Chicago City Wire

City of Wheaton Planning and Zoning Board met April 9

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

I. Call To Order and Roll Call Vote

Chair Aranas called the Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 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

Chris Derrick

Bob Gudmundson

Mark Plunkett

Dan Wanzung

Absent: Cecilia Horejs

City Staff Present: Dawn Didier, City Attorney

Tracy Jones, Staff Planner

Jim Kozik, Director of Planning and Economic Development

Joe Tebrugge, Director of Engineering

II. Approval of Minutes - March 12, 2024

The minutes were approved as presented.

III. Public Comment

There was none.

IV. New Business

ZA #24-07/ Special Use Permit and Variations / 1496 County Farm Court/ Carmichael

Pursuant to notice duly published on March 22, 2024 and letters mailed to neighboring property owners on March 20, 2024, Chair Aranas called to order the April 9, 2024 public hearing requesting a special use permit and two setback variations to allow the construction and use of a new 32 foot by 34 foot combined pool house and covered patio structure, all on property commonly known as 1496 County Farm Court, Wheaton, IL 60189. The property is zoned R-4 Residential District.

A letter of objection from a neighbor on the 1400 block of County Farm Road was received and incorporated into the record.

Reed Carmichael, 1496 County Farm Road, was sworn in. Mr. Carmichael stated that the subject property is located at the corner of County Farm Court and County Farm Road. The lot is 116 feet wide, 139 feet deep, and approximately 18,295 square feet in area. The lot is zoned R-4 Residential and is improved with an existing twostory residence.

Mr. Carmichael stated that he is requesting a special use permit to allow the construction and use of a new 32 foot by 34 foot combined pool house and covered patio structure that is proposed in the northwest corner of the subject property. Article 24.4.1 of the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance requires a special use permit for all pool houses. He added that they currently have a pending building permit for a 20 foot by 40 foot in-ground pool.

Mr. Carmichael stated that the pool house portion of the structure would be 32 feet by 18 feet and the covered patio portion of the structure would be 24 feet by 18 feet. The pool housing includes a recreation room and two storage areas, with one of the storage areas housing the pool equipment. The architecture of the combined pool house and covered patio would match the existing house and the structure would be 17 feet in height. The combined building is fully compliant with the lot coverage and floor area ratio (FAR) limits for the property.

Mr. Carmichael stated that he is further requesting a side and year yard setback variation for the combined pool house and covered patio structure. He added that he is requesting a variation to Article 3.4A.5a of the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance to allow a side yard setback of 7.36 feet in lieu of the required 9.28 feet. He added that he is further requesting a variation to Article 3.4A.6 to allow a rear yard setback of 10 feet in lieu of the required 25 feet.

Mr. Gudmundson questioned whether the applicant had seen the concern from engineer staff that the swale shown on the preliminary grading plan (to the side of the pool house) was not large enough and recommended that the applicant maintain the required side yard setback of 9.28 feet to provide additional space for the swale.

Mr. Carmichael stated that he did see this comment.

The Board discussed the swale and a majority of the Board concurred with the recommendation made by engineering staff. Then the property owner agreed to omit the side yard setback variation from the request.

Mr. Plunkett questioned whether the existing shed and swing set would be removed.

Mr. Carmichael stated that they would.

Mr. Wanzung questioned whether there were alternate orientations for the combined pool house and covered patio structure that wouldn’t require the level of variations requested.

Mr. Carmichael stated they that had tried different orientations, but this seemed to be the best fit.

Chair Aranas stated that the property is diamond shaped and the usable backyard space is somewhat small in comparison to the overall property size.

Mr. Dabovich moved and then Mr. Wanzung seconded the motion to close the public hearing. On a voice vote, all voted aye.

Mr. Wanzung moved and then Mr. Gudmundson seconded the motion to waive their normal rules and vote night.

On a voice vote, all voted aye.

Mr. Wanzung moved and then Mr. Plunkett seconded the motion to recommend approval of the special use permit and rear yard setback variation to allow the construction and use of a new 32 foot by 34 foot combined pool house and covered patio structure, but not the previously requested side yard setback variation, subject to the following conditions:

1. The required side yard setback of 9.28 feet shall be maintained; and

2. The preliminary engineering plan shall be subject to further staff approval prior to the issuance of a site development permit.

