EDC Minutes 2004 04-19-04 APPROVED 7/21/04
UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
YORKVILLE CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM
MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2004
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF: Aldermen Richard Sticka and
Alderwoman Wanda Ohare; Mayor Art Prochaska; City Administrator Tony Graff; and
Kelly Kramer, representing the City Attorney's office. GUESTS: Gary Weber,
Inland/Midwest; Sanford Stein, Gardner, Canton; Mitch LaFave, Ocean Atlantic; Tim
Winter, PDG; John Philipchuck, DBC &W; and Lynn Dubajic, Yorkville EDC.
1. Minutes
Minutes from the March 18, 2004 meeting were approved.
2. PC 2001 -06 Grande Reserve Units 5, 7 and 8 — Final Plats
Alderwoman Wanda Ohare asked about a roadway in unit 5. She asked if the street ends
in someone's back yard as it looks on the map. Tim Winter, from Pasquinelli, said a berm
will be installed at that location and that there is a buffer area.
Ohare also asked when model homes will be in place and Winter said they should be
ready this fall.
Chairman Richard Sticka said there are a lot of questions about the street going to
Lynwood. Many of the questions stem from the anticipated use of the roadway. He said
he believes the majority of use will be of residents exiting Lynnwood to the north.
However, Winter said it would still be easier for residents in Grande Reserve to use the
internal roads to get to Route 34.
Sticka told the committee that the final plats were approved by city staff and the Plan
Commission voted unanimously to recommend the plats for approval. He suggested the
committee recommend the final plats go to the Committee of the Whole. The committee
agreed to send the final plats to the COW for approval the next evening.
3. PC 2002 -06 Westbury Village — Annexation, Rezoning and Preliminary Plan
Mayor Art Prochaska said the Plan Commission unanimously gave its recommendation
for annexation and zoning. But, the preliminary plan was rejected by a vote of 1 to 9.
Sticka said one of the most significant concerns voiced by the Plan Commission was
access for fire fighting equipment on the cul -de -sacs. Sanford Stein, attorney
representing the Westbury development, however, said that problem has since been
corrected.
Sticka said the city's ordinance doesn't specifically state what to do with cul -de -sacs with
too many living units. The ordinance talks about the length of the cul -de -sacs.
Sticka said the solution seems to be not to allow cul -de -sacs in the development.
LaFave, representing Ocean Atlantic, said prior to last week's meeting the representative
from the Fire Protection District requested the developers install higher fire suppression
rating in the buildings.
What the developers are considering revising the plans in Pod 7 to lose one lot and
provide an emergency access. The whole idea behind the plan is to keep the
neighborhood identities separate which is why they're trying for a cul -de -sac amenities
and don't want to interrupt that by installing a permanent access. He added they're open
to discussing the options.
Sticka then mentioned that in Pod 5, the developers doubts they will ever be allowed
emergency access to Route 47. LaFave said they are investigating the possibility.
Stein said the fire protection district was fairly satisfied with the plan for the fire
suppression system. Plan Commission Chairman Tom Lindblom, however, felt that more
measures should be taken. Stein said Lindblom indicated he felt he was a representative
of the fire protection district when he's really representing the village.
Sticka said the committee respects Lindblom's knowledge and his advise and does not
just brush aside his concerns.
LaFave said when they presented the plan in April of 2003, the vote was 7 to 5 against it.
That difference in the vote was the geometry in the layout at the bottom. Since then, the
developers also have decreased the number of units by 47. He asked why Mr. Lindblom
didn't bring up his concerns then. Sticka said he's not sure Mr. Lindblom didn't say
anything.
Mayor Prochaska said the revised plan looks like there are a few more lots on the cul -de-
sac. LaFave said there might be four more lots, but relatively speaking it's close.
Moving on to another question, Sticka asked why there are private roads instead of public
roads in the multi - family area. Stein said if two feet are added to make the roadways
public, it would take away from greenspace. He added that 28 -foot roadways have
worked before. By not allowing parking even on one side of the roadway, there's even
greater passage way for emergency vehicles.
He also said there will be no parking on the street at all and the city will have the right of
enforcement. LaFave said more opportunities for parking will exist inside the multi-
family unit area and that the developers already meet the city's requirements for parking
spaces per unit.
In response to a comment by Sticka, Stein said the developers are required to disclose to
the purchaser that the road is private.
Mayor Prochaska said he has a couple of issues. In the single - family areas, they should
always be public streets. When considering multi- family areas, using Pod 7 as an
example, for the length of that infrastructure there are more units than there are on public
streets. He said those neighborhoods should be self - contained since they have a higher
density of traffic and might possibly require more maintainence on the roads.
Stein said some people like living on a private street and LaFave added that there will be
an association for each pod to cover maintenance and other issues.
Ohare asked Kelly Kramer about all of the recommendations from city staff regarding the
development. Kramer said all of the issues are being looked at. City Administrator Tony
Graff added that comments from John Whitehouse from EEI are generally met before the
City Council votes. Also, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources sign -off will
happen at the final plat. Graff said that is standard procedure along with sign -offs from
the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
Graff added the city has met with the IDNR, which will do an aquatic assessment on the
Rob Roy Creek. The IDNR will shock the creek and do a count of the fish.
Sticka said the original plan in 1991 involved turning the creek into a meandering
waterway. He asked what the current plan involves for the creek. LaFave said they
conducted a wetland assessment on the creek. To everyone's surprise, the floristic quality
of the creek area is pretty high. Essentially, under the new plan, the creek will stay as is.
The storm water areas on either side will be dry bottom basins. Water will filter from the
basins into the creek. Stein said the design around the nature features was done well.
