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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2002-03-05 PC minutes Village of Plainfield Plan Commission Record of Minutes Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2002 Location: Village Hall Chairman Sobkoviak called the meeting to order at 7:02p.m. Roll Call Present: Commissioners Seggebruch, Kachel, Gehrke, Schinderle, Sobkovia k Absent: Commissioners Manning, Anderson, Park District, School District, Fire District, Library District Minutes The following correction is noted: for case number 932 -011402.AA/Z/PP (Dayfield Subdivision), Clayton Olson’s name is misspelled. His last name should read Olson not Allson . Hearing no further corrections, Chairman Sobkoviak declared the minutes accepted as amended. Chairman Sobkoviak read an article from the Herald News reporting results from the 2000 census showing that, contrary to popular belief, suburbs are no longer dominated by families – young professional singles or an elderly widow now outnumber families with children. Mr. Sobkoviak suggested staff look into this as there have been concerns about the number of children being added to local schools. Planner Carroll gave the Development Report. Old Business CASE NO.: 930 -010902.AA/Z/PP MENARDS Request: Annexation, Zoning (Public Hearing) & Preliminary Plat Location: Northeast corner of Route 59 & 135 th Street Applicant: Inte ch Consultants, Inc. Commenced: 7:06pm Planner Carroll gave the staff report. Steve Amann said in reviewing the case, some additional things need to be submitted, but that we can work with the applicant as we go. Gary Colby, representing Menards, addres sed the commission; an outline of his remarks follow: Menards has been considering building in this area for a long time, and we are sincerely glad to be here. Alterations in the plan are primarily due to a difficulty in arriving at a concrete decision abo ut what is the best course of action. This store is a prototype, will encompass 165,000 square -feet and will have 3 ½ acres of outside area. There will be landscaping and greenery for screening as well as a wood fence to shield the view from adjacent commu nities. The plan presented tonight is different than the ones given to the commissioners; we have been making modifications and adjustments. Residents in the area have raised some concerns regarding the setback area. This has been increased to 50 feet; we have doubled the amount of landscaping; we have constructed small retaining walls along the north perimeter, which will give the berm some aesthetic interest. Some trees are salvageable so we will keep some (we will review and transplant what we can). The Planning staff suggested large stone pillars at the entrance – this would make the building look more “grandiose” and architecturally appealing. These pillars would be 8’ in diameter at the bottom. We have raised the parapets on the side and rear of the building to screen from all four directions. We will not have an outdoor P/A system. We do not have any problems with putting in a sidewalk as part of the initial phase. All in all, we do not have any problems with the staff report. We will continue to wor k with staff regarding the retention pond plantings. Commissioner Kachel asked whether Mr. Colby would try, in constructing the retention pond, to incorporate a similar look to the stores’ retention ponds nearby the site. This might give a better looking buffer. Commissioner Seggebruch asked how the truck delivery traffic would be routed. Mr. Colby said that the trucks would use the same entrances as general public. Commissioner Schinderle inquired about the distance between the edge of the lot line an d the parking lot. Chairman Sobkoviak asked Mr. Colby to review the buffering plans. Mr. Colby said that the North buffering would be 50’ undulating varying height, 6 -8’ high. Eastern buffering would be 20 -30’ wide and 5’ high. Chairman Sobkoviak asked Doug Carroll about the parking requirements. Mr. Carroll said the requirement is 568, and the applicant is providing 460. Chairman Sobkoviak asked staff what the status of the plantings was. Mr. Colby interjected that he needed to provide 200 more plan tings to meet the 1300 required plantings. Chairman Sobkoviak then inquired about entrance alignments: do the accesses on IL 59 line up? Mr. Colby responded in the affirmative. Regarding the entrances along the planned Meijers site, the traffic engineer determined that Meijers will be responsible for aligning the entrances when it is built. Commissioner Schinderle asked Mr. Colby to identify the exit on 135 th Street. Commissioner Gehrke asked when construction would begin, to which Mr. Colby said that construction would most likely begin in the late spring (May). Chairman Sobkoviak opened the discussion up to public comment at this time. “Michael,” a nearby resident, said that he has been a resident of Graver Estates for 6 years. He said that though they are not technically within the