City of Wheaton Planning and Zoning Board met May 9.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
I. Call To Order and Roll Call Vote
Chair Aranas called the Tuesday, May 9, 2023 Wheaton Planning and Zoning Board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in person and via zoom. Upon roll call, the following were:
Roll Call Vote
Present: Nicole Aranas
Chris Dabovich
Mark Plunkett
Dan Wanzung
Absent: Chris Derrick
Bob Gudmundson
Cecilia Horejs
City Staff Present: Tracy Jones, Staff Planner
Joe Tebrugge, Director of Engineering
II. Approval of Minutes - February 14, 2023
The minutes were approved as presented.
III. Public Comment
There was none.
IV. New Business
ZA #23-05/ PUD Amendment/ 20 E. Loop Road/ Platinum Car Wash
Pursuant to notice duly published on April 21, 2023 and letters mailed to neighboring property owners on April 19, 2023, Chair Aranas called to order the May 9, 2023 public hearing requesting an amendment to the existing Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the Platinum Car Wash, granted by Ordinance No. E-3630, to allow the following changes: paint the building’s exterior; install permanent vacuum arches in two locations; install an attendant booth; widen the existing pay lanes; and modify the western most drive approach to be a right-in only, all on property commonly known as 20 E. Loop Road, Wheaton, IL 60189.
Thomas Kim, 818 W. Northwest Highway, Arlington Heights was sworn in. Mr. Kim stated that he was representing Everclean and they recently purchased the Platinum Car Wash. He added that Everclean is proposing various building and site improvements to enhance the appearance of the property and improve the efficiency of the car wash operation.
Mr. Kim stated that they are proposing to paint the building’s exterior a palette of blue, white, and gray to match the standard Everclean color scheme. This paint scheme is also consistent with the recent Danada West shopping center updates and the WashU Car Wash that was recently approved at Butterfield and East Loop Road. He presented a photograph of the existing car wash noting the areas to be painted, and a sample rendering of the existing building with the proposed color palette.
Mr. Kim stated that Platinum is a full-service car wash, where employees currently perform each and every service. They plan to convert the existing full-service car wash operation into an express car wash, where the customer never has to exit their vehicle, unless they want to use the self-serve vacuums. The applicant is proposing to install two self-serve vacuum areas, utilizing the existing north and west parking areas on the property, and plans to install permanent vacuum aches at these locations. The north vacuum area would consist of seven vacuum spaces, and the west vacuum area would consist of six vacuum spaces. He presented a photograph of the permanent vacuum arches (at an existing location) and the construction details for these arches.
Mr. Kim stated that employee parking would be relocated to the existing south parking area on the property. This area would provide a total of six parking spaces, including one handicapped accessible parking space. He added that the proposed number of employee parking spaces would be adequate.
Mr. Kim stated that they plan to install an attendant booth just north of the pay lanes. He presented a photograph of the attendant booth (at an existing location) and the construction details for this booth. He added that they also plan to install a black or white metal arch over the pay lanes but no canopies over the vacuum areas (as noted on site grading plan) due to cost.
Mr. Kim stated that they plan to widen the existing pay lanes, and to modify the western most drive approach to be a right-in only. Both alterations are reflected on the proposed site grading plan. The eastern most drive approach would remain full access. He added that City Staff required the modification of the western most drive approach to correct an outstanding compliance issue.
Mr. Kim addressed the seven special use questions as required by the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance. He stated that the proposed special use would not be detrimental to the public health, safety, morals, comfort, convenience, or general welfare of the neighboring property owners.
Chair Aranas questioned how refuse would be addressed.
Mr. Kim stated that it would be placed in a receptacle located just east of the handicapped accessible parking space. He added that the site doesn’t generate enough garbage to justify a dumpster.
Mr. Wanzung questioned whether the applicant had considered adding additional materials to the exterior of the building, such as a wood element to break up the painted brick.
Mr. Kim stated that they have used a wood element on a few of their newer car wash buildings, but he felt the material was too modern looking for the existing architecture of the building at 20 E. Loop Road.