Ohare said she wants all of the issues addressed by the city planner and other staff
addressed before anything is approved. Sticka said there doesn't seem to be a problem
with the annexation or rezoning, the issue is the preliminary plan.
Graff said one of the major ways to ensure all of the staff comments are addressed would
be through the annexation and planned unit development (PUD) agreement. Mainly, the
city staff, engineer, planner and others need to consider land use issues and policy
questions such as public versus private roads. Sticka said he personally prefers narrower
roads and more green space.
Graff said there are a lot of questions concerning how the cars will fit. The developers
have provided an illustration as an exhibit. LaFave said Ocean Atlantic is a developer and
not the builder. But, he said the exhibit could be part of the architectural standards in the
agreement.
Mayor Prochaska asked where the fire lane would be located in Pod 7. Returning to
Sticka's comments about making that lane a road, Prochaska said the developers could
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eliminate an access onto Corneils Road. It also adds to the idea that it's a separate
neighborhood, he said.
LaFave said everyone on his end really likes the new plan it turns everything 45 degrees
so everything isn't all lined up.
Prochaska said when he sees access to Corneils Road and Westbury Boulevard, if people
cut through, it could become a public safety issue.
LaFave then asked if he should make that change and then scurry to try to get it back to
the city for approval. Stein said those comments could be put into the preliminary plat
approval. Sticka said he would like to see that done. Ohare agreed saying that emergency
access issue seems to be a big one. She said it could be added in the committee's
recommendation for approval.
LaFave asked about Pod 5. Sticka asked if it is sufficient to say a better fire suppression
system would be sufficient. Graff said zoning official Bill Dettmer will work with the fire
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department to discuss the 13 -hour suppression system. He needs to get a clearer
understanding of about the system.
Prochaska said he'd like to get away from having a member of the fire department at the
Planning Council. He said he'd like to see that if certain objectives are met, then they'll
get a sign -off from the fire department.
Graff said Dettmer recommends putting a standard into the building code. He, however,
still maintains that a second access would be good not just to combat fires, but to get into
the area in case the road is blocked.
LaFave said the gates for the emergency access would be have a berm and would be
heavily landscaped.
As for the architectural standards, Sticka said he'd like to see a minimum standard for
brick on the buildings. He said he'd like to see the front of the buildings be a high
percentage of brick or stone, something like 2/3 of the front need to be brick. LaFave said
that's a high percentage. He added he'd like the city to take a look at developments
Ocean Atlantic has done in the past.
Prochaska said typically, the number he's heard is about 50 percent. And, he said the
brick shouldn't be on the first floor only.
LaFave said he doesn't mind complying with such regulations as long as they are uniform
for all developments.
Prochaska said he likes the idea of requiring some brick, even if it drops to 50 percent.
However, he said he would like to see it on three sides so it doesn't look as if brick is just
slapped on the front.
Returning to the road issue, Ohare said she would prefer the road be private in the pods.
Stein added that narrow roads are traffic calmers. He said what it really comes down to is
maintenance.
Sticka said he and Ohare are okay with the 28 foot roadway, and private roads with
parking on one side and no parking on the fire hydrant side. He added:
• the developer should investigate eliminating the cut onto Corneils Road.
• there needs to be a certain percentage of brick or stone on the buildings.
• there needs to be an emergency access to Pod 5.
• there needs to be an agreement with the dire department regarding a fire
suppression system.
Sticka said there wasn't too much discussion on the single - family lots at the Plan
Commission. Ohare said she'd okay with the plan if all of the modifications are met and
Sticka agreed. The issue was forwarded to the May 4 COW meeting.
4. PC 2003 -13 Bailev Meadows Annexation and Preliminary Plan
Gary Weber, with Inland/Midwest, said the Plan Commission approved the plan 8 to 2.
Kelly Kramer said one of the issues at the Plan Commission was that some
commissioners wanted the far west street extended to Baseline Road. The main issue,
though, was access to the commercial area, she said.
Weber said changing the access to what the Plan Commission recommends could bring
about some cut through traffic. Also, he said he's not sure how the commercial area will
fall into place.
Prochaska said if the road was brought in through the south end, it would make it easier
for people at that end of the development to reach the commercial area.
Weber said his biggest concern is he doesn't want any access to be a short cut for people
traveling to the other major roadways.
Sticka suggested that they bring the issue before the rest of the City Council to get
comments. Ohare said she recommends approval pending staff and City Council
comments. .
5. BuildinLy Permit Reports for March 2004
The building permit report was accepted and moved forward to the C.O.W.
6. Ace Hardware Annexation Discussions
Sticka said a lot of people are asking what is happening. Mayor Prochaska said City
Attorney Dan Kramer is speaking with the owners to try to get the property annexed into
the city. Sticka said he wanted the matter brought up at a public meeting. He added the
hardware store should be in town especially since the city can now provide services such
as water.
He said he'd like the matter to be placed on the COW agenda. Kelly Kramer, however,
said the matter can't be discussed in depth at the meeting because it would fall under
additional business.
7. Facade ProLyram Revisions
To get the program moving, Sticka suggested it go straight to the COW. Kramer said the
revisions add any residence or building built in the city up to 1940. The first fagade
program went up to1890.
The program includes the entire city, but there is preference placed on downtown
buildings and any structure facing arterial roadways.
8. Additional Business
Mayor Prochaska said he talked to Dettmer about looking at changing ordinances
regarding buildings above 35 feet. The city code allows it, but the ordinance doesn't.
As the city grows and property value increases, he said the city should look at allowing
for some taller structures.
Sticka then asked how the architectural overlay ordinance is progressing. He said he'd
like to see it come before the committee at the next meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8.50 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Dina Gipe
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