Village of Plainfield, he and the other residents consider themselves a part of the Plainfield community. When he moved to this location, he checked the zoning, and found that the land in the area was zoned residential and agricultural. His main concerns included: the size of the development; separation distances between development and the residences; the transition period (from agricultural to commercial) is not acceptable. In addition, there was no formal notificati on of a public hearing; in this respect, a requirement was not met by the Village. He believes that the separation code is actually 30’, not 20’ as was indicated by the plans. In regards to this issue, Jewel and Target have more than 40’ of separation. Peggy Zimanski noted that there are several old barns and trees that have a beauty about them and convey a historic look that adds considerably to the atmosphere of the area. These should be saved if at all possible. She has spoken with the Will County P reservation Society and they have indicated that they will look into it. Lincoln Francis , who lives on the East property, said that he has three young children. As such, he is concerned about safety. He is also troubled by the ambiguity of the size and complexity of the project. Among his other concerns were: landscaping and perimeter/buffering; annexation language is vague; the retention pond is currently planned to by dry, but it is likely (with rainfall) that it will become wet. The depth of the ret ention pond could constitute a safety threat to children. Chairman Sobkoviak asked Village Engineer Steve Amann if he would care to comment on this issue. Mr. Amann said that at this time we are looking at a wet -bottom pond – this would probably work bet ter for the purposes at hand. Mike Farris lived in Plainfield for 13 years, but is now a resident of Graver Country Estates. He has several concerns: buffering; zoning opportunities in the future; he would like a stipulation that none of the outlots coul d be used for entertainment purposes with outdoor music; he wondered if Outlot 1 could possibly be moved to the northern part of the site; finally, he suggested that utilities be extended to residences in Graver Country Estates. Sherry Roesher said that W heaton area stores look nicer than what Menards is planning to build. They have “natural looks” and have no “plasticy” fronts. She moved here because of the look Plainfield had; now, due to developments such as this, “we’re losing Plainfield”. In develo ping this project, the look of the project should rank high among the developers’ considerations. Bill Luthanon lives on property that backs up to where Menards will be built. He inquired about road access to Golden Meadow. “I like the idea of Menards c oming”, but the details must be worked out well. He also had concerns about buffering. Gilbert Jones voiced concerns about exterior lighting. He would like to see lighting similar to that used by Chicago Bridge & Iron rather than that employed by Jewel or Target. Lynn Kur has been a Plainfield resident for 13 years. She sold the property to Menards, and also sold the property that Jewel now owns. She is a member of the Plainfield Advisory Committee, and Menards has been very accommodating. Tax dollar s will be lowered because of commercial “amenities” such as Menards, Jewel, Target, etc. Property values are actually rising because of the existence of these commercial sites. Paul Shah lives on property that backs up to the previously mentioned histori c barns and trees. These, he said, provide a very pleasing look. It would be a shame to destroy these; he articulated his desire that the beauty of the area be preserved. Karen Barbaric said she is a 14 -year resident of the area. Her children go to P lainfield schools. She expressed her desire not to have to look at commercial lights rather than a beautiful nature scene. She also voiced concerns about security and buffering. Additionally, she was annoyed at having been notified of this development o nly two weeks ago, when plans for this have existed for over a year. Paul Doski has lived in Graver Estates for 14 years. He expressed what he saw as a need to look at “the big ger picture”. He sees the increasing density of commercial developments in t he area as creating a mall effect. As such, he is concerned with traffic problems. He shared his neighbors ’ concerns about buffering; Walmart, he said, is proposing a 100’ berm. Why shouldn’t Menards act similarly? Lastly, he said that there should be a fence along the northern perimeter. Doug Steger , a 14 -year resident in Graver Estates, said that, as the homes here are estate size, a 50’ buffer is inadequate. Chairman Sobkoviak asked Mr. Colby what the sizes of the buildings would be. Mr. Colby sa id that the buildings would all be single -story, no higher than 20’. Commissioner Kachel asked if he has considered a wider buffer. Ed Armstrong said he shares the same concerns that have already been expressed. Lighting for Menards