Roll Call Vote

Ayes: Nicole Aranas

Chris Dabovich

Chris Derrick

Bob Gudmundson

Mark Plunkett

Nays: Dan Wanzung

Absent: Cecilia Horejs

The dissenting Board member felt there may be alternate orientations for the combined pool house and covered patio structure that wouldn’t require the level of variations requested.

V. Old Business

ZA #24-06/ Special Use Permit Amendment/ Cosley Zoo Parking - 1351 N. Gary Avenue/ Wheaton Park District

Chair Aranas reconvened the public hearing on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. She reminded everyone in attendance that the Board is solely a recommending body. She added that the Board’s role in conducting this public hearing is to hear testimony from the applicant, any objectors, and other interested parties and then to make a recommendation to the City Council. The Board’s recommendation is not based on whether the Board likes or doesn’t like a particular project but instead is based on specific standards established for the issuance of a special use permit. These standards are set forth in Article 5.10 of the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance, and copies of them are also available on the table. She added that the City Council will make the final decision on this matter.

Dan Wilson, 2500 N. Frontage Road, Darien was sworn in. Mr. Wilson stated that he was the landscape architect working on the project. He stated that a tree preservation plan and a landscape plan were submitted as part of the special use permit submittal. The tree preservation plan proposes the removal of 63 existing trees, which would be replaced with 85 new trees. Many of the trees to be removed are exempt from the tree preservation requirements of the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance based on species and/or condition.

Mr. Wilson stated that the landscape plan proposes to use a mix of shade, evergreen, and ornamental trees as well as evergreen and deciduous shrubs and ornamental grasses and perennials. An eight-foot-tall solid wood privacy fence is still proposed. However, based on public comments received at the initial public hearing, this fence will be moved closer to the parking lot. The landscape plan is fully compliant with the requirements of the Wheaton Zoning Ordinance.

Mary Lee, 1310 N. Carlton Avenue, Wheaton was sworn in. Ms. Lee questioned the grading work proposed between the new privacy fence and the adjacent residences.

Mr. Wilson stated that no grading work was proposed in this area.

Sharon Beiersdorf, 766 Ralph Court, Wheaton was sworn in. Ms. Beiersdorf questioned whether the parking lot lights were dark sky compliant.

Mr. Wilson stated that the parking lot lights would meet Wheaton’s photometrics requirements at the property lines, but he was unsure whether they were considered dark sky compliant.

Angela Stephenson, 1300 Champion Forest Court, Wheaton was sworn in. Ms. Stephenson questioned the replacement requirement for the trees to be removed.

Mr. Wilson stated that the tree preservation plan proposes the removal of 63 existing trees, which would be replaced with 85 new trees. He added that Wheaton requires tree replacement based on the caliper size of the trees to be removed (assuming the trees are healthy and are not exempt from the tree preservation requirements).

Michael Werthmann, 9575 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont was sworn in. Mr. Werthmann stated that he was the traffic engineer working on the project. He added that Wheaton plans to complete improvements to the Gary Avenue and Prairie Avenue intersection regardless of the proposed parking lot. These improvements include a center turn lane on Gary Avenue and a traffic light. Access to the new parking lot is proposed on the east side of Gary Avenue at the new traffic light, which would provide visitors and employees with a signalized crosswalk.

Mr. Werthmann stated that his firm completed a traffic report which shows that the proposed facility will have no impact on the surrounding traffic. The total additional vehicular zoo traffic, if it is fully realized, is proposed to be 0.6% of the total peak traffic on Gary Avenue. The traffic report depicts that a fence will be installed around the new parking lot that will force all pedestrian traffic to exit the parking facility at the new traffic signal that will be installed as a part of the City of Wheaton’s Gary Avenue Reconstruction Project at the new proposed pedestrian crosswalk facilities.

Mr. Westerguard, 742 Ralph Court, Wheaton was sworn in. Mr. Westerguard questioned the number of traffic accidents on this section of Gary Avenue.

Mr. Werthmann stated that the number of accidents was on the low side of the acceptable range.

Tom Knight, 795 W. Hawthorne Boulevard, Wheaton was sworn in. Mr. Knight questioned why the high school rush hour wasn’t noted in the traffic report.

