improvements will be required. Ms. Andrade stated based on Staff’s analysis, Staff recommended that the Planning & Zoning Commission recommend the Village Board approve the motion presented in the Staff Report. The Village Board’s decision is final for this case. Mr. Floros asked what kind of activities were presently going on at the Subject Property. Ms. Andrade stated that only office space for Niagara Educational Services was in operation. Chairman Rogers confirmed with Staff that they have reviewed on-site that only the office use was in operation. Richard Rogers, Chair PZ-17-10 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting January 27, 2011 Page 2 of 6 Chairman Rogers swore in the Petitioner, Robert Kirk of Group A Architects, 1100 Landmeier Road, Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Mr. Kirk stated that he is the architect for the project. He said one of the reasons why the project has not moved forward was due to Staff’s recommendation of having the financing in place before the zoning process. Mr. Kirk stated that money has been set aside and donated to move forward with the project. He said the Turkish cultural heritage is very strong in the Chicagoland area and the Subject Property would be the central location. Mr. Kirk stated that the school would be a part of the cultural center and open to the public. It would be a club like atmosphere where members could join and utilize the facility. Mr. Kirk said traffic would not be an issue since the Subject Property is located at the end of a cul-de-sac 600 feet from Elmhurst Road. Mr. Kirk stated that he is in agreement with the fire lane and fire access requests. Mr. Kirk showed the site plan for the project. He said there would be three separate entrances to the building. The entrance to the north would be for the school which would be separate from the public entrance for the cultural center that is located on the southeast side of the building. The door just north of the public entrance would access offices that currently exist on the second floor. Mr. Kirk referenced and explained the floor plan. The cultural center contains an auditorium that would host dance recitals, cultural events, and guest lecturers. There would also be a commercial kitchen located on site with no liquor being served in the building. Located to the west of the cultural center would be the area for private members that have access to the second floor and the guest rooms. The guest rooms could be rented out to people visiting from overseas or relatives for a short stay. The north segment is where the school will be located. Chairman Rogers swore in the President of the Board, Yasar Serlik, 7636 W. Rascher Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Chairman Rogers asked Mr. Serlik if he was aware that this case has come before the Planning and Zoning Commission several times over the past seven years. He also asked if the funding for the cultural center and school were in place in addition to concerns regarding the parking lot, fire lanes, and landscaping. Mr. Serlik stated that he believed that the fire lane has been addressed. Mr. Serlik agreed to the recommendations by Staff in regards to improving the site and stated that the financials are in place. Chairman Rogers asked if Mr. Serlik was aware of additional changes that Staff required in regards to lighting, landscaping, and storm water detention. Mr. Serlik was aware and agreed to the recommendations. Mr. Beattie asked if the financing has been secured. Mr. Serlik stated that Niagara currently has $800,000 of cash in place. In addition, he has talked with the bank and cannot move forward until the Conditional Use Permit has been issued and then the drawings could be reviewed. Mr. Beattie asked what is different now than when this case came forward in 2009. Mr. Serlik said that $300,000 has been spent on the drawings for the permit which can be issued soon. He stated that they also have the surplus of cash and additional support from parents. Chairman Rogers asked if there is still overall support for this project from parents and other individuals. Mr. Serlik confirmed that there is still support for the project. Mr. Foggy asked what would be the overall hours for the establishment. Mr. Serlik said that the school may be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. (subject to change) with the cultural center hours varying depending on the type of event. Chairman Rogers stated with the guest rooms that it could be a 24-hour establishment. Mr. Youngquist discussed the guest rooms and was confused when the Petitioner stated that rooms would be rented. He was under the impression that the guest rooms were for guest faculty and lecturers, not being rented out. Mr. Youngquist confirmed the overall budget for the project was $3.2 million. He was concerned with this figure for the amount of work that needed to be completed. Mr. Serlik said there are a lot of volunteers on the project and believed that it could be completed with the budget allowed. Richard Rogers, Chair PZ-17-10 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting January 27, 2011 Page 3 of 6 Chairman Rogers asked Mr. Kirk if he put together a budget for the project. Mr. Kirk stated that a preliminary budget has been put together. He said that construction of heavy steel and concrete work had already begun on the south side of the building. This construction was stopped by the Village 3-4 years ago. Chairman Rogers asked if there was a permit for that work. Mr. Simmons responded there was a permit issued approximately 4 years ago