HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/09/2002 COW agendaMeeting Location:
Mount Prospect Senior Center
50 South Emerson Street
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
AGENDA
Meeting Date and Time:
Tuesday, April 9, 2002
7:00 p.m.
I. CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL
Mayor Gerald L. Farley
Trustee Timothy Corcoran Trustee Michaele Skowron
Trustee Paul Hoefert Trustee Irvana Wilks
Trustee Richard Lohrstorfer Trustee Michael Zadel
II.
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING OF
MARCH 26, 2002
III. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD
IV. REVIEW OF ACCESSORY SHED REGULATIONS
Earlier this year, two Variation requests for the size and placement of sheds came to the
Village Board for consideration. In each case, the sheds' respective sizes greatly exceeded
the current 120 square foot maximum allowed by Code. Both cases also requested
Variations to allow placement of the sheds in existing utility easements or setback areas.
These Cases and the issues they raised prompted considerable discussion among Village
Board members. As a result of that discussion, the two shed Variation Cases were tabled,
and staff was directed to research whether the current Village shed regulations were
outdated as to both allowable maximum size of a shed and its placement on one's property.
As a result, staff surveyed surrounding communities regarding their regulatory schemes and
found that two methods of regulation prevailed. Some communities simply state the
maximum allowable size for a shed, regardless of lot size, with the only other limiting factor
being overall lot coverage. Other communities followed a formula wherein the maximum size
of a shed was determined by multiplying lot size by some factor to determine maximum shed
size, again with overall lot coverage being a limiting factor. Staff would be comfortable in
administering either type of regulatory scheme.
From a policy standpoint, the Village Board needs to determine whether overall lifestyle
changes and demands in housing amenities dictates the need to modify current Village
regulations. Appropriate staff will be on hand to answer questions and facilitate discussion.
NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING BUT BECAUSE OF A
DISABILITY NEEDS SOME ACCOMMODATION TO PARTICIPATE, SHOULD CONTACT THE VILLAGE
MANAGER'S OFFICE A T '100 SOUTH EMERSON, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056, 847/392-6000,
EXTENSION 5327, TDD #847/392-6064.
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VI.
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT CODE MODIFICATIONS
Chapter 16 of the Mount Prospect Village Code is entitled, "Development Code." The
Development Code governs site related development and construction standards for new
construction, certain expansions and remodelings and redevelopment within the Village. The
Development Code is different from the Building and Fire Prevention Codes in that its focus
is on the development characteristics of the land including, but not limited to, public utilities,
pavement specifications, subdivision, development and site improvement procedures, site
construction standards, flood control and detention requirements.
The proposed Code modifications constitute the first comprehensive review and
reorganization of this Code Section in more than a decade. The effort found its genesis in
the initial 1998 effort on the part of staff to streamline the building permit and review process.
Over the past three years, substantial improvements have been made to our process
resulting in a more user-friendly system, with shorter turn-around times and greater
responsiveness in field inspections and approvals. These improvements were realized while
maintaining the integrity of the regulatory scheme. The proposed changes to the
Development Code is the last major piece of the streamlining effort.
Not only has the Development Code been broken up into more logical, user-friendly pieces,
specifications and requirements have been updated to current industry standards. The
revised document should result in greater ease of use by developers and in quicker review
times from staff, in an area that is arguably the most complicated aspect of a development
project.
While the proposed changes are voluminous, staff has attempted to summarize same byway
of an Executive Summary and a detailed "explanation of changes" for each of the Code
Chapters affected by this review.
Appropriate staff will be on hand to answer questions and facilitate discussion.
REVISIT SIDEWALK INSPECTOR PROGRAM
Early in 2001, the Board took up the concept of creating a Sidewalk Inspection Program
whereby an Environmental Health Inspector (or Inspectors) would, over some specified
period of time, conduct a basic "sidewalk inspection" of all properties throughout the Village,
paying particular attention on single-family residential properties. The impetus for the 2001
discussion was a growing concern that with the overall aging of the Village's housing stock,
basic property maintenance efforts were of ever-greater importance. After extensive
deliberation by the Village Board, the 2001 discussion resulted in a decision not to pursue
such a program. In the alternative, staff was instructed to pursue a more activist approach in
seeking out and following up on property maintenance issues throughout the Village.
While there has been a greater number of cases generated by staff initiated property
maintenance inspections, there is no systematic program in place to cover the entire Village
in a given time period. During the identification of 2002 Committee of the Whole discussion
topics, a majority of the Board expressed a desire to revisit the feasibility and need of a more
formalized program.
Basic information regarding the scope and demands of implementing such a program have
been provided in a staff report. Additionally, appropriate staff will be on hand to answer
questions and facilitate discussion.
VII. USE OF EIFS (DRYVlT) FOR COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION
One of the 2001 Committee of the Whole discussion topics not addressed last year was
whether the Village should regulate (prohibit) the use of EIFS as an acceptable construction
material on buildings in the Village. Discussion of this topic resulted from a number of high-
profile media reports indicating that this manmade building material was defective and
resulted in long-term maintenance and in some cases health-related issues (mold).
Board members continued to express an interest in reviewing this topic. Staff has provided
background material and will be on hand to answer questions and facilitate discussion.
VILLAGE MANAGER'S REPORT
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
X. ADJOURNMENT