HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLAN COMMISSION - 11/17/1999 - CONCORD DEV/REZONE ELK GROVE VILLAGE
Plan Commission Minutes
November 17, 1999
Present: J. Glass, Chairman
P. Ayers
C. Henrici
J. Meyers
D. Paliganoff
D. Sokolowski
T. Thompson
Absent: F.Geinosky, Secretary
K. Zizzo
Staff: P. Vadopalas, Assistant to the Village Manager
M. Pye, Assistant Director of Engineering
S. Trudan, Assistant Director of Community Development
Petitioners: N. Wynsma, Concord Development Corp.
H. Francke,Piper,Marbury,Rudnick&Wolfe
D. Williams, Piper,Marbury, Rudnick&Wolfe
J. Nelson, JEN Land Design,Inc.
S.Winnike,P.E.,Manhard Consulting Ltd.
K. Krogstad, Pugsley&La Haie, Ltd.
Chairman Glass called the meeting to order at 8:05 p.m.
Chairman Glass read the petition into the record and explained the Plan Commission would be
considering the petition of Concord Development Corporation to rezone approximately 18.5 acres of
land northwest of the intersection of Park Boulevard and Devon Avenue from O-T Office-Transitional
to A-2 Multi-Family Residential with a Planned Unit Development special use. Concord proposes to
construct 104 single-family attached homes and requests a reduction in the minimum allowable roadway
right-of-way from 60 feet to 50 feet.
Commissioner Paliganoff swore in the petitioners.
N. Wynsma presented an information packet on Concord Development to the Commissioners, and
explained the company has been in business for 6 or 7 years and was formerly associated with
Lexington Homes. Concord is one of the three largest builders in the Chicago area and closed on
approximately 825 homes in 1999.
Wynsma explained the property is currently owned by the CTA pension fund, and was previously
owned by Trammel Crow until they defaulted on a loan. The property has been for sale for 3 to 5 years.
He described Concord's proposed "courthome"product. The proposed units have two-car garages in
the rear and front porches oriented to a landscaped courtyard. The driveways to the garages provide two
guest parking spaces per unit. Similar developments are under construction in Glendale Heights and
Aurora.
Wynsma explained the units would range in size from 1,520 to 1,760 square feet, averaging 1,600
square feet. The sales price of the units would range from the 160's to 180's, and are marketed to empty
nesters and young professional couples. The end units are designed as ranch style homes, with most of
the living space on the ground floor.
Wynsma stated the Park District had already voiced approval of the proposed two-acre area to be
donated for park use.
J. Nelson explained the development plan and presented an aerial photograph of the site and
surrounding area. Nelson explained the site conditions include two conservation areas—one
approximately in the center of the site, the second on the southern end of the site off of Devon Avenue.
The site abuts I-290, access is off of Park Boulevard, and the surrounding use from Devon north to
Biesterfield is residential. He stated the site had been zoned for commercial use due to its visibility but
was never developed due to poor access. Nelson further stated the neighboring developments of
Huntington Chase and Talbot's Mill contain attached homes and have 50-foot rights of way as proposed
for this development.
Nelson explained the layout and the orientation of the buildings toward Park Boulevard and away from
the expressway. Existing median breaks in Park Boulevard were used to orient the roadways in the
development, requiring no modifications to Park Boulevard. The development consists of two
quadrants,both oriented around a landscaped courtyard with the exception of the end units,which are
raised ranch units and look like detached homes.
Nelson stated on-street parking exists because the orientation of the buildings to each other and location
of garages and driveways in the rear of the units. Nelson further explained that a homeowners
association would maintain the open space with the exception of the park donation. Concord is also
willing to revise the access to the Village's well site in the southwestern comer of the site per the wishes
of the park district and Village.
Nelson addressed staff comments regarding the distance between garages. Nelson stated the Village's
driveway regulations relate to parking lot uses which is inappropriate for a private motor court. He
stated less space is needed for the movements of private homeowners,the movements are slow, and the
proposal shows two feet less between garages than requested by staff.
