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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLAN COMMSIION - 04/17/2023 - PC DOCKET 23-3, 711 CHELMSFORD LANE & # 23-4 TEXT AMANEDMENTElk Grove Village Plan Commission Minutes April 17, 2023 Present: J. Glass F. Geinosky K. Weiner J. Morrill P. Rettberg R. DeFrenza Absent: G. Schumm L. Bacigalupo Recused: S. Carlson (Item 2A) Staff: C. Gabiga, Assistant Village Manager B. Kozor, Deputy Director of Community Development R. Raphael, Deputy Director of Community Development P. Garcia, Management Analyst Petitioner: B. Curcio, Elk Grove Village Park District (Item 2A) M. Kosbab, Elk Grove Village Park District (Item 2A) B. Kozor, Village of Elk Grove (Item 213) Chairman Glass called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Item 1: March 20, 2023 Meeting Minutes Commissioner Weiner moved to approve the meeting minutes of March 20, 2023. Commissioner Rettberg seconded the motion. Upon voting (Glass, Geinosky, Weiner, Morrill, Rettberg, DeFrenza, AYES), the motion passed. Item 2A: PC Docket #23-3: Petition for Special Use for modifications to a Planned Development at 711 Chelmsford Lane Chairman Glass read the legal notice into the record and asked the Petitioner to explain their purpose before the Plan Commission. B. Curcio stated that the proposed plan for Marshall Park is part of a Master Plan the Elk Grove Village Park District completed in 2020. He stated that the Master Plan included a community- wide survey to collect input from residents. There was also a Park District public meeting was held in 2021 to collect resident feedback regarding the proposed plans for Marshall Park. He stated the project is estimated to cost 3.1 to 3.2 million dollars. M. Kosbab explained the layout of the proposed plan for the park. It will feature a soccer field, a splash pad, two (2) playgrounds, a shelter with four (4) restrooms and a shade structure, a one- third (1/3)-mile walking track, and a basketball court. M. Kosbab explained the playgrounds will be custom-made for this park. He described various features of the playgrounds, including a unique climbing structure, spinning elements, two (2) towers, monkey bars, and a rock climbing wall. M. Kosbab described the splash pad, which will be the main draw for the park. He stated that the splash pad area will have tables with umbrellas, picnic tables, and shade structures. M. Kosbab stated the walking track will be one-third (1/3) of a mile in length, with three (3) exercise stations and benches around the track for additional exercises. Commissioner Rettberg asked the Petitioner to explain what kind of parking will be available at the park. M. Kosbab explained that the existing parking lot along Chelmsford Lane will remain. Commissioner Rettberg asked how many parking spots there will be. M. Kosbab stated that there will be eighty (80) parking spots at the park. Commissioner Rettberg asked if this number of parking spots will be sufficient for the number of patrons expected at this park. M. Kosbab stated that Marshall Park has one of the larger parking lots available compared to other parks and he believes there are more than enough parking spaces available. Chairman Glass asked what the approximate acreage of the park is. M. Kosbab stated the park is approximately 6.7 acres. Commissioner Weiner asked if there will be berms along the residential sides facing the adjacent townhomes and apartment buildings. M. Kosbab stated the land is flat along the southern edge of the park and that there will be a 4-foot fence installed along the southern edge. He stated that the fence around the basketball court will also be raised to deter stray basketballs. Commissioner Weiner asked if there is fencing along the eastern edge of the park. M. Kosbab explained that the townhomes along the eastern side of the park have private fencing. Commissioner Weiner asked how often maintenance will occur in the bathrooms. M. Kosbab stated that maintenance will occur daily and that Park District custodial staff will monitor the bathrooms. Commissioner Weiner asked what the storage facility will be used for. M. Kosbab stated the storage facility is part of the shelter area and will be used to store athletic equipment. Commissioner Weiner asked if the lights at the park will be timed like they are at Lions Park. M. Kosbab stated that there currently is no athletic lighting at Marshall Park and are not a part of the proposed plan although it may be considered for the future. He stated that there are currently some lights in the parking lot. He also mentioned that none of the lights in any of the Park District's parks are on past 10 p.m. Commissioner Weiner asked if all the tables and chairs for the splash pad will be permanently mounted. M. Kosbab confirmed the tables and chairs will be permanently mounted. Commissioner Weiner asked if the wind sails and coverings over the picnic tables are stationary. M. Kosbab confirmed they are stationary. Commissioner Weiner asked if they are wind rated to prevent them from flying away during a storm. M. Kosbab confirmed that they are wind rated and will not be removed at the end of the season, similar to other structures owned by the Park District. Commissioner Weiner asked if ADA parking needs to be increased. R. Raphael explained that the number of ADA stalls needed is based on the number of overall parking stalls in the parking lot. He stated that eighty (80) stalls would require four (4) ADA-accessible parking spots. He stated that this would be reviewed during the engineering review process. Commissioner Weiner asked if there are any issues with water drainage now that the former daycare building was demolished. M. Kosbab states that there are no