MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE PLAN COMMISSION AND ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
FOR THE CITY OF COUNTRYSIDE, IL
HELD IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2005

Chairman Fullmer called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Secretary Lube called the Roll; the following members were present:

PRESENT: Chairman Richard Fullmer, Jr., Secretary Robert Lube, Mr. Edward Ziemba, Mr. Frank Thullen, Mr. Steven Jasinski, Ms. Cynthia Schulz, Ms. Tina Grotzke, Mr. Richard Toth, Mr. Daniel Moss

ALSO PRESENT: Mayor LeGant, Ald. Conrad, Ald. Michalczyk, Ald. Straza, Ald. Pondelicek, CDD Muenzer, Attorney Erik Peck

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The first order of business was approval of the minutes of November 1, 2005. Ms. Grotzke moved to approve the minutes as presented, seconded by Mr. Lube and carried by unanimous voice vote.

PUBLIC HEARING

Chairman Fullmer read the Notice of Public Hearing to consider a re-subdivision pursuant to Section 9-2-3 Chapter 9 of the Municipal Code in order to subdivide one lot into two single family lots. The property is commonly known as 9737 W. 57^th St., Countryside, IL 60525. The Applicants are Gino Fioravanti and Robert Cavaliere, 4 N 425 8^th Ave., Addison, IL 6-160. Mr. Muenzer stated that the applicants have withdrawn their petition and will not appear tonight. They have reapplied to appear at the next meeting, January 3, 2006, seeking re-subdivision into four single-family lots. No action was taken tonight.

PUBLIC HEARING

Chairman Fullmer read the Notice of Public Hearing to consider a plat of re-subdivision to allow for the construction of four, four-unit town homes with ingress and egress onto 61^st St. The property is commonly known to be a vacant lot (address TBD) northwest of the William Tell Holiday Inn and on 61^st St, Countryside, IL 60525. The applicants are Vlado and Josef Lenoch, 6406 Joliet Road, Countryside, IL 60525. Ms. Schulz moved to open the Public Hearing in this matter, seconded by Mr. Toth and carried by unanimous voice vote. The petitioner and interested parties were sworn in en masse by Chairman Fullmer. The following testimony was elicited:

Attorney Michael Wolfe appeared on behalf of the petitioners. He stated that this hearing was continued from last month. The Lenochs seek to rezone the vacant property behind the William Tell Holiday Inn from B-2 to R-5. The hearing was continued to allow Jovic Builders to present a Plat of Re-subdivision with access on 61^st St. to the Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals (PC/ZBA) prior to final presentation to the City Council. Jovic Builders have filed the appropriate secondary petition; proof of service of the second notice to neighbors and publication fees have been addressed.

Mrs. Diane Jovic addressed the PC/ZBA and presented the Concept Plan developed by Jovic Builders with additional copies for the audience. The plan calls for ingress off of 61^st St. rather than Kensington (via Joliet Rd.). The existing street will be extended for 60 feet to allow for the cul de sac; detention pond is located on the north side of the property. The barricade will be moved further into the park but will not affect the batting cage. Four buildings could create additional traffic from 20 cars; ten potential senior buyers from the surrounding communities are interested in purchasing units. Mr. Muenzer stated that the staff recommendation made last month remains the same; Staff recommends approval of rezoning and land use, denial would be based on access from 61^st St. with the suggestion of access from Kensington Ave.

Questions for the Board included moving the barricade — that will be moved 60 feet east. The cul de sac will have a 100-foot diameter surrounded by a sidewalk. Fire trucks and school buses can negotiate the circle. Mr. Lube suggested rotating the conceptual design 180 degrees. Discussion regarding traffic exiting east on Joliet Road would be impossible; traffic spilling from 61^st St. to Brainard will find congestion at Joliet Road due to the lengthy traffic signal. Suggestion was for a pork chop (right turn in and out) off Joliet Road into the subdivision and a right turn onto Joliet Road going west.

Residents provided commentary – Ron Rule of 61^st St. is opposed to traffic being dumped into the neighborhood; the rule of thumb is one car per bedroom. Residents are not opposed to the development but are opposed to traffic being dumped onto 61^st and Kensington; density is too high. There is a tot lot and park in the immediate area. Glen Mitzlaff of Kensington & 61^st St. stated that during the summer cars are parked on both sides of the street resulting in one lane of traffic especially during baseball season.

