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HomeMy Public PortalAbout1985-08-20 minutesPLAINFIELD PLAN COMMISSION Minutes of the August 20, 1985 Plan Commission Meeting. Call to Order 7:30 p.m. PRESENT: Arlo Simmons, Chairman ABSENT: Herb Bayer Don Pearson Walt Schempf Robert Russ, Ex-Officio Dale Gullicksen, Liason Mary Latta, Village President Karen Callanan, Trustee Steve Manning, Planner John Wilson, Park District No revisions to the agenda. OLD BUSINESS Route 59/FANCATS Study Jim. Anderson Rick Neely Phil Bonelli John Myers, Ex-Officio Gene Cline, Ex-Officio Alan Arbo, Ex-Officio S. Hjemvich, Ex-Officio Simmons - I attended the last meeting in Naperville on July 18 and received the minutes on July 31. No date was set for the next meeting. The Planner from Naperville said she would draft some FANCATS guidelines based on Du Page County Standards and send it to all agencies for review. I think that getting all communities to agree on guidelines will be very difficult. Aurora has been unwilling to compromise or ask developers to design safer, controlled access to Route 59. Naperville really wants to negotiate. Plainfield needs to get Will County involved to relocate industrial zoning districts. Manning - I understand that Will County is now in the process of revising their Land Use Plan and Highway Plan. So now is the time for Plainfield to get recommendations to the County for review and approval. A copy of our first draft of Route 59 policies was sent to the Will County Planning Department but I suggest sending it to the top, the County Board Chairman, John Annerino. Latta - I would like Steve to prepare a letter for my signature. Pearson - Are we going to recommend service roads? Simmons - Service roads are expensive and there are other ways to control access such as having driveways on side roads and shared driveways onto Route 59. ZONING ORDINANCE REVISION Simmons - Steve and I met earlier and discussed strategies to involve more people in the community in the process of revising the zoning ordinance. Walt said he would help by setting up discussion groups. Plainfield Plan Commission August 20, 1985 Meeting Page Two I We should contact and get input from Fire, School, Park, PCA, Builders, Historical Society, and others. Bob Russ might be good to meet with architects and builders. One of the things I think should be in the new zoning ordinance is a buffer strip between commercial and residences. Height of building is also important to regulate. Latta -.'1t:might;�be easier if a draft ordinance was written first so we would have something to review. Gullicksen - On rezoning of properties, I think there should be some kind of time limit. If they do not start to build by a certain time then the zoning should revert back to what it was before. Manning - There may be legal problems with that type of conditional or contract zoning. A better way to control development is by granting Special Use approval which is tied to a specific use and a specific site plan. The current ordinance in Plainfield has a list of used in the A district which must get Special Use approval by ordinance. This has never been used to my knowledge. It is also important to have the zoning map agree with the.Comprehensive Plan map. The situation created by the new Plaza being built close to houses may have been better dealt with by having a standard in B-1 for extra buffering as Arlo mentioned earlier tonight. It is necessary for me to hear this kind of history from you so I can get an idea of what should be in the new zoning ordinance. Analysis of previous cases is one of 10 steps I have outlined that could be followed in preparing the new zoning ordinance. 1. Analyze previous cases for ordinance inadequacies. 2. Analyze Comprehensive Plan for needed updates. 3. Land Use inventory. 4. Demographic projections. 5. Review other agency's pland. 6. Concensus on how Plainfield should develop. 7. Search for policies and standards to implement (6). 8. Draft ordinance. 9. .-Evaluate the ordinance draft. 10. Adopt final draft of ordinance. This is a broad, all-incompassing framework that would involve a lot of work but necessary to get a zoning ordinance that is appropriate for Plainfield. Within this zoning study framework, one can put together meaningful standards for things like historic preservation and landscaping. Pearson - Lanscaping seems to be important. Plainfield Plan Commission August 20, 1985 Meeting Page Three Bayer - We all saw a presentation a few years back on how old buildings as on Lockport Street could be rehabitated and restored. Russ - I think that variations should be for that particular project only. Manning - Your absolutely right. The ordinances for the Watson-Larson townhouses were missing that reference. Now anything that gets built on that property can have parking in the front yard the way the ordinance is written which is not the intent. Getting back to the zoning revision process, the first five steps I listed earlier could be done by committee instead of entirely by me. This could have 4 benefits: 1. It could save the Village time. 2. It could save the Village money. 3. It could help build political support for adoption of the ordinance. 