issues with the property collecting water. Commissioner Weiner asked what the hours for the park will be. M. Kosbab stated that the park will be open from dawn until dusk. M. Kosbab mentioned that Fountain Square Park is open from 12:30 p.m. until 6 or 7 p.m. and the proposed splash pad at Marshall Park would be open for a similar timeframe. Commissioner Geinosky asked the Petitioner to describe the maintenance protocol for the splash pad, restrooms, and walking path. He also asked if the restrooms will close or if they will be open 24/7 and year-round. M. Kosbab stated that the Park District has staff in charge of monitoring and maintaining the parks, collecting garbage, and cleaning restrooms. He stated that there are full-time and seasonal staff dedicated to doing this. M. Kosbab explained that the Park District has custodial staff dedicated to each of their facilities and a position dedicated to going around and checking other off -site Park District facilities. M. Kosbab stated that the restrooms at Marshall Park would be closed and locked during the winter months because the restrooms would need to be winterized each year. Commissioner Geinosky mentioned that the Forest Preserve District of Cook County closes their restrooms at a certain point in the year. M. Kosbab stated that he anticipates the restrooms would be closed from Thanksgiving through St. Patrick's Day, depending on the weather. Commissioner Geinosky stated that this park will bring in new people. He expressed concern that some people might come to run in the splash pad after midnight during late hours. M. Kosbab stated that the splash pad would not be on late in the night and that it would automatically shut off around 7:30 p.m. B. Curcio stated that the splash pad runs on a timer and would be closed during the winter months. Commissioner Geinosky stated that some people enjoy walking in the winter and inquired whether the path would be available in the winter. M. Kosbab stated that people will still be able to use the walking path in the winter but the restrooms would be closed. Commissioner Geinosky asked if the existing baseball backstop would be removed. M. Kosbab stated that the baseball backstop would be removed. Commissioner Geinosky asked if the landscape plan was prepared by a professional and reviewed by professional staff. M. Kosbab states that the entire plan was created by Upland Design from Plainfield, IL. This design firm prepared the landscape plan and the hardscape design. Commissioner Geinosky asked if it is possible to raise the height of the fence around the basketball court. M. Kosbab stated that the Park District has spoken to the management staff of the apartment complex and agreed to raise the height of the fence, but a specific measurement had not been determined yet. He estimated that an 8-foot fence would be sufficient. Commissioner Geinosky requested that the Petitioner explain the plan for the changes to the soccer field in the materials provided. M. Kosbab stated that there is an existing soccer field and the plan proposes that the field would be slightly increased in size and would become an irrigated field to improve the quality of the turf. Chairman Glass stated that the change to the soccer field is not a major change and does not need to be a cause for concern. Commissioner Morrill asked if the splash pad will automatically shut off in the case of inclement weather and lightning. M. Kosbab stated that the Park District uses the Perry Weather alert system to notify anyone in the area that there is lightning coming through. He stated that he does not believe there is a way to connect the weather alert system to automatically shut off the splash pad. He stated that the alert system is designed to notify people to seek shelter if there is lightning within a 5-mile radius. Commissioner Morrill asked if there is a way to have the splash pad shut off when the lightning alert system goes off for safety purposes. M. Kosbab stated that he could look into it. He stated that if the Park District knows that there is bad weather predicted for the day, they could have maintenance staff shut off the splash pad for the day. Commissioner Morrill asked if the walking path would be plowed and salted during the winter. M. Kosbab stated that the path is eight (8) feet wide so that a truck can fit on the path to keep the path clear of snow and maintained through the winter. Chairman Glass asked why the Park District chose to have the splash pad, restrooms, and playground equipment in the corner of the property instead of towards the center in front of the parking lot. B. Curcio stated that this was done to preserve open space, with the potential for future development. Chairman Glass asked what kind of future development the Park District planned for the area. B. Curcio suggested that pickleball courts could be installed in the open area. He stated that the open space could be used for picnics. Chairman Glass opened questions to the audience. T. Schultz (Bordeaux Court) asked what kind of athletic equipment will be stored in the storage area. M. Kosbab stated that soccer equipment will be kept in the storage area. T. Schultz asked if there are any organized sports planned for the park. B. Curcio stated that there are currently organized soccer games held at the park and they will continue to be held at the park. T. Schultz commented that he used to live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin across from a park where there was a fieldhouse where children could check out various athletic equipment and games for use in the park. He asked if the Park District would ever consider something like that for Marshall Park. B. Curcio stated that service already exists at the