EDC Minutes 2005 04-21-05 i
APPROVED 7/21/05
UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
YORKVILLE CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2005
The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF: Aldermen Richard Sticka and Marty
Munz; and Alderwomen Rose Spears and Valerie Burd; Mayor Art Prochaska; City
Administrator Tony Graff; and City Planner Mike Schoppe. OTHERS: Anna Kurtzman,
ICCI; Lynn Dubajic, YEDC; and Richard Young, Kimball Hill Homes.
1. Minutes
Minutes from the March 17, 2005 meeting were approved with changes.
2. Schoppe Design Associates Agreement for Professional Services
Mike Schoppe from Schoppe Design Associates attended the meeting to discuss the
contract for his services as city planner for the coming year. The proposed new contract
includes an increase in fees. The rate for the principal would increase from $123 to $135
per hour. Also, the rate for project management would increase to $110 per hour from
$100.
Alderwoman Valerie Burd wondered if the words "as requested" should be added to the
services area found on Page 2 of the proposed contract since the city is planning some
changes in staffing and may not use Schoppe Design Associates as often.
Chairman Richard Sticka said that would be warranted. He added also would suggest 30
days instead of 90 days for the amount of notification needed to terminate the agreement.
Thirty days seems reasonable, he said.
Schoppe said the firm only does what the city asks it to do and only charges accordingly.
The firm is not on a retainer. If the firm doesn't do anything for a month, the city isn't
charged anything, he said.
He suggested leaving the termination clause as is because it doesn't cost the city
anything. At the same time, it allows the city the flexibility to call on the firm as needed.
As for attending meetings, Schoppe said he attends the ones that the city asks him to
attend. If the city were to reduce its requirements, then the city wouldn't be charged, he
said.
Burd said that reducing the length of the termination notice wouldn't be necessary if the
firm doesn't bill the city.
Alderman Marty Munz commented that the 10 percent increase in rates seems excessive
especially since the rates were raised a year ago.
Schoppe, however, said that last year's increase was the first increase in three years.
Regarding the terms in the contract, Schoppe suggested that the words "as requested" be
added to the services provided section as Burd suggested. Schoppe said he would
continue attending meetings until the city told him not to. By adding the new words,
Schoppe said it gives the city the flexibility to operate as needed.
Schoppe said the old contract was up April 13 and it is up to the city to decide the term of
the new contract. The last contract was for one year. Alderwoman Rose Spears said she
the new contract should be for a year as well.
The committee agreed to bring a recommendation for approval to the Committee of the
Whole.
3. PC 2005 -10 Whispering Meadows Units 3 and 4 — Final Plats
Richard Young with Kimball Hill Homes came to request final plat approval for
Whispering Meadows. The property is located west of Route 47 just off of Cannonball
Trail and near Faxson Road.
Unit 4 has 151 units and Unit 3 has 106 lots. They are both in conformance with the
preliminary plat approved last year. He said they actually took out four lots to make room
for a clubhouse and pool facility. Two lots also were eliminated to provide a tot lot.
Young also said that the school hasn't been sighted yet, but it likely will be near the
eastern side of the property.
Sticka said the Plan Commission recommended approval.
Spears asked if the utilities would be buried. She said the city wants to ask all developers
to bury utilities. Young said he's not sure what specifications are in the annexation
agreement, but he said most of the utilities would be buried anyway.
Sticka said any requirements for burying utilities would need to be added to the
subdivision ordinance.
Meanwhile, Mayor Art Prochaska said a few historical street names need to be in the
subdivision and Young said that would be easy to do.
The committee agreed to bring the request to the C.O.W.
4. Resource Conservation and Greenway Delineation Standards
Young said this request directly relates to the Anderson property on Route 71,
specifically for the southern portion of the property where there are substantial amounts
of trees. He said they'd like to work to create a unique development to try to save a many
tree stands as possible.
The city staff had asked the developers to propose some sort of guidelines. The Resource
Conservation and Greenway Delineation Standards has a section that deals specifically
with woodlands.
Young said he wants to get comments and recommendations from the committee to craft
something that would be included as an attachment to the annexation agreement.
Sticka said the document needs to be reviewed and would take a lot of staff study.
However, he said everything in the document looks good. Meanwhile, he said recently
toured the Anderson farm and said it's a fabulous place. He added that he doesn't think
any one of the aldermen should make a decision about the property without first touring
it. In fact, he said he wishes the forest preserve had the money to buy it. He said there
hasn't been a piece of property up for development anything like this one.
Young said the developer would like to try to save as many trees as possible. He said
he'd like to put together an annexation agreement that means something.
Sticka warned that lot sizes would be a sticking point with the City Council. He said he
would urge the City Council to look at the area before making any decisions.
Burd suggested that the City Council take a tour of the property.
5. Amendment to Parking Ordinance
Zoning Coordinator Anna Kurtzman said some potential developers recently have asked
for changes in the city's parking ordinance, which include a reduction in stall length for
perpendicular parking and angle parking.
The proposed amendment regarding off street parking would allow for parallel parking,
45 degree angle parking, 60 degree angle parking, and 90 degree angle parking.
Sticka wondered if the dimensions would accommodate some of the larger vehicles on
the roads these days. City Administrator Tony Graff said they should be okay. While the
length might be changing, the width of the spaces wouldn't change at all.
Graff said the in talking to some potential big box retailers, the current city parking
ordinance doesn't meet the parking requirements those retailers have. When Jewel came,
the city had to approve variances for parking to meet the retailer's requirements. Graff
said City Attorney John Wyath said it makes more sense to amend the ordinance than to
continue approving variances on a regular basis.
The committee decided to forward the matter to the C.O.W.
6. Amendment to B -3 Zoning District Regarding Mini- Warehouse Storage
Kurtzman said the proposed amendment would delete mini - warehouses from the B -3
Zoning District and make it a Special Use in the M -1 and M -2 Zoning Districts.
As the zoning currently stands, Prochaska said the mini - warehouses are an allowable use
and the city can't review it. With the proposed change, proposals for mini - warehouses
would have to come to the City Council. Prochaska said he requested the change because
he believes the city should have some say in where these businesses are located.
The committee agreed to bring the matter to the C.O.W.
7. Additional Business
Burd asked if the Appearance Code Ordinance should come before the EDC or go
straight to the COW for approval. Prochaska said the proposed ordinance should come to
the EDC first and then move to the COW.
The meeting adjourned at 8 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Dina Gipe
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