Mr. Werthmann stated that this traffic was included in the overall traffic numbers, but it wasn’t large enough to be noticed.

Mary Lee, 1310 N. Carlton Avenue, Wheaton was sworn in. Ms. Lee questioned whether a 35 mile per hour speed limit would generate more accidents than a 25 mile per hour speed limit at a signalized intersection.

Mr. Werthmann stated that a faster speed limit doesn’t translate into more accidents at a signalized intersection.

Mary Lee further questioned why a bridge or tunnel wasn’t being considered.

Mr. Luetkehans objected to this question.

Chair Aranas stated that the Board must focus on the application before them, and not hypotheticals.

Angela Stephenson, 1300 Champion Forest Court, Wheaton was sworn in. Ms. Stephenson questioned the number of vehicles per day on this section of Gary Avenue and the peak traffic hours.

Mr. Werthmann stated that 12,000 - 13,000 vehicles per day travel this section of Gary Avenue and the peak traffic hours are 5:15 to 6:15 pm weekdays.

Tom Johnson, 325 W. Harrison Avenue, Wheaton was sworn in. Mr. Johnson questioned how many vehicles exiting the proposed parking lot could be positioned perpendicular to Gary Avenue.

Mr. Werthmann estimated that 5 or 6 vehicles could be positioned perpendicular to Gary Avenue at a time.

John Patterson, 1849 Cherry Street, Wheaton was sworn in. Mr. Patterson questioned whether Gary Avenue was a designated truck and/or ambulance route.

Mr. Werthmann stated that he could not answer this question.

Mike Marous, 1550 N. Northwest Highway, Park Ridge was sworn in. Mr. Marous stated that his firm has conducted market studies for many developments over the past 40 years. He stated that his firm completed a market analysis which shows that the proposed parking lot will not adversely affect property values in the vicinity.

The factors that affect property values are use, appearance, noise and odor, traffic/ parking and hazardous materials.

Jeff Westerguard, 742 Ralph Court, Wheaton was sworn in. Mr. Westerguard questioned the term “improve the function” in the market analysis.

Mr. Marous states that the term “improve the function” in the market analysis meant improving the amenities to support the zoo (i.e. amount of parking).

Pam Knight, 795 W. Hawthorne Boulevard, Wheaton was sworn in. Ms. Knight questioned if this was phase one of a larger expansion.

Mr. Luetkehans objected to this question.

Chair Aranas stated that the Board must focus on the application before them, and not hypotheticals.

Joan Wegrzyn, 218 W. Forest Avenue, Wheaton had written questions but needed assistance reading them into the record.

Chair Aranas agreed to read the questions for Ms. Wegrzyn into the record. Chair Aranas, on behalf of Ms. Wegrzyn, questioned whether any of the parking lot examples in the market analysis negatively impacted property value. She further questioned why one of these examples wasn’t used as a comp.

Mr. Marous stated that none of the parking lot examples in the market analysis negatively impacted property values. He added that these examples weren’t included as comps in the market analysis because their property values skyrocketed based on adjacent development.

Angela Stephenson, 1300 Champion Forest Court, Wheaton was sworn in. Ms. Stephenson questioned the impact of the property value at 1305 N. Carlton Avenue.

Mr. Marous stated that due to the proposed landscape buffer it would not be negatively impacted. He added that the certainty of the future use would also alleviate future questions.

Lisa Leftwich, 814 Hawthorne Boulevard, Wheaton was sworn in via zoom. Ms. Leftwich questioned the impact of a residential development on the adjacent property values. She further questioned whether local real estate professionals had been consulted as part of the market analysis.

Mr. Marous stated that the impact on property values would depend on the type of residential development (single-family or multi-family) and the number of units. He added that local real estate professionals were not consulted for the market analysis. He added that this is common practice when drafting market studies for controversial requests.

Mr. Gudmundson moved and then Mr. Plunkett seconded the motion to continue this public hearing to Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 6:00 pm. On a voice vote, all voted aye.

VI. Miscellaneous

There was none.

VII. Adjournment

Mr. Wanzung moved and then Mr. Plunkett seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 11:00 p.m. On a voice vote, all voted aye.

https://www.wheaton.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04092024-2512