Chair Aranas stated that condition 1, 2, and 4 in the staff recommendation had already been addressed through the testimony provided at the public hearing. She asked whether the applicant was agreeable to condition 3 and 5 in the staff recommendation. Condition 3 states that “Two parkway trees, between the two existing drive approaches on East Loop Road, shall be added to provide additional screening of the vacuum arches.” Condition 5 states that “The preliminary engineering plan shall be subject to further staff review prior to the issuance of a site development permit.”
Mr. Kim stated that he was agreeable to both condition 3 and 5 in the staff recommendation.
Mr. Wanzung moved and then Mr. Dabovich seconded the motion to close the public hearing. On a voice vote, all voted aye.
Mr. Plunkett moved and then Mr. Wanzung seconded the motion to waive their regular rules and vote tonight. On a voice vote, all voted aye.
Mr. Dabovich moved and then Mr. Plunkett seconded the motion to approve ZA #23-05, subject to the following conditions:
1. Two parkway trees, between the two existing drive approaches on East Loop Road, shall be added to provide additional screening of the vacuum arches.
2. The preliminary engineering plan shall be subject to further staff review prior to the issuance of a site development permit”.
Roll Call Vote
Ayes: Nicole Aranas
Chris Dabovich
Mark Plunkett
Dan Wanzung
Nays: None
Absent: Chris Derrick
Bob Gudmundson
Cecilia Horejs
Motion Passed Unanimously
ZA #23-09/ Text Amendment and Variation/ 114 W. Prairie Avenue/ Vivoda
Pursuant to notice duly published on April 21, 2023 and letters mailed to neighboring property owners on April 19, 2023, Chair Aranas called to order the May 9, 2023 public hearing requesting an amendment to the text of the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance, Article 28 Northside Residential Overlay District (NROD) to repeal and replace the existing language for Front Loading Garages contained in Article 28.2B.2. The application is further requesting a variation to the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance, Article 9.2.5 to allow the construction and use of a new residence with a front yard setback of 35.0 feet in lieu of the required 60.96 feet, all on property commonly known as 114 W. Prairie Avenue.
Michael Van Poucke, 127 Aurora Avenue, Naperville was sworn in. Mr. Van Poucke stated that he was the attorney representing Mr. Vivoda, the contract purchaser of the property at 114 W. Prairie Avenue. He stated that their zoning request includes two components, a text amendment and a variation.
Mr. Van Poucke stated that his client is requesting an amendment to the text of the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance, Article 28 Northside Residential Overlay District to repeal and replace the existing language for Front Loading Garages contained in Article 28.2B.2. This text amendment request is being made to accommodate the structural wall bracing requirement included in the 2018 International Residential Code, which the City of Wheaton currently enforces for all single-family residential construction.
Staff Planner Jones stated that within this code, there have been substantial enhancements to the structural requirements for Wall Bracing (2018 IRC, 602.10) since Article 28 was adopted. These enhancements were in direct response to the damage inspection results from hurricane Katrina, which indicated several of the structural failures that occurred during that catastrophic storm resulted from inadequate structural bracing. Typically, a minimum of 4 feet of structural wall bracing would be required on each side of a garage door. For a single two-car garage door (16 feet in width), you would need a minimum of 24 feet in garage width. For two single garage doors (8 feet in width), you would need a minimum of 4 feet of structural wall bracing on each outer side of the individual garage doors, and a minimum of 2 feet between the individual garage doors, resulting in a minimum width of 26 feet.
Mr. Van Pouke stated that the existing language contained in Article 28.2B.2 reads as follows:
“Front loading garages. In an effort to minimize the appearance of attached front loaded garages, the total floor area of attached front loaded garages shall be counted towards the gross floor area for the purposes of calculating floor area ratio. All attached front loaded garages must be located at least 5 feet behind the front face of the principal building. On corner lots, an attached front-loaded garage is any garage which faces the same street as the front door of the house.