as one of the early approvals for some work inside the building and that the contractor went a little bit beyond what the permit permitted. A stop work order was issued and no work has continued at the Subject Property since then. Mr. Simmons stated that there is some work inside that still needs to be completed. Chairman Rogers asked what the preliminary budget was. Mr. Kirk said the preliminary budget was $3.2 to $3.3 million. Mr. Beattie asked if anyone had projected the cost of the entire project. Mr. Kirk stated that the building structurally is in good shape. He stated that he is not increasing the footprint of the building or doing major structural work. Mr. Beattie had concerns about the project not having enough money to complete it. Chairman Rogers swore in Ergun Koyuncu, 570 Jamison Lane, Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Mr. Koyuncu stated that he was involved with the project from the beginning. He discussed the construction that Mr. Kirk addressed on the south side of the building. Mr. Koyuncu said all the foundation and structural work was erected. The only part that is missing is the joist and the light weight concrete. The underground plumbing has been completed, but there were some issues with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD). Mr. Koyuncu stated that worked ceased when the Building Department issued the stop work order. He said shortly after this the financial crisis hit and they were unable to receive financing.Mr. Koyuncu stated their money that has been previously mentioned along with an additional $700,000 promised along with banks interested in financing. He said the work previously mentioned on the south side of the building has already been paid for in the amount of $500,000. Mr. Koyuncu discussed the history of the various architects for the subject property. He said that Gensler was the second architect assigned to the project and could not get them through the building process and they were eventually fired. Mr. Koyuncu then stated Mr. Kirk was hired and they are ready to complete the project. Chairman Rogers asked if construction costs were obtained. Mr. Koyuncu said yes, but there were some issues that needed to be addressed with the Building Department. He stated that the Building Department required the Conditional Use before they would look at the plans. Mr. Koyuncu stated that the bids they have received are within the budget for the project. Chairman Rogers asked if there were access funds available to complete the additional work that is needed to be done on site that has not been addressed. Mr. Koyuncu said the fire lane and the accessible signage has been installed and inspected and approved by Ms. Andrade. Mr. Koyuncuc did not recall any written comments regarding storm drainage. Ms. Andrade clarified that the parking lot permit that was issued and approved was for re-pavement and re-sealing of the south parking lot. The Staff report listed additional improvements to the overall parking lot as required by the Engineering Division and Zoning. Mr. Kirk said there were comments from the Engineering Division in regards to storm water that still needed to be addressed. He stated that this would not be an issue cost wise and would require MWRD’s approval. Chairman Rogers asked the Petitioner if the storm water issue was under his contract to complete. Mr. Kirk said yes. Chairman Rogers asked the Petitioner if he was aware of the lighting and landscaping that was required. Mr. Kirk stated that he would take care of all these items. Mr. Foggy asked if there was a construction schedule in place for the project. Mr. Kirk stated that construction on the south side would continue, but there would also be a strong emphasis to get the school completed and opened by September so they would not miss a school year. He said that they would not like to move kids from the existing school in Niles to the Mount Prospect location during the year. Mr. Kirk understood that there are a number of items that need to be completed on the outside in order to get the school operational by September. He stated that the Village would not allow the school to operate unless the items required outside have been completed. Richard Rogers, Chair PZ-17-10 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting January 27, 2011 Page 4 of 6 Mr. Kirk discussed the school portion of the project. He said the school is successful and currently exists in Niles. The school currently rents their location and there is not a cultural center close by. He stated the Mount Prospect location was beneficial for the school and the community. Chairman Rogers swore in the Science Academy of Chicago’s Principal, Serdar Kartal, 2144 W. Morse, Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Kartal said the school is currently located in Niles where the school rents an old Catholic school building. There are currently 113 K-8 students. Mr. Kartal stated that both kindergarten and first grade are almost booked. He believed the cultural center element would bring in additional students. Mr. Kartal said the school has been very successful in math and science competitions and has a dedicated staff. Chairman Rogers confirmed that the school is certified by the State of Illinois. He asked Mr. Kartal if he was aware of the limits placed on the number of high school students due to the amount of parking spaces and that the enrollment would be monitored by the Village. Mr. Kartal understood and said that the school was already limiting classroom sizes to a maximum of 18 students to ensure that enrollment does