Nelson stated the density of the proposed development is 5.6 units per acre, which is lower than
neighboring developments. One side of the street serving these units has no driveway access allowing
for on-street parking. A total of 18 on-street spaces exist in the northern cluster, 15 in the southern
cluster. Total parking spaces in this development totals 449, which translates to a 4.32 to 1 parking
space to unit ratio.
S. Winnike explained that existing water lines and sanitary sewer running north and south along Park
Boulevard would serve this development. Each of staffs comments and applications for EPA permits
would be addressed in final engineering. Stormwater detention was permitted and constructed using the
two conservation areas on the site. Winnike stated the southernmost area has excess capacity and the
northern area needs minor modifications to provide needed detention, and the developer would install
conduit directly to the basins per staff comments.
Winnike stated the floodplain near the center of the site is a 500 year floodplain requiring no FEMA
action nor flood insurance for homeowners.
K. Krogstad explained the landscape plan. The conservation area in the center of the development
would be left in a natural state and divides the site into two clusters of homes. Each cluster includes a
looped road that would be landscaped with shade trees. In response to staff comments on the parkway
width, Krogstad stated a six-foot parkway is adequate for growing trees and is a common size in urban
and suburban environments. The species of trees would include Ash Linden and Honey Locust,
decorative trees such as crabapples and birch, as well as spruce and pine evergreens.
Krogstad stated the berm along the expressway would vary in height and would be approximately four
to five feet high with evergreen, deciduous,and ornamental plantings.
Krogstad explained the orientation of the buildings creates a courtyard, each of which would be named
and would include various plantings to establish a unique identity for each courtyard.
Chairman Glass recessed the meeting at 9:10 p.m. for a short break.
The meeting was reconvened at 9:25 p.m. Commissioner Sokolowski asked for additional explanation
of the berm along the western end of the property. Wynsma stated a berm would be installed that would
be continuous along the built portions of the site. The berm would vary in height but would be between
three and five feet tall at any given point. Commissioner Sokolowski asked what additional screening
would be included on the berm. Wynsma stated trees would be planted on the berm that would allow
for growth and increased screening over time. He stated a fence could be considered, though he felt it
would be a lesser quality type of screening.
Commissioner Sokolowski stated parking restrictions would be needed for public safety vehicle access
and expressed concerns about insufficient parking spaces and the resulting illegal parking that could
occur in the parking areas. Nelson replied the driveways are designed to allow enough space for one car
and to not tempt the driver of a second car to try and park behind the first. In addition, fire lanes would
be posted as required. Wynsma stated that the areas between driveways are landscaped and curbed to
further delineate which units the driveways belong to and dissuade visitors from using neighbors'
driveways.
Commissioner Ayers questioned if the developer considered soundproofing the homes nearest the
expressway. Wynsma replied soundproofing would be considered if deemed necessary.
Commissioner Ayers stated the developer needs to ensure that the site is appropriately landscaped to
screen headlights from Talbot's Mill homeowners.
Commissioner Ayers stated the layout of the homes creates a long walk from on-street parking spaces to
the units farthest from the street.
Commissioner Ayers stated the developer could not consider the land donation as part of the open space
calculation and that it is inappropriate to request this along with a reduction in right of way width and
required distance between garages. Commissioner Ayers expressed concerns about the ability to
maneuver in the parking areas,but stated A-2 zoning is a good use for this property and noted the
proposed development is less dense than Talbot's Mill.
Commissioner Paliganoff expressed concerns about parking and asked if additional parking would be
provided for the park site. Wynsma stated the park is planned for neighborhood pedestrian use and
would not include parking spaces.