should not be like T arget’s lighting. Commissioner Kachel asked if we can work according to lighting that the residents like. Chairman Sobkoviak addressed the audience, explaining the fact that there are certain steps to the process for approval, and that the commission can not decide on all concerns tonight. Tammy Ticsay asked about the possibility of a traffic light. Chairman Sobkoviak said that ultimately that is IDOT’s decision. Janet Arvenitis said that she moved to the Plainfield area to get away from the Menards tha t went into Bolingbrook. John Wilson has lived in Graver for nine years. He said that the truck traffic plan has been poorly designed. Cheryl Mascotto held concerns about lighting and traffic. Also she asked how Menards can justify such a large store . She doubted the ability of Plainfield to sustain such a large store. Daniel Tomby held that a dramatic increase in crime would inevitably accompany commercial developments, and this one in particular. Dave Barbaric said he is opposed to the develo pment. He bought his property because of its size and aesthetic quality. He noted acreage on Rt. 30 that might be able to accommodate this development. Anonymous reiterated concerns already expressed. He wondered what would be put into the outlots, and invited the commission to come out and view the area. Jeff Janisek said he can see Jewel from his house. Regarding the outlots, what if fertilizer runoff traveled to the retention area? He was concerned about lighting as well. Chairman Sobkoviak asked commissioner Seggebruch what he thought about the truck staging plans. Commissioner Seggebruch said that it looks fine to him, but that the developer knows more about how it will work than he does. “Michael” said that the residents would like to represen t themselves and participate in the planning process of this project. Commissioner Seggebruch asked Mr. Colby how he derived the number of outlots. Mr. Colby said that the sizes were based on data from other Menards throughout the U.S. There was a small discussion about size comparisons with other Menards – Commissioner Kachel asked Mr. Colby if he could eliminate the North outlot and shift some parking. Mr. Colby said that they would not like to increase the width of the buffer. Chairman Sobkoviak r eviewed what needs to be decided tonight. Commissioner Schinderle moved to recommend annexation of the subject property to the Village of Plainfield with B -3 zoning and for the annexation agreement to be revised per Staff and Plan Commission direction. C ommissioner Gehrke seconded the motion. Chairman Sobkoviak called for a vote by roll call. Aye: Kachel, Gehrke, Schinderle, Sobkoviak Nay: Seggebruch The motion is carried 4:1. There was some disagreement on the appropriateness of a vote on the 2 nd part of recommendations from Staff – Commissioner Schinderle moved to recommend approval of the preliminary plat and preliminary site plan review subject to the stipulations outlined in the staff report as well as the following stipulations put forth by the plan commission: This must be developed as part of a commercial PUD Sidewalks must be installed Raised parapets should be incorporated No outdoor P/A system will be used A landscape plan will be submitted Village requirements will be met Commissioner Geh rke seconded the motion. Chairman Sobkoviak called for vote by roll call. Aye: Gehrke, Schinderle, Sobkoviak Nay: Kachel, Seggebruch The motion is carried 3:2. CASE NO.: 911 -091401.AA/PP/SU/Z THE CROSSINGS AT WOLF CREEK Request: Preliminary Plat Locatio n: North of 119 th Street and West of Rout 59 Applicant: Centex Homes Commenced: 8:54pm Planner Carroll gave the staff report. Kevin Stough addressed the commission. He reviewed previous designs, and noted that they are now down to 347 units for the proj ect. Larry Peterman (Hitchcock Designs) addressed the following: Inclusion of key lots. Mr. Peterman pointed out the key lots. The buffer has been increased to 50’ The developers are agreeable to the suggestions made by staff He feels that slower traffi c speeds for the area are a good idea. Kevin Stough interjects: There are actually 16 key lots. He reviewed density figures The developers are donating 7 acres to the School District for their new school The park site on the southern part of the developm ent will be a play area for children of all ages. There are over 1 mile of paved paths throughout the neighborhood. A grand entrance to the development will be constructed. The developers are going above and beyond the landscaping requirements. There will be a minimum of 50’ buffering around the townhomes. Chairman Sobkoviak asked Village Engineer Steve Amann if he had any input at this time; Mr. Amann said he did not. Commissioner Kachel asked about the bike path. Commissioner Seggebruch inquired whethe r the Park District would own the park area. Mr. Stough said that they would like the Park District to take responsibility for the park. Chairman Sobkoviak asked Mr. Peterman about having