Park District Pavilion facility and that the service is not planned for Marshall Park. N. Gbur (133 Hastings Avenue) stated that having a basketball court right outside his backyard fence is not ideal. He asked if there could be something there that is not quite as loud. Chairman Glass asked how loud basketball is. N. Gbur stated that it can be pretty loud due to dribbling and the sound of the basketball hitting the rim of the net. Chairman Glass asked how far away the basketball court is away from the fence. M. Kosbab stated he is not sure. B. Lavin (299 Shelley Road) stated that there is a basketball net thirty (30) feet away from his house and that it is very noisy. He stated that he hears foul language and loud noise 24-hours a day because there is enough ambient light to keep people there at all hours. He stated that the noise has decreased since the daycare building was demolished. He stated that he can feel the vibration of the basketball games in his house. Chairman Glass stated that the park is closed at dusk and that the police should be informed if there are people in the park after it is closed at night so that they can enforce the rule. He commented that he lives near two (2) parks and hears airplanes over his house and would not find noise from the proposed basketball court excessive or objectionable. N. Gbur expressed support for the park and stated that he was in favor of the park when it was first proposed. He asked if it is possible to move the basketball court a little further away from the homes. B. Lavin stated that water drainage is a problem. He stated that the week prior, there was 3/4" rainfall and his backyard flooded. He stated that the park property drains to the north and the west to one storm drain, which becomes clogged. He stated that recently, Shelley Road and Chelmsford Lane flooded. He also stated that the field drains well and the field is one of the driest in the community. Chairman Glass asked B. Lavin to show him where he lives on the map. B. Lavin stated that he lives at the corner of Chelmsford Lane and Shelley Road. He stated that when the storm drain gets backed up, water from the field floods his backyard. Chairman Glass asked if the Petitioner has looked at the drainage for the park. M. Kosbab stated that there will be a detention area in the northwestern area of the park designed to hold rainwater until it can drain. He stated that these detention areas are designed as rain gardens that will help absorb a lot more water to deal with drainage issues. He elaborated that these are depressed areas with plantings. B. Lavin commented that Elk Grove Village is a planned community and the backyards of the homes surrounding the park are small, so those residents are very close to this reconfigured park. P. Weiland (135 Hastings Avenue) stated that there is a backyard flooding issue for his house and three of his neighbors. He stated that there were bushes planted in a drainage easement behind his home causing all the water to collect in their backyards. He stated that this project would be a great time to fix this drainage issue. Chairman Glass asked staff if they are aware of the drainage issue in the area. R. Raphael stated that rear yard drainage is handled by the engineering staff in the Public Works Department. P. Weiland stated that he had spoken to Public Works before, who told him to speak with the Park District. Chairman Glass stated that the approval of this Special Use does not relate to drainage issues on private property. M. Kosbab stated that he spoke with staff and that they have a plan in place, but he would like to work with the Village to address drainage issues. P. Weiland asked if the Park District plans to do anything to add more privacy for the residents that live along the edge of the property. M. Kosbab stated that the Park District will be adding more trees and can assess the area to determine if additional trees are needed to add more privacy. P. Weiland expressed concern regarding the basketball court. He stated that the proposed basketball court is far from the parking lot. He asked if there is a concern regarding visitors using the Boardwalk Condominium parking lot access to the park. M. Kosbab stated that the Park District will construct a fence along the southern edge of the park to deter people from using the Boardwalk Condominium parking lot and that they want visitors to use the Park District's parking lot. P. Weiland asked for clarification about the length of the fence. M. Kosbab confirmed that the fence will span the length of the parking lot. R. Kasch (Bordeaux Court) expressed concern that there is inadequate parking at this park for parking during soccer games. He stated that there is an existing parking problem on Bordeaux Court. He asked if it is possible to include more parking for the park. Chairman Glass asked how many cars he thinks are needed for a soccer game. R. Kasch commented that he rides his bike over the bridge near Rohlwing Road and sees that cars park in the neighborhood when there are soccer games happening in the nearby park. Chairman Glass commented that there are multiple fields in that park, and that Marshall Park only has one soccer field. He stated that this means there would be no more than thirty cars in the parking lot for one organized game. R. Lendy (200 Shelley Road) asked if there will be new landscaping. M. Kosbab stated that the plan only shows the new trees that will be planted and that existing trees and hedgerows would not be removed. B. Lavin commented that the transition time between soccer games is what causes traffic congestion and parking issues. He also stated that the Park District had approached the neighborhood about athletic lighting at the