A front loaded attached garage shall not occupy more than one-third of the front façade of any single family dwelling. This limitation shall not, however, prevent the construction of a front loaded attached garage less than 22 feet in width.”
The proposed language contained in Article 28.2B.2 reads as follow:
“Front loading garages. In an effort to minimize the appearance of attached front loaded garages, the total floor area of attached front loaded garages shall be counted towards the gross floor area for the purposes of calculating floor area ratio. All attached front loaded garages must be located at least 5 feet behind the front face of the principal building. On corner lots, an attached front-loaded garage is any garage which faces the same street as the front door of the house.
A front loaded attached garage shall not occupy more than one-third of the front façade of any single family dwelling. This limitation shall not, however, prevent the construction of a front loaded attached garage less than 26 feet in width.”
Staff Planner Jones stated that the 26 foot measurement included in the proposed language was drafted as an interior measurement, not an exterior measurement. Since most, if not all, of the dimensions in the Zoning Ordinance are exterior measurements, she recommended increasing this dimension slightly to accommodate the width of the walls as well as two, 9 foot wide garage doors.
The Board agreed that the new maximum garage width should be an exterior measurement and the dimension should accommodate two, 9 foot wide garage doors.
Mr. Van Poucke stated that his client is further requesting a variation to the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance, Article 9.2.5 to allow the construction and use of a new residence with a front yard setback of 35.0 feet in lieu of the required 60.96 feet, all on property commonly known as 114 W. Prairie Avenue. The required front yard setback for the new residence is based on the average of the adjacent two residences, which results in a required front yard setback of 60.96 feet.
Mr. Van Poucke stated that his client has submitted plans for a new two story single-family residence on the subject property. Except for the front yard setback, the home is fully compliant with all the bulk regulations contained in the R-3 Residential District and the additional zoning requirements contained in the Northside Residential Overlay District regulations.
Mr. Van Poucke addressed the ten variation questions as required by the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance. He stated that the variation would not be detrimental to the public health, safety, morals, comfort, convenience, or general welfare of the neighboring property owners.
Mr. Plunkett questioned the front yard setback dimension of the house to the east and the west.
Staff Planner Jones stated that the house to the east has a setback of 84.2 feet and the house to the west has a setback of 37.72 feet.
Mr. Plunkett questioned whether a previous front yard setback variation had been requested for the subject property and if so, what setback was proposed.
Staff Planner Jones stated that a previous front yard setback of 38.0 feet had been requested in 2005. However, while the Board recommended approval of the request, the application was withdrawn before it went to the City Council.
Patrick Mc Cluskey, 105 E. Prairie Avenue was sworn in. Mr. Mc Cluskey stated that he was opposed to the combined text amendment and variation request. He added that the proposed house was too large and not consistent with the neighborhood.
Mr. Dabovich moved and then Mr. Plunkett seconded the motion to close the public hearing. On a voice vote, all voted aye.
Mr. Plunkett moved and then Mr. Wanzung seconded the motion to waive their regular rules and vote tonight. On a voice vote, all voted aye.
Mr. Wanzung moved and then Mr. Dabovich seconded the motion to approve ZA #23-09, subject to the following conditions:
1. The new maximum garage width should be determined by City Staff, however it should be an exterior measurement and the dimension should accommodate two, 9 foot wide garage doors.
2. A new parkway tree shall be installed in front of 114 W. Prairie Avenue.
3. The preliminary engineering plan shall be subject to further staff review prior to the issuance of a site development permit.
Roll Call Vote
Ayes: Nicole Aranas
Chris Dabovich
Mark Plunkett
Dan Wanzung
Nays: None
Absent: Chris Derrick
Bob Gudmundson
Cecilia Horejs
Motion Passed Unanimously
V. Miscellaneous
There was none.
IV. Adjournment
Mr. Dabovich moved and then Mr. Plunkett seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:23 p.m. On a voice vote, all voted aye.
https://www.wheaton.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05092023-2282
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