4. It could bring out the best ideas from a variety of sources and people on what should go in the ordinance. These are just my thoughts but the purpose of this meeting is to get your ideas on the best way to go about this. Russ - Why don't we use our current ordinance-as a starting point? Gullicksen - It is very difficult to understand all the implications of a zoning ordinance by just reading it. Latta - I think the ordinance we have now does not say enough and the draft that Ann Hintze put together says too much. It regulates every detail. Simmons - Alot of the problems of the current ordinance is that it leaves a lot up to interpretation. I think a short summary or guide is needed to explain the zoning ordinance in plain everyday English. Something else needed right away is for the Village Board to clarify the sign ordinance so that the new Plaza gets permits for only conforming signs including wall signs. The Plan Commission cannot interpret the ordinance for the Inspector. Russ - There should be some basic ground rules on what signs are allowed. Joliet and Will County has very specific regulations on signs. We don't have to copy them. Plainfield Plan Commission August 20, 1985 Meeting Page Four Manning - I have requested ordinances from all surrounding municipalities and a few have been received. The framework and format are not difficult to understand. There is an outline in your packet that I have written for your review. The task is to determine what appropriate regulation for this unique town of Plainfield. We need to work together to mutually decide whats best. In regards to controlling signs on the new Plaza building, there are two ways that come to mind. One is to pass a new sign ordinace which requires a Public Hearing by the Plan Commission which clearly states how wall signs are to be regulated. Latta - Since the Board wants to regulate temporary signs, the Public Hearing could include both temporary and permanent signs in the same set of zoning regulations. Manning - The second way which does not require an ordinance change is to change the procedure for issueing sign permits. Between Alan.Mauerl.s review and Vera Krnac's signing of the actual permit is when the Village Manager can intercede and apply a legal interpretation of any existing standard. I do not recommend doing this however. To be fair to developers you-must be consistent. In other words, a judge would.look at your previous inter- pretations and say that anything different is not legal unless the ordin- ance is changed. I believe the best way to handle this situation is to pass a new sign ordinance that leaves no room for interpretation. It is not necessary to wait for the entire zoning ordinance to be rewritten. Bayer - How do other towns regulate signs? Manning - Each town is different. It is possible to regulate the time, place, and manner of any form of advertising even flags, ballons, streamers, and searchlights. What Plainfield choses to regulate is what makes Plainfield unique. Latta - Mauer decided that our current ordinance did not allow temporary. signs. Windowsigns we have never tried to control. The 20 square foot size is just not big enough except in Downtown. Pearson - I think 20 square feet is big enough even for Ace Hardware if every business is kept to the same size, even on a busy highway. Latta - Lockport has a 3 page guide to its sign ordinance. Callanan - I have been in other towns that you can tell limit the height and size of signs. Oak Brook and Long Grove and others. It really looks nice. Plainfield also needs some attractive entry signs. Plainfield Plan Commission August 20, 1985 Meeting Page Five Manning - I would imagine that lions, Jaycees, and VFW would jump at the chance to pay for those signs. Simmons - I helped install the sign on.Renwick Road with the Lions Club. Simmons - I wonder how often someone will decide to turn off the road and go to a business just because of the sign out front. Often times the sign is just a reflection of the owner's ego. Callanan -.The owner of the laundromat building on Lockport Street wants to sell. A builder in town would like to add a second story for apartments and remodel the first floor for a new store. Schempf - Are portable signs still prohibited? Latta - Yes but the enforcement may not be 100% all the time. Simmons - I would like to have Steve draft each portion of the Zoning Ordinance and then send it to committees. Bayer - I agree because this would save time. Gullicksen - I'm reading in the Subdivision Ordinance where road subsurface is required to be such and such material or "a comparable substitute approved by the Board". What is a comparable substitute? Pearson - That clause is necessary to allow for state-of-the-art technology. Simmons - But it is necessary for the Board to get expert engineering advice to decide what is comparable. Wilson - I would like to know if the new Park District driving range, miniature golf, and executive course will need Village approval. Callanan - The Board sent the Park District a letter informing you that the golf facilities would have to meet all Village ordinances. Simmons - Four Seasons park is zoned A in the Village and golf courses are a special use meaning a Public Hearing by the Plan Commission is needed. Wilson - I wonder how far north the Village is planning to annex. We hear that IDOT is projecting a lot of growth along the Route 59 corridor and Naperville wants to annex down to 135th Street. We might get a donation soon. Manning - Boundry agreements between communities usually spell out these things. They are essential for planning. Plainfield Plan Commission August 20, 1985 Meeting Page Six Simmons - Our sewer treatment capacity is now limited to an additional 2000 population but Naperville has the big regional plant at Springbrook. Plainfield has not been too successful in encouraging people to annex in the past. Wilson - I think the fact that Plainfield's plant is expandable and Naperville's water supply is limited gives us a strong negotiating position to move the boundry line as far north as possible. Latta - We have a boundry agreement with Shorewood and we need one with Aurora, Naperville, and Bolingbrook. The Board will be discussing this topic next Monday. Simmons - We should look at the IEPA planning area for Naperville and Plainfield. MINUTES The minutes of the July 2, 1985 meeting were approved as is. NEW BUSINESS Callanan - I would like to request permission of the Plan Commission for me to do research on Historic Preservation Districts and the Certified Cities Program. Simmons - Please work with the Historical Society and our Planner. Meeting Adjourned. Steve Manning, Planner