park. He expressed concern for what athletic lighting would do to the neighborhood because athletic lighting would turn the park into a 24/7 park. Chairman Glass commented that the area has had multiple uses throughout the years and that this use is the least invasive thus far. Commissioner Weiner asked the Petitioner if the Park District currently holds organized games at the park. B. Curcio stated that they do. Commissioner Weiner asked the Petitioner if they envision having more organized games at this park in the future. B. Curcio stated that they do not plan on expanding organized games because the increased size of the field would limit the age group that can play there. He stated that the field would become a full-sized field and only travel soccer teams would be able to play on that field. He stated that there is not a large number of teams of the appropriate age group for that field. Commissioner Weiner asked the Petitioner to confirm that the traffic and parking demand for the park will not increase. B. Curcio stated that there would not be an increase in traffic and parking demand due to organized soccer games. He stated that there might be some increase from other members of the community that may want to visit the park. C. Gabiga read a comment from L. Bacigalupo into the record. L. Bagigalupo commented that he wanted to ensure trash and recycling receptacles had a plan in place for collection and maintenance. C. Gabiga stated the Petitioner addressed this question when stating the Park District custodian team would be maintaining the park on a daily basis. Commissioner Morrill asked why the basketball court cannot be moved to the northwest part of the park. B. Curcio stated that the Park District wants to leave the open space for now and leave it open to future development. Commissioner Morrill stated that if possible, he would like to see the basketball court moved away from the homes. B. Curcio stated that they could put up more screening and shrubbery to help protect the homes from noise. Chairman Glass stated that there should be more screening to address noise concerns, the basketball court should be moved more to the west, and the walking path should be adjusted accordingly. He also stated that the drainage issues on the east side of the park should be addressed. J. Borgerson (119 Bordeaux Court) stated that he is one of the directors at Boardwalk Condominiums. He expressed concern for the quality of life of residents who live in the nearby condominiums. He stated that the sound of a basketball bouncing in the proposed basketball court and the sound of children screaming at the splash pad would diminish the quality of life for people who work third -shift jobs. He stated that he knows not much can be done about the splash pad but he believes the basketball court should be moved. He stated that people currently park in the condominium parking lot to use the soccer field. He stated that he believes a 4-foot fence will not stop people from continuing to use the condominium parking lot to use the park. Chairman Glass stated that he understands his concern but people will park where they wish. He stated that he knows the condominium parking lot has signs to deter non-residents from parking there. J. Borgerson explained that there are "No Trespassing" signs in the condominium parking lot but people park in the lot regardless. Chairman Glass expressed that this is a matter of enforcing the parking rules in the condominium parking lot. J. Borgerson agreed that it is an enforcement issue. Chairman Glass stated that this issue was likely present when the park was a daycare facility. J. Borgerson stated that the problem became significant when the soccer field was added to the park. He stated that parking is limited on Sundays because there are many visitors to the condominium and to the soccer field. He stated that the condominium complex has contacted the police to ask people to remove their cars. M. Santiago (Bordeaux Court) expressed concern that there would be parking issues on the weekends between soccer games, basketball games, and children just visiting the park. She asked if a parking analysis was conducted. Chairman Glass stated that no analysis had been done to his knowledge. He stated that he does not know of another park that has eighty (80) spaces and it might be the park with the most parking spaces in the community. M. Santiago asked if the parking is existing or an expanded parking lot. M. Kosbab stated that the parking lot is an existing parking lot. M. Santiago asked if there is a plan to fix any parking issues that arise down the road. Chairman Glass stated that he does not believe that there will be any parking nuisances because the parking lot is one of the largest for a park in the community. J. Nelson (137 Hastings Avenue) stated that the drainage issue that exists on the eastern side of the park has existed for decades. He stated that this park project seems like a great opportunity to address these drainage issues. Chairman Glass stated that engineering staff would need to take a look. Chairman Glass read aloud a report from the Police Department review of the proposed park. The report states that the existing parking lot at Marshall Park should be large enough to accommodate playground vehicle traffic and that there is on -street parking nearby to accommodate any overflow parking, should it occur. The review states that the proposed renovations to the park should not have any negative impact on traffic in the area. C. Marceau-Cundiff (705 Bordeaux Court) stated that over the years the Police Department has patrolled Chelmsford Lane. She stated that traffic is very fast on Chelmsford Lane. She stated that parking along Chelmsford