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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLAN COMMISSION 10-1 - 04/21/2010 - 865 NICHOLAS BLVD. - SPECIAL USE Elk Grove Village Plan Commission Minutes April 21, 2010 Present: P. Ayers F. Geinosky J. Glass E. Hauser C. Henrici D. Paliganoff D. Sokolowski T. Thompson Absent: J. Meyers Staff: B. Jacobsen, Assistant Village Manager J. Polony, Plan Reviewer Petitioner: John Clery, Attorney Janusz Rucinski, Wagner Auto Inc. Daniel Rucinski, Wagner Auto Inc. Brad Bullington, GC Realty Chairman Glass called the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m. Item 1: December 2, 2009 Meeting Minutes Commissioner Ayers pointed out that the meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. rather than 5:20 p.m. Commissioner Henrici motioned to approve the December 2 meeting minutes with Commissioner Ayers' time change. Commissioner Geinosky seconded the motion. Upon voting (Ayers, Geinosky, Glass, Hauser, Henrici, Paliganoff, Sokolowski, Thompson, AYES, Meyers, ABSE\TT) the motion carried. Item 2: 865 Nicholas Boulevard — Special Use Chairman Glass read the legal notice for the record and acknowledged that the Public Hearing notices were mailed to neighbors and properly published in the Daily Herald. At 7:11 p.m. Chairnnan Glass opened the Public Hearinc,. The Petitioner Janusz Rucinski was present with his attorney, John Clery. Also present was the petitioner's son Daniel Rucinski, and the broker from GC Realty, Brad Bullington. Secretary Geinosky swore in Janusz Rucinski, Daniel Rucinski, John Clery, and Brad Bullington. Mr. Clery, legal counsel for the petitioner, briefed the Commission on the petitioner's history. Mr. Janusz Rucinski is President of Wagner Auto, Inc., located at 405 N. Salem Avenue in Arlington Heights, IL. Janusz Rucinski and his son Daniel Rucinski are in business together. Prior to moving to Arlington Heights, IL in 2003, their business was located in Des Plaines, IL for roughly sir years. Since October of 2009, they have been supporting their family with their savings. Mr. Rucinski intends to purchase the facility at 865 Nicholas Boulevard and operate a general auto repair shop. They anticipate hours of operation to be from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. They have four employees and estimate that up to eight cars will be worked on in the shop at any one time. Mr. Clery, representing the petitioner and his son, Daniel Rucinski, informed the Commission that the contract to purchase this building is contingent on the Special Use approval. Their new business in Elk Grove will include the installation of modern technology and they intend to be an environmentally safe facility. W. Clery claims that both their business and Daniel Rucinski hold prestigious certifications. Commissioner Hauser inquired about the history of their business in Arlington Heights, IL and if it was an auto body shop or a mechanical shop. Daniel Rucinski indicated that they lease the building in Arlington Heights, IL and hold a Dealer License, a Mechanical License, and a License to Rebuild because they purchase cars at auctions, fix them up, and sell them back to the auction. Janusz Rucinski indicated that he and his son have worked together at their business in Arlington Heights, IL for about ten years. Commissioner Hauser asked who holds the license to buy and sell at the auction. Daniel Rucinski responded that both he and his father hold licenses to buy at auctions and sell back to the auction. He stated that they will not be selling cars at this location. Commissioner Hauser asked what their plans are to renovate the site and what they are going to do with the loading dock. Daniel Rucinski stated that they intend to have a ramp built, where the existing loading dock is located to allow cars to drive directly into the building. They intend to patch the asphalt in the parking lot and clean up the site. Commissioner Henrici stated that the petitioner will need to work on their parking plan to meet the Village Code, and inquired if the lot to the east of 865 Nicholas is in unincorporated Elk Grove. He also asked where their spray booth's ventilation system and exhaust would be located. Daniel Rucinski stated that the exhaust would exit the building either through a window or the roof. Secretary Geinosky asked if the petitioner planned on hiring any more than the four employees they have listed on the application. Daniel Rucinski stated that he and his father do not have plans to hire additional staff at this time. Secretary Geinosky inquired why they would only have four employees, if they have room for eight cars inside the building with two lifts. Daniel Rucinski stated that he plans to have three or four employees at this time. He went on to say that if his business received a lot of work, he might hire more employees. Secretary Geinosky asked for clarification on the number of employees they planned to have on site. Daniel Rucinski stated that they would have six employees at the most. Secretary Geinosky stated that if the petitioner had six employees they would need more parking. He noted that they need one parking spot for each employee and one and a half parking spots for each storage spot in the building, and their existing parking plan does not conform to Village Code. He asked the petitioner if he has a list of improvements he intends to make after he acquires ownership of the building. Janusz Rucinski indicated that they will make all necessary improvements such as ventilation, sprinklers for the building, and install a triple basin; to meet the Village Code but they do not have a timeline or a solid plan for all of the improvements at this time. Secretary Geinosky stated that the property is currently run down, the sign in the front is in poor condition, there are pot holes