City of Warrenville Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals met Aug. 24.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
A. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Cosgrove called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
B. ROLL CALL
PC Present: Tim Cosgrove, Natalie Clemens, Byron Miller, Mark Taylor, Rachael Fawell, Jessica Tullier
Excused: Kennedy Hartsfield, Bob Vavra
Absent: Carla Sanfilipp
ZBA Present: Tim Cosgrove, Byron Miller, Mark Taylor, Jessica Tullier
Excused: Kennedy Hartsfield, Bob Vavra
Absent: Carla Sanfilipp
Also Present: Community and Economic Development Director Amy Emery, Assistant Community Development Director Consuelo Arguilles, Planner/GIS Technician Jack Maszka, Permit and Zoning Technician Chris Santos
C. NEW BUSINESS
1. 30W255 Youghal Road / Paul Michalak / D/C Export & Packing
Located on Youghal Road, west of Talbot Avenue/Courtesy Review
Paul Michalak, the representative from D/C Exports and Domestic Packing, is requesting permission to store various items on their lot for short periods of time. Mr. Michalak stated the main items that will be stored in the fall and winter will be empty metal frames for windmills. Mr. Michalak mentioned that metal windmills mostly get constructed in the summer and in the fall most of the framing material is stored and then shipped out overseas. Mr. Michalak stated this is generally not long-term storage and poses no hazard to nearby properties.
Chairman Cosgrove asked Mr. Michalak if they put storage behind the fenced area and if they had stored this material in the past.
Mr. Michalak confirmed that they put storage behind the fenced area and they started storing these empty metal frames last year but were unaware that they needed permits to store these.
Chairman Cosgrove suggested putting up a six-foot fence leaving the driveway accesses open and putting the storage behind the fence so that the storage may not be seen. Chairman Cosgrove asked Mr. Michalak how high these stacks of cargo containers were.
Mr. Michalak stated that these cargo containers are about three feet tall. Mr. Michalak asked if there was a specific requirement on the type of fence that would need to be installed.
Chairman Cosgrove suggested that a six-foot vinyl fence that would block the view would be sufficient. Chairman Cosgrove also asked Mr. Michalak what other items he stores at the property.
Commissioner Miller and Commissioner Fawell agreed that a fence would need to be put up for this property to block the view of the storage.
Mr. Michalak mentioned he stores other smaller items and also stores engine parts inside the warehouse. Mr. Michalak asked the Plan Commission if they suggested the fence also be along the truck entrance.
Chairman Cosgrove stated it would be appropriate to place the fence along the front of the property line and it would be up to Mr. Michalak if he wanted to put a gate at the truck entrance.
Assistant Community Development Director Arguilles stated there has been informative feedback from the Plan Commission that Mr. Michalak and staff can take into consideration and suggested to Mr. Michalak that he meet with city staff regarding this fence before submitting a formal application and proposal.
Commissioner Tullier asked Mr. Michalak if there would be sufficient parking available at the facility with all the storage scattered around the property.
Mr. Michalak stated that there are only a couple of employees that are at the facility at any given time so there are no parking issues.
Chairman Cosgrove stated that other areas around the facility are available for parking. No other questions from the Plan Commission.
Chairman Cosgrove stated that there is general support for the applicant's request for a variance and should meet with city staff to get the process started for a formal application to be submitted.
2. 2S222 Sanchez Drive / Laurence Mettevelis
Located at the corner of Sanchez Drive and Elmwood Court/Courtesy Review
Laurence Mettevelis, the owner of 2S222 Sanchez Drive, stated he would like to build a new garage and put it to the south end of his lot and convert the old garage into added space for his home. Mr. Mettevelis mentioned he was told by city staff to apply for a variance due to the garage addition not meeting the required 20-foot rear yard setback along the south lot line. Mr. Mettevelis explained that the garage addition rear yard setback would go from 20 feet to about 15 feet.
Chairman Cosgrove stated the proposed plans do not impact the adjacent property to the south. Chairman Cosgrove suggested to Mr. Mettevelis to have his architect add the 25-foot setback line to the site plan so that when the foundation gets put it its set in the right place. Chairman Cosgrove also suggested removing the curb where the old garage is now and replacing it with a roll curb or raised curb to match existing.
Commissioner Fawell asked Mr. Mettevelis if the neighbor to the south approved of his new garage addition plan.
Mr. Mettevelis stated he is waiting on the letter from the neighbor stating their approval to submit to city staff.
Chairman Cosgrove stated to Mr. Mettevelis that there is general support for the applicant's request for a variance.
Commissioner Clemens asked Mr. Mettevelis to have his architect clean up a few clerical errors on the site plans before presenting them to the Plan Commission at the next formal meeting.
ACDD Arguilles stated that Mr. Mettevelis has already filed the paperwork for a public hearing on this matter.
D. INFORMATIONAL ITEM
Planner Maszka shared a memo update with the Plan Commission on the status of various text amendments completed by city staff as well as upcoming text amendments that are due to be brought up in the near future for discussion.
Planner Maszka shared the following list of text amendments that were completed by staff:
∙ Chicken Coups
∙ PC/ZBA Filing Procedures
∙ Second-Story Additions to Existing Nonconforming Setbacks
∙ Parking Requirements for Commercial and Residential Uses
∙ Parking Lot Lighting Requirements
Planner Maszka stated that the Automotive Special Uses text amendment is currently in progress and will be on the agenda for the next meeting.