Lane is dangerous and is a safety issue. C. Marceau-Cundiff stated that there was once a basketball hoop along the original parking lot. She stated that people used to play basketball at 2 a.m. because there was lighting. Chairman Glass stated that the Park District will agree to take a look at the drainage on the east side of the park and work with Village staff to minimize outflow onto the adjacent residential properties. He stated that the Park District will move the basketball court further to the west and rearrange the proposed walkway and improve landscaping to minimize noise. B. Curcio agreed to do so. Chairman Glass asked the Petitioner if they would be able to raise the height of the fence along the parking lot, along the southern end of the park. B. Curcio stated that the Park District would be able to raise the height of the fence to six (6') feet. He stated that the height of the fence around the basketball court would remain at eight (8') feet. Chairman Glass asked if there is a solution to keeping visitors to the soccer field out of the condominium parking lot. He commented that there is a walkway from the condominium parking lot to the park. B. Curcio stated that the condominium parking lot is hard to find and it would be more natural for people to find and use the Park District's parking lot. J. Borgerson stated that the people who are parking in the condominium parking lot are from the area so they are familiar with where that parking lot is located. He suggested that the parking lot be completely fenced off from the park. Chairman Glass commented that doing so would force condominium residents to have to walk all the way around the fence to get to the park. J. Borgerson expressed concern that people are passing through the condominium parking lot to test if car doors are unlocked. Chairman Glass commented that the issue is not unique to that location and that it happens all over the community. Commissioner Weiner asked if the Village would consider putting up additional signage along Chelmsford Lane to help alleviate potential parking issues. Chairman Glass stated that the problem is that people park in the condominium parking lot and walk into the park using a gate. Chairman Glass stated that the condominium complex is responsible for enforcing the parking rules there since it is private property. M. Kosbab stated that the gate and walkway will be removed. B. Curcio stated that this will be done so people are forced to enter the park from the Park District's parking lot. RECOMMENDATION Commissioner Geinosky moved to recommend approval of the Special Use for modifications to a Planned Development located at 711 Chelmsford Lane, Marshall Park with the following conditions: • The proposed fence shall be increased from four feet (4') to six feet (6'); • The Petitioner shall review their plans and make best efforts to move the basketball courts further to the west and, if necessary, to reconfigure the walking path around the basketball court; • The Petitioner shall provide additional plantings along the southeast border to help diffuse potential noise dispersing from the park; • The Petitioner shall address any drainage issues caused by the subject property impacting the adjacent residential properties; and • The proposed entryway from the Boardwalk Condominiums parking lot shall be removed Commissioner Weiner seconded the motion. Upon voting (Rettberg, Geinosky, Morrill, Glass, Weiner, DeFrenza AYES, Carlson, ABSTAIN), the motion passed 6-0. Item 2B: PC Docket #23-4: Text Amendments to Zoning Ordinance as it pertains to uses in the B-5 Town Center Shopping District Chairman Glass read the legal notice into the record and asked the Petitioner to explain their purpose before the Plan Commission. B. Kozor stated that as staff analyzed the last two proposed Special Use developments in the B-5 Zoning District it was noted that drive -through facilities were listed as a Conditional Use. He stated that this is unusual when compared to the other business zoning districts, which have drive-throughs approvable only as a Special Use. He stated that a Conditional Use is currently allowed in the B-5 Zoning District as long as a proposed development meets certain criteria. A Special Use would require the petitioner to come before the Plan Commission for review and approval. B. Kozor explained that the B-5 Zoning District was last analyzed in 1997 and that a Conditional Use allowed automobile repair businesses. He stated that the area has since matured into an area with restaurants and personal mercantile use and an automobile use is not best suited for this area, as there are existing areas throughout town that are currently better suited for this use. Due to the matured conditions of this area staff has recommended removing automobile uses from the list of approved uses for the area. Commissioner Rettberg asked if there was any specific request or indication of interest for establishing an automobile -related retail and service facility in the Town Center. B. Kozor stated that he is not aware of any such request. RECOMMENDATION Commissioner Carlson moved to recommend approval of the following: • Amending Section 7B-5-2: C (1) Conditional Uses Permitted by removing Automobile related retail and service facilities and Drive -through facilities. • Amending Section 713-5-2: D Special Uses by adding Drive -through facilities. Commissioner Morrill seconded the motion. Upon voting, (Glass, Geinosky, Weiner, Morrill, Rettberg, DeFrenza, Carlson AYES) the motion carried 7-0. Item 3 : Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Caroline Gabiga Assistant Village Manager C: Chairman and Members of the Plan Commission, Mayor and Board of Trustees, Village Clerk.