in the asphalt, and he wants to know what the petitioner intends to do to improve the property. John Clery spoke on behalf of the petitioner and indicated that they will initially put in two lifts and create an office area. Outside, the petitioner stated that the existing trailers will be moved and they will install a six-foot fence to screen the southern-most parking lot. He indicated that the petitioner would like to get up and running before investing more money into the site. The Village's Plan Reviewer confirmed that the fence to screen vehicles could be six feet tall. Secretary Geinosky asked who owns the trailers that are on the property now. Brad Bullington of GC Realty stated that the existing business Exclusive Services owns the trailers and will have everything removed from the site. He stated that the property to the east is in Elk Grove Township. He stated that when the trailers on the south side of the lot are removed, there will be plenty of room for angled parking. Secretary Geinosky pointed out that the Village Code has rules about the length of parking stalls, the width, and the direction of parking stalls. He asked if the petitioner was asking for a variance based on staff review comments. Mr. Clery stated that he called the Village and spoke to the Deputy Director of Community Development and the Village Attorney who indicated to him that although the Zoning Ordinance requires all vehicles waiting for service to be stored behind the building, it may be possible to meet this requirement by parking cars waiting to be serviced on the south lot which is screened. The Assistant Village Manager stated that Mr. Clery is referencing conversation, and the Plan Commission should review the statements written by the Director of Engineering and Community Development regarding parking on page two of his April 7, 2010 memo. Chairman Glass asked if the petitioner planned to use the back of the building or planned to pave it. 4 Mr. Clery stated that there is limited space between five and seven feet behind the property. Secretary Geinosky asked staff if their planned six foot fence was sufficient screening for the south parking lot. The Plan Reviewer indicated that a six foot fence was acceptable. Commissioner Henrici asked if the fence would be flush with the front of the building. Mr. Bullington indicated that the six foot fence would be solid and the gate would be solid too. Secretary Geinosky and Hauser asked about the height of the dock and how cars will enter the building. The Broker, Brad Bullington of GC Realty, indicated that the existing loading dock area will be filled in, and the grade will be flush with the floor of the building like a garage. Secretary Geinosky asked if the first parking stall in the front of the building is twenty-five feet from the lot-line or if the petitioner will be asking for a variance. He added that he doesn't feel there is enough space for both the business and the required parking. He reminded the petitioner that if he is not asking for a variance, they will need to meet the existing Village requirements. Mr. Bullington indicated that the size of the lot and the layout of the building are conducive for the flow of traffic and the petitioner will be able to meet the code requirements. Secretary Geinosky asked the petitioner if lie anticipated using any on-street parking during the day. Janusz Rucinski stated that they will not use any on-street parking. Commissioner Thompson asked the petitioner how much room they had at their location in Arlington Heights, IL and stated that when he drove by their previous location it appeared to have a better layout which made navigating around the building easier. He stated that the angled parking requires customers to drive against the grain. Janusz Rucinski stated that they had plenty of room in Arlington Heights, IL but there were three tenants in their previous building. Daniel Rucinski added that they do not have consistent traffic, and they would not have been interested in purchasing the property if they thought this would be a problem. Commissioner Thompson added that the layout on Nicholas is much different than their previous location in Arlington Heights, IL and appears to be overcrowded. Janusz Rucinski stated that his business will have more space at the building on Nicholas. Commissioner Sokolowski asked if the petitioner was ever going to fill the south lot or have a dumpster for parts outside. Daniel Rucinski stated that they will park cars as best they can behind the fence. He added that damaged parts and scrap metal will be stored inside the facility and plastic scrap will be disposed of in the dumpster, which will be stored inside. Commissioner Sokolowski asked if the security cameras and lighting were fully functional. Janusz Rucinski indicated that the security system was in working condition. 5 Commissioner Ayers noted that he was pleased that the petitioner did not open his business in the Village illegally as previous petitioners have. He stated that although the parking plan is not great, the village has approved automotive special uses in the past with parking issues. He doesn't feel the Industrial Park is ideal for an auto repair shop and would prefer if they would keep cars parked in the screened south lot. He stated that he supports this Special Use and they will be a good addition to the Village. Commissioner Paliganoff asked the petitioner if he received the April 7, 2010 memo written by the Director of Engineering and Community Development. Mr. Clery indicated that he was unsure if he received the April 7, 2010 memo. The Assistant Village Manager stated that the April 7, 2010 memo was emailed to Mr. Clery in the same format all previous staff review comments were emailed to him. At 5:00 p.m., the Plan Commission took a brief break. Chairman Glass asked the