Tom Geraghty of Kensington suggested if the concept was rotated would Lenoch agree to move the street over and move the entrance. There are 66 condos on Kensington serving mostly seniors; he suggested putting a light on the corner of Kensington. He asked about Ald. Conrad’s compromise suggestion for an eastern exit behind Wolf Pontiac. Ald. Conrad suggested rotating the project 90 degrees to the east, make a continuation of Ashland Avenue to provide for another exit to the Plaza. There is no fence on the western border of the Auto Barn; install a fence so traffic can exit directly to Joliet Road with a right pork chop in and out. This plan should be seriously considered. Marco Guttierez of Kensington stated that residents are against the traffic and the potential danger to kids playing in the park; there are alternatives and those should be explored. Chairman Fullmer stated these are the same ideas discussed last month; he suggested reworking the proposal. Jim Lentz of the Little League Board stated that the batting cage is less than a year old; it would be devastating to lose the batting cage; kids use it on a daily basis.

Mike Eiser, 5417 Ashland, does not believe that 16 two-car garages will significantly add to traffic congestion. Ald. Wayne Straza, 5704 Catherine, stated that Ald. Conrad has a good solution. During the baseball season 20-40 cars are parked on the street; no calls for illegal parking have ever been made to the police. Compromise is the key to this issue and it should benefit everyone. Residents are against the high density. Kevin Kopecky stated there are no sidewalks or bike lanes on Brainard; any additional projects will bring additional traffic. The Comprehensive Plan calls for multi-family development on this parcel. With the property zoned B-2, residents could be faced with a strip mall proposal. Vlado Lenoch stated that 15 years ago they planned a 12-story high-rise condo building with 140 units with the exit on 61^st St.. How much more traffic would that generate. They withdrew the plan in favor of a more residential approach. The suggestion for larger scale homes was rejected as not economically feasible.

Mrs. Jovic summarized the plan stating that in order for the community to grow continued building must be allowed and a compromise reached agreeable to all concerned. She asked the Board to vote tonight on the Plat of Re-subdivision as submitted. Mr. Muenzer stated that the rezoning has not taken place since the matter was not brought before the City Council; the parcel remains B-2 at this time. There was no further testimony by Petitioner or by interested parties. Mr. Peck stated that the only matter before this Board is the Plat of Re-subdivision and the 61^st St. access. Mr. Jasinski moved to close the evidentiary portion of this hearing, seconded by Mr. Ziemba and carried by unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Jasinski moved to recommend denial of the Parkview Estate Town Homes Plat of Re-subdivision for property commonly known as a vacant lot northwest of the William Tell Holiday Inn, seconded by Ms. Grotzke.

AYES: Grotzke, Jasinski, Ziemba, Fullmer

NAYS: Schulz, Toth, Lube, Moss, Thullen

Motion failed- 4/5/0.

Mr. Moss moved to recommend approval of the Parkview Estate Town Homes Plat of Re-subdivision for property commonly known as a vacant lot northwest of the William Tell Holiday Inn, as presented, seconded by Ms. Schulz.

AYES: Schulz, Toth, Lube, Moss, Thullen

NAYS: Grotzke, Jasinski, Ziemba, Fullmer

Motion carried – 5/4/0.

Chairman Fullmer stated that this recommendation will go before the City Council at its next Regular Meeting on December 14, 2005.

PUBLICHEARING

Chairman Fullmer read the Notice of Public Hearing to consider the proposed Commercial/ Industrial Landscape Ordinance. Mr. Lube moved to open the public hearing in this matter, seconded by Mr. Toth and carried by unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Muenzer stated that the Board packet includes the Draft Ordinance dated September 2005. The changes requested were made by Houseal & Lavigne including Section 2 – change the definition of parkway and add the definition for perimeter landscaping. In Section 3 language was added which applies to the primary auto sales property only. Section 5 deals with parkway landscaping- 75% being grass and 25% ground cover. The City engineer recommends keeping it at 100% grass; Mr. Muenzer agrees.

Mr. Muenzer noted that all references to Building Commissioner will be changed to Manager of Building Administration. Finally, screening of disposal areas is included in other parts of the Code and should be omitted here. The rest of the ordinance remains the same – this is for new development and re-development on commercial and industrial property only. After discussion of fencing, it was agreed that the height remains at three feet; that is in addition to shrubbery, ornamental trees and other buffers. Mr. Muenzer recommended approval of the above changes. Mr. Toth moved to close the evidentiary portion of the hearing, seconded by Mr. Lube and carried unanimously.

Mr. Jasinski moved to approve the Landscape Ordinance as presented with the modifications noted, seconded by Mr. Ziemba and carried unanimously by Roll Call vote. Mr. Muenzer will hold this matter until January before presenting it to City Council.

OTHER BUSINESS

Mr. Muenzer advised the Board regarding the four hearings scheduled for January 3, 2006. Chairman Fullmer will seek a moratorium on reversing the downsizing of parcels in order to preserve the integrity of open space in the City.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to discuss, Mr. Jasinski moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Toth and carried unanimously. Chairman Fullmer declared the meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.