Commissioner Paliganoff asked for explanation of the maintenance of the conservation area. Wynsma
stated the Park District would be approached to assume maintenance responsibilities and if the Park
District declined, the homeowners association would maintain it. Commissioner Paliganoff questioned
if this had been done before and if a homeowners association would be able to properly maintain the
area. Wynsma replied the homeowners association could maintain the area since it is a low-
maintenance, unimproved natural area. Commissioner Paliganoff asked if the conservation area would
be fenced. Wynsma replied it would not be fenced.
Commissioner Meyers stated he is opposed to granting a reduction to the open space requirement.
Commissioner Meyers stated an additional two or three feet is needed between the proposed garages to
allow sufficient space for maneuvering, and noted the developer could add parking spaces at the ends of
the driveway aisles. Nelson stated additional parking spaces may be added but noted the addition of
spaces along the western end of the property could impact the berm construction.
Commissioner Meyers expressed concerns about water detention and asked for staff comments on the
issue. M. Pye stated the detention areas were designed for office use that is more intensive than the
proposed residential use. Pye added that calculations would be done during final engineering.
Commissioner Meyers asked if surface water drains into the wetlands. Pye stated it does drain into the
wetlands.
Commissioner Henrici asked if the open space calculation included the 30-foot envelope around the
buildings. Nelson stated the full envelope, driveways, and other built areas were included as required.
Nelson presented a diagram depicting the open space calculation. Commissioner Henrici noted the
calculation includes the park site and asked how deficient their open space is without including the park.
Nelson replied a calculation would need to be done to answer the question.
Francke stated the Village's codes do not exclude park sites from open space calculations and read the
items specifically excluded. Francke added the request for a reduction in the minimum right-of-way
width is consistent with nearby developments.
Commissioner Henrici stated the proposed berm would not completely screen the homes from the
expressway. Wynsma stated the units' garages are half underground,making the berm even with the
floor plate of the first floor. Tree plantings would screen the upper area of the homes,though would not
screen the third floor.
Commissioner Henrici noted the location of fire hydrants are not in compliance as shown. Wynsma
stated the hydrants will be located per Village direction.
Commissioner Thompson stated the petitioner could not double count the park site as both land
donation and private open space.
Commissioner Thompson noted the proposed berm would not have any impact beyond an aesthetic one
and would not have an impact on the level of noise at that location.
Commissioner Thompson stated that lenders will note the floodplain in the area and suggested the
developer obtain a written statement from FEMA indicating their confidence that its existence does not
pose a threat to homeowners in its vicinity. He further expressed concerns that the water retention areas
might overflow into Talbot's Mill property during heavy rains.
Commissioner Thompson asked the petitioner to explain where snow plowed from the streets in the
proposed development would be deposited. Wynsma replied the ends of the driveways,the landscaped
areas between the drives, and the available open space offer sufficient storage for snow. He further
stated the homeowners association could have it removed by endloaders if it became necessary.
Commissioner Thompson stated the homeowners in Talbot's Mill paid for plowing of Park Boulevard
as part of their association dues and asked if the petitioner had met with their association to discuss cost
sharing for this responsibility. Francke responded they did not know of this issue. Chairman Glass
asked if Park Boulevard was a dedicated street. Pye responded it is and the Village plows the street.
Chairman Glass requested that Village staff confirm who has responsibility for Park Boulevard.
Chairman Glass read three letters from residents commenting on the proposal into the record(attached).
At 10:30 p.m., Chairman Glass opened the meeting for comments from the audience.
Bill Goorsky, 1042 Martha Street, stated the northern property line of the proposed development is
located within an IDOT easement and expressed concerns about flooding resulting from construction on
the site.
Sheryl Roberts, 1241 Old Mill Lane, stated the conservation area would be difficult for a homeowners
association to maintain and disagreed with the comment that the area is low-maintenance. The
monitoring and upkeep of the area would be an additional cost to potential homeowners. She further
expressed concerns that the construction of a berm to screen the property from the expressway would
only aggravate drainage problems.
Don Page, 833 Spring Creek Court, questioned the capacity of existing water mains and sanitary sewers,
and questioned if the water pressure at neighboring properties would be impacted by additional
development. Chairman Glass noted these utilities were designed to serve development on the land in
question.
