Dupage Policy Journal

City of Warrenville Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals met Jan. 4.

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, Bob Vavra, Byron Miller, Jessica Tullier, Mark Taylor, Jim Martina

Excused: Rachel Fawell, Kennedy Hartsfield

ZBA Present: Tim Cosgrove, Bob Vavra, Byron Miller, Jessica Tullier, Mark Taylor, Jim Martina Excused: Kennedy Hartsfield

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

3S625 Breme Drive West and 3S627 Breme Drive West / Herrick Woods Homeowners Association / James Smith

Chairman Cosgrove stated that the petitioner for 3S625 Breme Drive West and 3S627 Breme Drive West in the Herrick Woods subdivision is requesting to fill in a landscape strip in between the driveway of the two units.

James Smith, who is on the Herrick Woods Homeowners Association (HOA) and resides in the same subdivision, stated that the driveways for both homes are divided by a slightly curved strip of land which is 15 feet long by 3 ½ feet wide that has bushes that abuts on the multi-unit home and a patch of grass that goes down to the sidewalk. Mr. Smith explained that the homeowner that resides on 3S627 Breme Drive has a large SUV vehicle and has had trouble driving up to his garage and in doing so drives over the grass part of the strip which has been patched with brick and tends to have dirt all over their side of the driveway which becomes an eyesore. Mr. Smith stated they are requesting that they be allowed to pave over this strip of land so that this continuing problem gets taken care of and mentioned that this is a unique circumstance and will not encourage other homeowners in the subdivision to ask for a similar request.

Mr. Smith showed the Plan Commission two different properties within the same subdivision that has driveways that are entirely paved. One property is paved up to the bushes that abuts the multi unit home, and the other property has a unique driveway configuration that serves two different multi-unit buildings that is paved entirely which shows the paved driveways to be aesthetically pleasing.

Chairman Cosgrove mentioned that M/I Homes built these homes and when they did the curb cut they put the radius on the driveway instead of going straight out 90 degrees from those two townhouse then going out bushes. Chairman Cosgrove asked Mr. Smith what happened to the bushes and daylily’s that abuts to the multi-unit building that were part of the original landscape plan.

Mr. Smith stated the bushes are still there, but they were cut down for the winter and they will bloom again in the spring. Mr. Smith mentioned some other homes in the subdivision may not have properly treated and maintained their bushes and daylilies but there is usually vegetation that is visible in the spring and summer months.

Chairman Cosgrove asked if the HOA gave approval to pave this strip of land. Mr. Smith confirmed that the HOA board approved the request to pave the strip of land.

Commissioner Martina shared that he is familiar with this request to pave the drive because he resides in the same subdivision and was on the HOA board back in 2019. Commissioner Martina stated that this has been an issue since 2019 and M/I Homes who were the builders did nothing after the issue was brought up. Commissioner Martina mentioned that when M/I Homes tenured the HOA to the homeowners it fell on them to resolve this problem on their own. Commissioner Martina went on to say that when he was on the HOA board back in 2019, he brought up this issue to City Staff and they provided different paving options. Commissioner Martina stated he is supportive of this request and asks that a condition of approval be added so that no other home within the subdivision is allowed to pave these strips of land in their driveways.

Chairman Cosgrove mentioned that a possible compromise would be to pave over the grass area where the bricks and stone have been placed.

Brinsley Lewis who is the Herrick Woods HOA President supported Chairman Cosgrove’s proposal.

Commissioner Miller asked Mr. Lewis who is responsible for the driveways and grounds, and asked if they have had issues when the snow plower clears the snow from that driveway.

Mr. Lewis stated it is the HOA responsibility for the driveways and the grounds and mentioned they have not had issues with a snow plower but does see it being an issue in the future if it is not paved over.

Commissioner Vavra asked staff why this is brought to the Plan Commission and not a HOA issue that they can resolve themselves.

Director Emery stated that this request is a minor change to the PUD and any modification to the existing approved plans and required Plan Commission approval.

Commissioner Miller asked Mr. Lewis if the homeowner made the brick modification and asked if the neighbor is ok with paving that strip of land that divides their homes.

Mr. Lewis stated that the homeowner did the brick modification himself and the neighbor supports paving that strip of land.

Commissioner Tullier asked if other homeowners had similar complaints over the strip of land in the driveway.

Mr. Smith mentioned that they have not had any other complaints from any other homeowners regarding the strip of land in the driveway.

Commissioner Miller asked Mr. Lewis if the other property that had their entire driveway paved did it without the HOA permission.

Mr. Lewis stated the other property had M/I homes pave the entire driveway which was before the HOA took over the subdivision.

