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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-05-19 ComEd SubstationElk Grove Village Plan Commission Minutes May 19,2025 Present:K. Weiner S. Carlson F. Geinosky J. Morrill G. Schumm L. Bacigalupo R. DeFrenza R. Romanski Absent:P. Rettberg L. Bacigalupo Staff:C. Tittle, Assistant Village Manager R. Raphael, Deputy Director of Community Development B. Kozor. Deputy Director of Community Development Petitioner:B. Pegel, Senior Manager, ComEd S. Saef, Lawyer, Sidley Austin LLP Chairperson Weiner called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ltem l:February 3, 2025 Meeting Minutes Commissioner Romanski moved to approve the meeting minutes of February 3.2025. Commissioner DeFrenza seconded the motion. Upon voting. (Weiner. Carlson, Geinoskl. Monill. Schumm. DeFrenza, Romanski. AYES). the motion carried 7-0. ltem 2:PC Docket #25-2: Petition for Resubdivision from I lot to 3 lots with zoning variation requests for floor area ratio, off-site parking, and the height ofgenerator buildings at 1650 E. Higgins Road and the Northwest Comer of Busse and Oakton. Chairperson Weiner stated the Petitioner failed to place proper meeting notice signage on the property and as a result the hearing would not be able to proceed. Commissioner Romanski moved to adjoum the hearing for PC Docket #25-2. Commissioner Morrill seconded the motion. Upon voting, (Weiner, Carlson, Geinosky, Morrill, Schumm, DeFrenz4 Romanski, AYES), the motion carried 7-0. Chairperson Weiner called the meeting to order at 7: l5 p.m. Item #3:PC Docket #25-3: to resubdivide the properties at 1500 and 1510 E Higgins Road and Special Use Petition for an electrical substation expansion located at 1500 and l5l0 E Higgins Road with associated variations in the I-l Restricted Industrial Zoning District. Chairperson Weiner read the legal notice into the record and asked staffto explain the Petitioner's purpose before the Plan Commission. C. Tittle stated the Petitioner is petitioning for a special use permit for the expansion ofthe existing substation and a consolidation from two lots to one lot at 1500-1510 East Higgins Road with associate zoning variations. C. Tittle stated the Petitioner is proposing to expand the existing substation and modernize the existing substation through constructing new improvements. She stated this will include the addition ofa new westem bay to the existing equipment structure and the necessary electrical structures and substation equipment. including transformers and transmission structues. She stated the new substation will include the construction and installation of stormwater management systems, a driveway. a fire pump house, and new transmission structures. C. Tittle stated the two separate lots will be consolidated into one so the property is one continuous substation that will support the regional and local area. C. Tittle stated a new equipment building will be constructed, in addition to ground equipment, towers. and I I 0-foot transmission. C. Tittle stated the existing properry has 12-foot security fence which will be expanded in the same style and same height. She stated the existing property also has an l1-foot concrete security which will be expanded to the new addition. C. Tinle stated the Petitioner is seeking multiple variations which are common for substations and will be continued from the current property due to the expansion. C. Tittle stated the first variation is to allow interior parking driveways and loading areas to be compact gravel, except for the driveway apron, because gravel surface is the industry standard for substations. C. Tittte stated the second variation is for size, location and number ofprincipal accessory structures because substations require multiple equipment enclosures for protection and efficient use ofspace and engineering best practices and Saefty. C. Tittle stated the third variation is to allow construction ofa fence more than eight feet in height around the property, which already exists on the property. C. Tittle stated the fourth variation is granting a waiver from the requirement for lighting requirements because lighting for this project area is only needed during emergency situations or maintenance. C. Tittle stated the fifth variation is to eliminate the requirement for off-street loading spaces and a variation as it relates to minimum loading requirements because substations have specific drive paths established for Saefty and off-street loading occurs occasionally and usually only for maintenance activities. C. Tittle stated the sixth variation is to allow for building size which is less than 25% of the lot area and to allow an accessory building less than 500 square feet for the new substation and existing equipment structures. She stated these structures are not occupiable structures and a variance will be needed due to the small size ofthe buildings. C. Tittle stated the seventh variance is to allow flammable materials, namely transformer oil necessary to the substation equipment, to be situated within the property and within 50 feet of the lot lines. C. Tittle stated there are two new variations for consideration by the Plan Commission' She stated the first is a variation from the definition of"zoning lot" to allow a zoning lot u'ithout frontage on an improved public street. and from requirements for minimum required front yard width, since the property no longer has a front yard. She stated the second new variation is to