Keith Herman,450 Old Mill Lane expressed concerns about the development's traffic impact on Park
Boulevard. Chairman Glass noted Park Boulevard is a four-lane road designed to serve both properties
and stated the primary concern of the Police Department is the timing of the light at Park and Devon.
Robin McCleary, 742 Old Creek Court, expressed concerns about her ability to sell her property in the
future with the availability of new homes in the same price range. She also asked if the common open
space would be adequately lit.
Barb Monaco, 951 Little Falls Court, stated she lives across the street from the conservation area and
has seen standing water running onto Park Boulevard after a heavy rain. Chairman Glass stated the
Village, federal, and state governments all require calculations for compensatory storage and if the
developer can meet all of their standards they are entitled to build on the property. Chairman Glass
further noted the property is currently zoned Office/Transitional and a proposal for office construction
could be allowed without a public hearing.
Stefan Nears, 718 Deepwood Court,stated that traffic on Devon Avenue impacts Park Boulevard and
expressed concerns that the proposed development would direct noise into Talbot's Mill and make
traffic worse.
Walter Haas, 1023 Lincoln, asked if the entrance to Martha Street would be opened during construction.
Wynsma stated it would not be necessary. Haas asked if it was acceptable to locate the northernmost
units so close to the IDOT facility. Haas asked if Concord Development had approached homeowners
in Itasca Meadows to purchase their properties in the recent past. Francke responded they had. Haas
asked for an explanation of a"letter of awareness"the petitioner mentioned. Chairman Glass explained
a letter of awareness puts potential homebuyers on notice of conditions that might impact their decision
to purchase a home. In this case it would note the proximity of the expressway.
Tammy Dusler, 1239 Old Mill Lane, stated the rezoning request would make traffic in the area worse
and her concerns that the new development threatens the security of neighborhood children.
John Seega, 1203 Old Mill Lane, expressed concerns about traffic and flooding that might result from
further development.
Patricia Nomer, 937 Little Falls Court, questioned if the proposed homeowners association would join
with the Talbot's Mill homeowners association. Francke responded they would be two separate entities.
Edward Bartasch, 1194 Westminster, stated he lives in the Huntington Chase development and
experiences a great deal of noise from the expressway.
There being no additional comments from the audience,Chairman Glass reiterated the developer could
not include the park site in the required common open space calculation. He directed the petitioner to
address a number of issues at the next meeting, including off-street parking, pedestrian access to the
conservation areas, status of easements on the property, calculation of common open space,and resident
concerns. Chairman Glass recessed the meeting at 11:20 p.m. Chairman Glass stated it would be
continued on Wednesday,December 1, at 8:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter J.
Assistant to the Village Manager
C: President and Board of Trustees,Chairman and Members of the Plan Commission, Chairman
and Members—ZBA, Village Clerk(2),Village Manager,Assistant Village Manager, Assistant
to the Village Manager, Administrative Intern,Director of Engineering/Community
Development,Director of Public Works, Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief(2), Assistant Fire Chief,
Village Attorney.
The Lofts at Talbot's Mill
Condominium Association
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
November 15, 1999
RFCEIVEV
Ann I. Walsh Nov 16 1999
Village Clerk VILLAGE CLERK'S
Village of Elk Grove Village OFFICE
901 Wellington Avenue
Elk Grove Village IL 60007-3499
Dear Ms. Walsh:
Please be advised that this letter will serve as notification to the Village of Elk
Grove Village that The Lofts at Talbot's Mill Condominium Association has the
following concerns with regard to the proposed construction west of Park Avenue
and north of Devon:
1. The fact that there is only one access road to and from this proposed
complex will have a negative impact on the amount of traffic in the
immediate area, causing delays to all residents in the area.
2. The proposed construction is expected to take up a large part of the area
that is considered wetlands. There is concern that this will show a
significant increase in flooding and other water problems to the residents
at The Lofts at Talbot's Mill.