Mr. Smith asked the Plan Commission if they could asphalt the grass area only and leave the bush area as is to mirror the other properties in the subdivision.

Commissioner Clemens mentioned to Mr. Smtih that the grading of the two driveways seems different and is concerned if water were to go down the driveway it would cause puddles and be a freezing hazard in the winter.

Mr. Smith confirmed the drive has two different grades and is on a hill that has a slight slope but did mention that the driveways are plowed and salted so the freezing hazard would be taken care of. Mr. Smith stated when the paving is done the grading between the two driveways will be smoothed out and there would be no more slope.

Commissioner Miller suggested just to pave the area that has been patched with brick only and leave some grass or extend the bushes into the greenspace.

Mr. Lewis stated that would not be aesthetically pleasing and would look very odd.

Commissioner Miller asked Planner Maszka why staff recommended to decline the applicant’s request and what happens if other homeowners want to ask for the same request in the future.

Planner Maszka stated the reasons why staff is recommending denying this request is due to possible future code enforcement issues, stormwater issues and aesthetics. Planner Maszka mentioned if other homeowners requested to do the same modification, then they would have to go thru the formal process with the Plan Commission and ask for a Minor PUD Amendment.

Director Emery clarified the staff’s stance on their recommendation to deny the applicant’s request. Director Emery stated that there were stormwater concerns, aesthetic concerns and there could be potential code enforcement issues due to the central space becoming a voided space where potential neighbor disputes could happen. Director Emery also mentioned that staff and the Plan Commission have taken a stance on adding more impervious surfaces and the staff report reflected that. Director Emery also mentioned that the nature of the hardship is low and can be easily rectified if the homeowner takes extra pre-caution when entering and backing out of their driveway.

Mr. Lewis stated that there are no drainage issues in the subdivision and mentioned that there are four retention ponds in the subdivision and one of them has already dried up from lack of water.

Commissioner Miller stated he was not in support of the request and mentioned there is not evidence of a hardship and suggested the homeowner can be more careful when driving in and out of their own driveway.

Chairman Cosgrove suggested to asphalt the grass area only and extend the planting bed and make a bigger teardrop of the planting bed.

Mr. Smith disagreed with Chairman Cosgrove’s suggestion due to the potential of future cost and would prefer to do the asphalt one time only.

Commissioner Clemens asked staff if Senior Engineer Kristine Hocking reviewed this request and had any concerns regarding the stormwater.

Planner Maszka stated that Senior Engineer Hocking did review this request and noted that there would not be any stormwater issues for this particular property.

Commissioner Clemens stated she supported the applicants request of paving the driveway up to the bushes only since there is no stormwater issue.

Commissioner Tullier concurred with Commissioner Clemens and supported the applicants request due to the similar configurations of the other two properties in the subdivision that have already been paved and the fact that there would not be any additional stormwater issue after it is paved.

COMMISSIONER CLEMENS MADE A MOTION FOR THE PLAN COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE MINOR PUD AMENDMENT TO PAVE BETWEEN THE DRIVEWAYS LOCATED AT 3S625 AND 3S627 BREME DRIVE WEST IN THE HERRICK WOODS SUBDIVISION. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MARTINA. CHAIRMAN COSGROVE ASKED FOR A VOICE VOTE. COMMISSIONER VAVRA AND COMMISSIONER MILLER OPPOSED. MAJORITY VOTE PASSED. MOTION CARRIED.

D. PUBLIC COMMENTS

There we none.

E. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Chairman Cosgrove mentioned that Commissioner Hartsfield and his wife welcomed their new baby girl that was born in late December.

F. COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Director Emery wished everyone a Happy New Year and mentioned the following events are upcoming for the Community Development Department:

• ERP Software

• New I.T. Company

• Business License

• Code Enforcement procedure changes and resources

G. ASSISTANT COMMUNITY DIRECTOR’S REPORT

ACDD Arguilles stated that the Warrenville By Design draft is coming soon and will be having a public meeting in the near future for the public to review. ACDD Arguilles mentioned that the Special Census Field Representative recruitment has begun and encourages the public to apply. ACDD Arguilles also mentioned that Plan Commission training will be happening at the February 22nd PC/ZBA meeting.

H. PLANNER’S REPORT

Planner Maszka stated that Northwestern Medicine submitted a request to continue hearing to the public hearing to the February 8th meeting and that there will be two text amendments on the agenda for the next meeting.

I. ADJOURN

CHAIRMAN COSGROVE MOVED, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER VAVRA TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:43 P.M. CHAIRMAN COSGROVE ASKED FOR A VOICE VOTE. MOTION PASSED. MOTION CARRIED.

https://www.warrenville.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01042024-1333