Planner Maszka then shared the following text amendments that are being worked on by city staff but have not yet been presented to the Plan Commission. Planner Maszka stated that the target completion of these text amendments is by the end of the Fiscal Year 2024. These items are:
∙ PC/ZBA requirements such as the use of a court reporter
∙ Eliminating the need for certified mail and switching to regular mail
∙ Revising the fee schedule
∙ Building on Easements
∙ Sign Ordinance Lighting
∙ Cleaning up the language in Table 4A of the Zoning Ordinance
Planner Maszka shared with the Plan Commission other text amendments that are to be brought up to the Plan Commission at a later time. Planner Maszka mentioned the goal is to have these specific text amendments completed in Fiscal Year 2025 or 2026. These items are:
∙ Accessory Dwelling Units
∙ Tree Preservation
∙ Solar Panels/EV Charging Stations
∙ Cantera Parking Regulations
Chairman Cosgrove asked Planner Maszka if revising the fee schedule is a recommendation given to the City Council by the Plan Commission.
Planner Maszka stated that in the Subdivision Control Ordinance, there is language that states the Plan Commission may consider proposed amendments and make recommendations to the City Council.
Community and Economic Development Director Emery explained that in the fee schedule amendment, the proposal would be to have all the fees from each department that uses the municipal code and put it all into one place within the city code for everyone to easily find. Director Emery mentioned that some of the schedule of fees date back to 1986 and do not reflect the current market of fees.
ACDD Arguilles stated that part of the proposed text amendment to the schedule of fees would also include separating single-family detached homes public hearing fees from commercial project fees as a way to save costs to residents of the City of Warrenville.
Chairman Cosgrove asked Planner Maszka about the trend of moving away from using court reporters and just using audio to transcribe minutes.
Planner Maszka mentioned that staff will keep an audio file of meetings on record and will look to use video recordings of the meetings as well.
Commissioner Clemens asked if the staff would still keep a record of the transcribed minutes.
Director Emery stated city staff has looked into what other comparable communities do with the use of court reporters and the research showed that more than half of the comparable communities do not use court reporters. Director Emery stated that city staff already keeps a record of the meeting on an audio file and records the minutes and notes the motions and votes down as staff has already done for many years. Director Emery stated that the plan would be to keep it the way it is and not use court reporters at all.
Commissioner Clemens asked for clarification of the proposed changes to the certified mailers procedure along with the fees and escrows for single-family residential homes and commercial projects.
Director Emery stated that the proposed text amendment is still in the works and a draft has not been made yet. Director Emery explained that early discussions suggest that the proposed change would be universal to both types of applicants and that the use of a certified mailing would be changed to regular mailing as well as eliminating the use of a court reporter.
Commissioner Clemens shared her concern that city staff would just use video recordings as their only resource for documenting the meetings.
Director Emery stated that there will still be a transcription of the minutes taken from every meeting which is done by staff. Director Emery also stated the current process regarding the transcription of the meetings will not change and staff will continue to deliver a copy of the minutes to Commissioners before every meeting.
Commissioner Clemens asked staff if the tree preservation text amendment can be moved up to Fiscal Year 24 due to the City of Warrenville currently working on the zoning overlay district project.
Director Emery explained to Commissioner Clemens that Fiscal Year 25 starts in May 2024 which would be within the same time frame as Commissioner Clemens’s suggestion.
Chairman Cosgrove asked Planner Maszka what staff had in mind with about the Cantera Parking Regulations that are slated to come up in Fiscal Year 25 or Fiscal Year 26.
Planner Maszka explained that the discussions for Cantera Parking regulations would be included in a possible updated subarea plan for Cantera only.
E. PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were none.
F. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Regular Meeting of August 10, 2023
CHAIRMAN COSGROVE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 10, 2023 MEETING. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER TULLIER. COMMISSIONER FAWELL ABSTAINED. CHAIRMAN COSGROVE ASKED FOR A VOICE VOTE. MOTION PASSED. MOTION CARRIED.
G. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Chairman Cosgrove reported that US Foods is building a 450,000 square foot facility in Aurora, north of Ferry Road, and adding approximately 250 new jobs to the area. Chairman Cosgrove also mentioned that the City of Aurora has approved the lease of three city-owned sites for new solar fields. Chairman Cosgrove explained that currently there are no taxes to be paid since it is city property, the company that’s leasing the land is putting it back into tax rolls which generate tax income along with the leasing income, and is using it to feed the electrical grid for Aurora which could allow residents to save money on their electric bill.
H. COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Director Emery notified the Plan Commission that the new ADP Workforce Payroll system is now in effect for all city employees and commission members. Director Emery encouraged the Plan Commission members to enroll and update their information on it for payroll purposes.
I. ASSISTANT COMMUNITY DIRECTOR’S REPORT
ACDD Arguilles mentioned that the APA-IL Conference will take place on September 11-13 and encourages commissioners to participate in the training program.
Commissioner Fawell mentioned there will be a tour of O’Hare Airport coming up that Plan Commission Members can attend.
J. PLANNER’S REPORT
Planner Maszka provided a preview of the agenda items that are coming up in the next meeting and mentioned there will be three public hearing items on the agenda for next week’s meeting.
K. ADJOURN
COMMISSIONER TULLIER MOVED, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:52 P.M. CHAIRMAN COSGROVE ASKED FOR A VOICE VOTE. MOTION PASSED. MOTION CARRIED.
https://www.warrenville.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08242023-1281
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