Because of these concerns, The Lofts at Talbot's Mill is opposed to the proposed
construction.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
The Lofts at Talbot's Mill
Professionally Managed by:
American Community Management, Inc.
1908 Wright Boulevard•Schaumburg, IL 60193•(847)301-1133•FAX(847)301-7472
Web Site www.acmweb.com•E-mail mail@acmweb.com
Hello Elk Grove Board of Trustees
(Please give each of the trustees a copy of this)
I want to voice my opinion on 2 items. I teach part-time at night, so
I can't be at the board meeting tonight.
1. Home Depot at old Eagle store.
I'm not against it, but I'm concerned about the traffic. It
is a nightmare for us to get out of Charlela in the morning and at
night during rush hour. Also the back up is so bad (from Devon onto
Nerge to Rhowling)that it takes sometimes 2 lights to make it onto
Devon. Even today an someone hit my car, because he was impatient and
pulled out into my lane. He didn't want to wait behind 3 cars and a
truck to get onto Devon. With more future car and truck traffic going
and coming from Home Depot, it will make matters worse. I think that
a light at Charlela might help. It would at least break up traffic
and slow the people down on Nerge. I think this would be a good plus
for us to get Home Depot to install it.
2. The 104 proposed units at Devon and Park.
More traffic problems. 104 more living units would possible mean 208
more cars coming out of Park Ave. I don't know if there is an exit
from the townhouses to get into the sub-division (Leiceister Area).
but if not, there should be. Also I hope that they leave the pond
alone. It was nice how they left the wetlands alone in the
subdivision next to the Hamilton Court apartments. Also, don't forget
that the noise level will be severe next to the expressway. So l
think they should be forced not to cut the trees down that lines the
expressway.
Sorry I can't be there tonight, but thank God for e-mail.
Pam Barnak
1013 Charlela #310
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
60007
C�
7
Ray Rummel -- 1 -- Tue, 16 Nov 1999 14:02:00
NOV-17-99 15:10 From:PFI' INC. 1847''x4564 T-531 P.01/01 Job-068
1 11 �_ °? ''�I`99
VILLAGE MANAGERS OFFICE
November 17, 1999
Elk Grove Planning Commission
901 Wellington Ave.
Elk Grove,IL 60007-3499
Planning Commission:
RE: EMBLIC HEARING ON 11/17N9 -CONCORD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
I would like to cxpras my concerns and feelings about the proposed building of 104 dwellings by Concord
Daymopmem dlreerly across from mr townhome on Park Boulevard. I have lived at this location for tho past 6
years and have enjoyed the vast prairie there. I have had doer and their fawns cross Park Boulevard from die prairie
and come onto my yard this past summer,which i think is priceless.
I. I would like to see the prairie remain there untouched by any builder. I know I speak for probably all
the Talbot's Mill residents. We are opposed to any baildioron the Prairie. There is abundant wildlife that
lives there. Why does everyone have a need to build on almost the last piece of beautiful land around us?
2. 1 don't want the traffic,nor any possible criminal activity that can come with new unknown people.
3. 104 dwellings seem like too many buildings to cram into the small acreage there.
4. At the last meeting that was held,we the residents,were told that Kimball Hill was purchasing that land and
they assured us that It wouldn't be low cost_housing. I'm concerned that this might be the case with
Concord. I've never heard of Concord. And,who else would want to pay over$150,000 to live so close to
the noisy expressway but possibly low income residents? where 1 live right now is extremely noisy from 53.
S. What would be the minimum/maximum price of the dwellings?
Please consider what A in The best Intetxst of the residents of Talbot's Mill Townhomes and don't let anyone buy
or uild an thatprairie!
Sincerely,
Barbara Monaco
Talbot's Mill Townhomu
951 Little Falls Court
Elk Grove Village,IL 60173
Work:(947)413-4567
Home:(847)640-1030