not go over the maximum amount of students permitted. Chairman Rogers said the Village was happy to have the school locate to Mount Prospect, but the Village needed to see some action in regards to the school attempting to move forward with the permits. Mr. Kartal stated that there was definite support from the parents to get the project completed. He believed that the school would prosper with the new location and support. Mr. Kartal stated some of the families were even looking to move closer to the school from surrounding communities. Mr. Simmons stated that the cultural center is the primary use of the property and the school is being considered a secondary use. Before the school could be in operation, a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) would need to be issued for the cultural center. There was brief discussion regarding the project’s timeline. It was determined that the project would take five months to complete. Mr. Kirk said the same set of drawings have been in for permits for six years without any changes. He believed that his clients have not been well served by the previous architect on the project. Mr. Kirk stated that he has been involved with the project for one year. The previous Conditional Use expired in February 2009. Mr. Kirk stated that they came to the Village to request a new hearing, but was advised by Community Development Director Bill Cooney to hold off until the financing for the project was in place. Chairman Rogers confirmed with the Petitioner that the permit could potentially be issued quickly since the plans have been sitting with the Village for while. Mr. Kirk stated that all comments have been addressed and they are very close. Mr. Youngquist asked if Niagara owns the drawings. Mr. Kirk said Niagara now owns the drawings due to a settlement with the previous architect. Chairman Rogers swore in Selvi Arifi, 8636 Stolting, Niles, Illinois. Ms. Arifi said she is a parent of children who attend the school, but is also employed by the school as well. She said the school has a very dedicated and passionate staff. Chairman Rogers asked if Ms. Arifi was a member of the cultural center, she stated that she was not. Chairman Rogers swore in Jennifer Rivera, 481 Lauren Lane, Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Ms. Rivera stated that she was a parent of two boys who attend the school. She said this was her sons’ first year at the school; they transferred from the public school system. Ms. Rivera stated that the school was family oriented and commended the teaching staff for their dedication. Chairman Rogers asked if Ms. Rivera was a member of the cultural center, Ms. Rivera replied no. Mr. Kirk discussed the school and stated that the cultural center was the primary use for this project and would be an emphasis for the Turkish community. Richard Rogers, Chair PZ-17-10 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting January 27, 2011 Page 5 of 6 Chairman Rogers asked Mr. Kirk to address the guest rooms as previously discussed. Mr. Kirk stated that the guest rooms would be for traveling groups that would be presenting themselves for cultural events. There would be an opportunity for relatives to utilize those rooms, but did not know if there were any arrangements to charge for the rooms. Mr. Roberts confirmed with the Petitioner that the rooms would not be rented out to the general public; only to those who have access to the cultural center’s club. Mr. Youngquist said that due to zoning, the rooms cannot be perceived as a hotel option. Mr. Kirk agreed and re-stated that the rooms would not be rented to the general public. Mr. Youngquist stated that he saw no changes regarding this entire project from the last time it went before the Planning & Zoning Commission with the exception that there was a different architect assigned to the project. Chairman Rogers swore in Memis Cetinkaya, 1510 Dempster Street, Mount Prospect, Illinois. Mr. Cetinkaya stated that he has been a Mount Prospect resident since 2003 and said there always has been a need for a cultural center in the community. He said the cultural center space is needed to entertain guests and groups from other communities. Mr. Cetinkaya stated the guest rooms would allow the cultural center to bring in and entertain guests from central Asian countries. He said that the members of the cultural center are determined to complete the project so they could have a space of their own. Chairman Rogers stated that the cultural center and school are an asset and are welcomed to the community, but he wanted to make sure the group was committed to completing the project. 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 at 8:35 p.m. and brought the discussion back to the board. Mr. Youngquist made a motion to approve a Conditional Use to operate a Community Center and a School for the property at 501 Midway Drive, Case No. PZ-17-10, subject to compliance with the conditions of approval as listed in the staff report. Mr. Donnelly seconded the motion. UPON ROLL CALL: AYES: Beattie, Donnelly, Floros, Foggy, Roberts, Rogers, Youngquist NAYS: None Motion was approved 7-0. The Village Board’s decision is final for this case. After hearing one additional case, Mr. Donnelly made a motion, seconded by Mr. Beattie to adjourn at 8:58 p.m. The motion was approved by a voice vote and the meeting was adjourned. ________________________________________ Ryan Kast, Community Development Administrative Assistant Richard Rogers, Chair PZ-17-10 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting January 27, 2011 Page 6 of 6