allow the requested special use amendment to apply to the property, regardless ofthe public utility that owns the substation currently or in the future. C. Tittle stated since the property is surrounded by other industrial uses' landscaping is not required. C. Tittle stated Village staffin the Public Works. Police, Fire, and Community Development Departments conducted a thorough review wjth the Petitioner. Chairperson Weiner asked to clarifi the number ofexisting variations. C. Tittle stated seven of the nine variations currently apply to the propert"v and would be continued, while two of the nine are new for consideration. B. Pegel stated the proposed project represents the Petitioner's continued investment in the local area and across the region. B. Pegel explained the need for expansion was brought on to by the economic development and growth in the Vitlage and the addition of large load customers. He stated the expansion of the existing substation will support the electric capacity, reliability, and resiliency in the area, and continue supporting the gro*th in Elk Grove Village. B. Pegel stated the Petitioner was able to expand the substation in the small footprint that the Petitioner has in the Vitlage without making significant change to the existing transmission grid. RECOMMENDATION Commissioner Carlson moved to recommend approval of the following l. Petition to resubdivide the properties at 1500 and l5l0 E Higgins Road from 2 lots to I lot; 2. Petition for a Special Use for an electrical substation expansion located at I 500 and 1510 E Higgins Road; 3. A variation from Sections 3-2-G-3,3-2-G-4 and 4-2-l ofthe Village of Elk Grove Zoning Ordinance to allow interior parking, driveways and loading areas to be compacted gravel except driveway aprons; 4. A variation from Sections 7-1.3-2-D,3-2-F and 3-7 of the Zoning Ordinance for size, location. and number of principal and accessory structures; 5. A variation lrom Section 3-3-D of the Zoning Ordinance to allow construction of a fence in excess of eight (8) feet around the property and from Section 3-3-A of the Zoning Ordinance to allow for a variance for location offences, within required setbacks; 6. A variation from Sections 4-2-l-6 and, l0-3-K of the Zoning Ordinance granting a waiver from the requirement for off-street parking lighting and certain property line lighting requirements; Commissioner DeFrenza asked when the project is expected to begin and be completed. S. Saef stated the Petitioner will begin construction right away and expects this project to be completed at the end of 2027. Commissioner Carlson asked if the request for variation to permit tank of transmission oil within 50 feet of the lot line would be temporary. S. Saef confirmed and stated the oit tank would be temporary and only present during the process of oiling the transformers. Commissioner Geinosky asked about the potential use for the substation expansion. S. Saef stated the substation's high voltage is intended to serve larger industrial and commercial users, including large data centers. Commissioner Ceinosky inquired about the relationship between the Petitioner and data center companies in the area. S. Saefexplained data centers approach the Petitioner to coordinate power needs and the Petitioner delivers power and any necessary infrastructure in a phased approach. Chairperson Weiner commented that the Plan Commission approved the existing substation in 2019 and at the time the Petitioner stated the substation was necessary for the needs ofthe area. Commissioner Geinosky asked if the Petitioner would have sufficient space to handle future needs. S. Saef stated the enclosures around a substation allow for additional capacity to be done more efficiently without needing additional land. S. Saef stated the Petitioner may also retum before the Plan Commission with a proposal for an additional substation. 7. A variation from Section 4-6 ofthe Zoning Ordinance to eliminate the requirement for off- street loading spaces and a variation from Section 44 ofthe Zoning Ordinance as it relates to minimum loading requirements: 8. A variation from Section 7-4-4-6 of the Zoning Ordinance to allow a building in size which is less than 25% ofthe lot area and from Section 3-2-F -2 of the Zoning Ordinance to allow an accessory building less than 500 square feet; 9. A variation from Section l0-3-G of the Zoning Ordinance to allow flammable materials (in this case, transformer oil) to be situated within the Property and within fifty feet (50') of the lot lines with the condition that such flammable materials would only be placed on a temporary basis for the purpose of oiling transformers during installation, replacement, or maintenance; 10. A variation from the definition of "zoning lot" in Section 2-2 of the Zoning Ordinance to allow a zoning lot without frontage on an improved public street and from any requirement in Section 7- I for any minimum required front yard width since the Property has no front yard; and I l. A variation from Section 8-3-E-6-fofthe Zoning Ordinance to allow the requested Special Use amendment to apply to the Property and not just to ComEd. Commissioner Morill seconded the motion. Upon voting, (Weiner. Carlson, Geinosky' Morrill. Schumm. DeFrenza. Romanski, AYES), the motion carried 7-0. Item 3:Adjoumment The hearing concluded at 7:39 p.m. Respectfully submitted. Paola Garcia Senior Management Analyst Chairperson and Members of the Plan Commission, Mayor and Board of Trustees' Village Clerk. C