Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLAN COMMISSION - 04/20/1972 - HIGGINS IND PARK/EG IND PARK/GATZKE ST MINUTES REGULAR PLAN COMMISSION MEETING April 20, 1972 Members Present: Chairman William Shannon; Messrs. Gayle Bantner, Ted Staddler, Richard Pottker, Thomas Hamilton; Secretary Leah Cummins. Others Present: Mr. Thomas Rettenbacher, representing Village Administration; Mr. Robert Calkins of Centex Homes, Inc. 1 . The Chairman called the meeting to order at 8:05 p.m. The Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of April 6, 1972 which were approved as read. 2. Unfinished Business: A. Higgins Industrial Park Unit No. 79. It was moved by Bantner, seconded by. Staddler that this plat be accepted since the Engineer's report was affirmative. All members present voted AYE. B. , Elk Grove Industrial Park Unit No. 3. This plat was returned for indication of a full 25-foot easement on Katherine Way. C. Gatzke - Public Street. This item was postponed. D. Revised Plat of Subdivision for Section 18. Mr. Rettenbacher led off the lively discussion of this item by bringing to the Pian Commission, in his inimitable cordial fashion, the fact that there appears to be several properties where easements are less than the 10-foot easement which our subdivision control ordinance requires. He also pointed but several lots which appear to be unbuildable; and several others on which he questioned the 60-foot frontage building line. He presented a plat on which he had marked a• number of other discrepancies which his scrutiny had revealed. Mr. Calkins said that although the plat before the Plan Commission did not yet bear the corrections, the five-foot easements had been changed to eight-foot easements , to which the Village Engineer had informally consented. That was, in my recollection, the point at which the meeting of April 20th really got started. With characteristic zeal and ardor, with consummate poise and measured stealth, the Commission members stalked the plat and finally attacked. They took strong exception to the seemingly arbitrary decision to accept an eight foot side easement, in view of the fact that the subdivision control ordinance exacts 10 feet for this purpose, and testimony from Mr. Calkins indicated that sometimes five feet suffices. Mr. Hamilton felt righteously indignant that the homeowners ' interests were not being represented. Mr. Sorenson contributed his judgment that any easement not actually required .could tend to have a negative effect on the value of the land. Mr. Rettenbacher argued persistently in favor of easements for the sake of easements , as long as they don ' t exceed side yard requirements. He did not accept Mr. Hamilton's impassioned argument that easements are an encroachment on the property owner' s rights to his land. Mr. Bantner refreshed the Commissioners memories about the change that was made in the ordinance from five feet to ten feet, which was required in the development of some of McLennan' s industrial properties. At this point Mr. Hamilton, stimulated by this sudden recollection, sat forward on his seat, and, noting that the Secretary had lifted her pen he said, "Here comes a slam . . . I distinctly recall that amendment; I voted on it and what I think happened is that whoever was responsible for writing ordinances wrote it wrong!" "The change that was recommended by the Plan Commission was intended to refer to industrial land only,. - not residential ." Some consultation with Mr. Calkins reinforced the possibility that Mr. Hamilton's allegation was true. The Commission members resumed their detailed inspection of the plat and expressed considerable alarm over the apparent discrepancies of the 60 foot building line dimension. Using all of the drafting tools readily available to them, they measured and remeasured, and listened to the futile protests of Mr. Calkins to the effect that Messrs. Gremley and Bidermann could not make the kind of error the Commissioners implied had been made. Finally, after a considerable amount of time, Mr. Pottker broke the impasse by flatly stating, "Like hell that ' s 60 feet", as Mr. Siewert entered the meeting. Mr. Hamilton, who had been examining the subdivision control ordinance during some of these moments, concluded his testimony on the subject for the evening by saying, "Well , it wasn' t written well - whoever wrote it!" He suggested we had better go back to the Village Trustees with a recommendation that that section of the ordinance be rewritten to distinguish between the requirements for industrial development and those for residential . Mr. Staddler made a motion to approve Revised Plat of Subdivision for Section 18 with a five foot side yard easement variance, contingent upon approval by the Village Engineer of that variance as well as the lot line on 5407 and checking of the 60 foot building line measurement on lots Nos. 5465, 5467,. 5463, 5483, 5480, 5310, 5311 , 5322; and lot No. 5444 being shown with the building line rounding the curve. Mr. Hamilton seconded that motion, and the Chairman invited discussion of it. Mr. Siewert began by apologizing for his tardy arrival at the meeting, and then said he would like clarification of the motion that was on the floor. All of the foregoing discussion was related to him in capsule form. At this time, Mrs. Cummins tendered her sincere apologies to the developer who was in his customary mode of requiring hasty approval of his plat, and she implored her colleagues to exercise good judgment by eliminating the need for contingencies in the recom- mendation to be submitted to the Village Board by first obtaining clearance of the discrepant issues, and then approving the plat. She offered a motion to table the motion on the floor; it was seconded by Pottker. Voting AYE - Sorenson, Pottker, Siewert, Cummins. Voting NAY - Bantner and Staddler. ABSTAINING - Hamilton. At this point, 10:55 p•m. , firs. Cummins hurriedly left the meeting, and Mr. Siewert assumed the responsibilities of the Secretary. Plan Commission 2 - 4/20/72 E. Revised Parcel C. Motion to approve revised Parcel .0 showing correct size of buildings (original plat shoved sizes incorrectly) (Bantner - Pottker) . Motion carried 5 to I . F. Higgins Industrial Park Unit No. 82. Revision requested on easement was done. G: Higgins Industrial Park Unit No. 83. Being held for Engineer' s report. Motion made (Bantner - Siewert) to approve since Engineer's report approved. Motion carried. H. Resubdivision of Plat of Lot I , Village on the Lake. Referred to Attorney. 3. New Business 4. Committee Reports: Report on tour of Village - "Worthwhile trip." 5. Chairman's Report: Suggested that other Department Heads be present, as is Building Commissioner, for our meetings in future. 6. Building Commissioner' s Report 7. Adjourn (Staddler - Hamilton) . Respectfully submitted, Leah Cummins Charles Siewert ms cc: President Trustees Village Manager Administrative Assistant Village Clerk (2) Village Engineer Building Commissioner Plan Commission Chm. Plan Commission Secy. Plan Commission - 3 - 4/20/72