a roundabout on Champion Drive. Mr. Peterman said that instead of a roundabout by the school, they would put an access with a turn lane at the entrance. Chairman Sobkoviak said that the commission would like to see language saying that key lots would receive special treatment. Mr. Stough agreed, saying that they could pro vide upgrades in materials, etc. for the key lots. Commissioner Gehrke asked if a bridge would change house arrangements. Mr. Stough said that they would rather work around the street design they have now in implementing a bridge structure. Chairma n Sobkoviak invited public comment, however there were none. He also brought up the density issue brought up by staff; he said that he thinks the project meets the requirements. Commissioner Kachel voiced his concerns about lighting; he asked if the deve lopers could do something special with the lighting plans. Doug Carroll noted that since we’ve given a higher density to this developer, we should remember this with future developers. Commissioner Schinderle moved to recommend approval of the preliminar y plat. Commissioner Kachel seconded the motion. Chairman Sobkoviak called for vote by roll call. Aye: Kachel, Seggebruch, Gehrke, Schinderle, Sobkoviak Nay: None The motion is carried 5:0. New Business CASE NO.: 936 -020502.PP/RZ CRYSTAL LAKE SUBDIVIS ION Request: Preliminary Plat & Rezoning (Public Hearing) Location: East of Route 59 and South of Parkview Meadow Subdivision Applicant: Southern Land Development, LLC Commenced: 9:53pm Planner Drayna gave the staff report. John Argoudelis, representing Peter and Joanne Analytis, addressed the commission: The retail commercial developments will be focused in the southwest corner of the parcel This project was brought before the concept committee, who approved it There will be a minimum lot size of 12,000 square feet Commissioner Seggebruch asked whether the B -3 zoning will have any restrictions on it. Mr. Argoudelis said that his client, who is a neurologist, would like to relocate his office there. Chairman Sobkoviak opened the discussion for public comment at this time. Kris Lindall asked what the property to the north is zoned, and wondered if her property value would decrease as a result of the high level of commercial sites being located around her house. Jerry Lindall expressed his and his wife ’s concern about the close proximity to his home of commercial developments. He asked if the B -3 zoning could match up with Founders Bank across the street. Chairman Sobkoviak asked Steve Amann about retention drainage. Mr. Amann said that it looks acce ptable. Commissioner Kachel asked to make an allowance so that the sidewalk on Route 59 isn’t right next to the road. Chairman Sobkoviak noted that the developer would have to submit a lighting plan. Commissioner Kachel moved to recommend approval of rez oning 7.04 acres of the subject property from R -1 (Single Family Residential) to B -3 (Community Shopping Center District), as well as approval of the preliminary plat for the subject property subject to the stipulations outlined in the staff report with th e additional stipulation that there be a greenspace separator between the sidewalk along Route 59 and the road. Commissioner Schinderle seconded the motion. Chairman Sobkoviak called for vote by roll call. Aye: Kachel, Seggebruch, Gehrke, Schinderle, So bkoviak Nay: None The motion is carried 5:0. CASE NO.: 929 -010402.FP PRAIRIE KNOLL Request: Final Plat Location: South of 135 th Street and West of Harvest Glen Applicant: Isenstein -Pasquinelli, LLC Commenced: 10:14pm Planner Garrigan gave the staff repor t. The applicant agreed to all the stipulations in the staff report, and has nothing to add to it. Commissioner Kachel asked about the bridge with respect to aesthetics. Commissioner Schinderle moved to recommend approval of the final plat for units 1 a nd 2 of the Prairie Knoll subdivision subject to the stipulations outlined in the staff report. Commissioner Kachel seconded the motion. Chairman Sobkoviak called for vote by roll call. Aye: Kachel, Seggebruch, Gehrke, Schinderle, Sobkoviak Nay: None Th e motion is carried 5:0. CASE NO.: 940 -021502.FP THE GREAT MEADOW, UNITS 1 & 2 Request: Final Plat Location: Southeast corner of Heggs Road & 127 th Street Applicant: M.A.F. Development, Inc. Commenced: 10:22pm Planner Carroll gave the staff report. John Philipchuck addressed the commission briefly. Commissioner Kachel moved to recommend approval of the final plat for Shenandoah “The Great Valley” Units 1 and 2 subject to the stipulations outlined in the staff report. Commissioner Schinderle seconded th e motion. Chairman Sobkoviak called for vote by roll call. Aye: Kachel, Seggebruch, Gehrke, Schinderle, Sobkoviak Nay: None The motion is carried 5:0. Commissioner Kachel asked Doug Carroll about some lighting along bike paths. Chairman Sobkoviak decla red the meeting adjourned at 10:30pm Respectfully submitted, Warren Lindsay Recording Secretary Karick & Associates, Inc.