petitioner how wide the driveway is at the curb. Mr. Bullington stated it was about twelve feet wide. Chairman Glass continued stating if they have six employees and eight repair stalls in the building, they will need twenty-two parking spaces and a minimum of sixteen spaces outside the building. He told the petitioner he wants wheel stops installed in the south lot to protect the fence from being damaged. Chairman Glass asked the Plan Reviewer several questions about the Village Code's policy on aisle width, parking spot angles, and the required dimensions for parking stalls. The Village's Plan Reviewer calculated necessary parking spots based on several different parking variations. Chairman Glass requested that the petitioner adjust his parking plan to meet the Village Code to avoid the need for a variance. He also requested that the petitioner repair the parking lot, pave the two rear spots located behind the building, fix up the grass in front of the building and make this building look like an asset to the community. The Chairman stated that if this Special Use is approved, it will be contingent upon no buying, selling, leasing, or auctioning of cars from this site. Secretary Geinosky stated that he agrees with the Chairman's suggestions and requested that the petitioner redraw the parking plan and submit to Village staff for Plan Commission review in two weeks, before moving forward with the Special Use application. Chairman Glass stated that he does not want the hearing to be postponed for two weeks. Instead, he would like to review the new site plan before sending the petition to the Village Board. Assuming the petitioner agrees with the various conditions, he would like to have the site plan redrawn, submitted to staff, and approved by staff prior to going before the Village Board. Mr. Clery stated that the petitioner is prepared to submit a new site plan in a couple of days. He then clarified for the record, he did receive the April 7, 2010 memo from the Director of Engineering and Community Development via email as the Assistant Village Manager stated. I 6 RECOINIMENDATION After a brief discussion about all of the proposed recommendations, Commissioner Ayers moved to recommend approval of the Special Use petition for Mr. Rucinski at 865 Nicholas subject to the following conditions: 1. Prior to Village Board consideration, the petitioner must submit a revised site plan regarding their parking configuration which will include angled parking in front of the building such that the aisle width will meet the requirements outlined in the Village Code, and the new plan must be approved by staff, 2. The petitioner must install wheel-stops behind the fence on the south parking lot to protect ID the fence; 3. The petitioner must improve the landscaping in front of the building, although a landscape plan is not necessary; 4. The petitioner must improve the paving of both parking lots; 5. The petitioner must pave the two parking spots behind the building, although this pavement will not interfere with draining of this site; and 6. The petitioner must submit a notarized letter indicating that he will not engage in the buying, selling, leasing, or auctioning of vehicles at this location or the Special Use will be rescinded. Commissioner Hauser seconded the motion. Upon voting (Ayers, Glass, Hauser, Henrici, Paliganoff, Sokolowski, Thompson, AYES, Geinosky, NAY, Meyers, ABSENT) the motion carried. Commissioner Glass indicated that he would like to see the site plan prior to signing the Finding of Fact for the Village Board. The public hearing was closed at 8:35 p.m. Item 3: Old Business The Village Clerk recently cancelled all regularly scheduled Plan Commission meetings and they are now scheduled on an as needed basis. The Assistant Village Manager asked the Plan Commission if they were available any Wednesday of the month rather than the previously scheduled first and third Wednesday. It was the consensus of the Commission to allow the Village to schedule Plan Commission meetings on any Wednesday of the month. Commissioner Ayers suggested that the Village Board consider reviewing the Village Code and entertain the idea of allowing a service business to be an approved use in the Industrial Park. Commissioner Hauser agreed stating that it could be permitted use with specific standards. Commissioner Henrici stated that in the instance with the application tonight, staff would not have approved this use as presented in the application because of their auction license. Commissioner Ayers stated staff should sit down with petitioners and be flexible. He questioned If it would be better for staff or the Plan Commission to review these applications. He stated that he met with the current property owner when he visited this site, and he would like to see this property to the petitioner as soon as possible. In addition, this process has cost the petitioner a lot of time and money. 7 Commissioner Hauser stated that he is in favor of pursuing this topic further. Secretary Geinosky asked if the Plan Commission should build the tax base or respect the integrity of the Zoning Code. Item 3: Adjournment Commissioner Ayers motioned to adjourn the meeting and Commissioner Sokolowski seconded the motion. Upon voting (Ayers, Geinosky, Glass, Hauser, Henrici, Paliganoff, Sokolowski, Thompson, AYES, Meyers, ABSENT) the motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 8:52 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Beth Jacobsen Assistant Village Manager C: Chairman and Members of the Plan Commission, Mayor and Board of Trustees, Village Clerk, Village Manager, Deputy Village Manager, Director of Public Works, Acting Director of Engineering/Community Development, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief(2), Inspectional Services Supervisor, Village Attorney I I