Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

Heat. Heat. and welcome to the November 3rd, 2025 meeting of the Elgen Planning and Zoning Commission. Uh tonight we're going to be hearing four petitions, 30-25, 31-25,

33-25, and 34-25. Um before we move on to the Oh, clerk, please call the role. Commissioner Bowke, present. Commissioner Jones here. Commissioner Olsen here. Commissioner Rubal here. And Cher Wildermouth here. We have a qual right now. Uh we'll look for approval of the minutes of the October 6, 2025 meeting. Move for approval. Second. Commissioner Olsen.

Yes. Commissioner Boske. Yes. Commissioner Abali, abstain. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Rubble, abstain. And Chair Wildermouth, yes. The minutes are approved. Four to zero with two abstensions.

All right. Thank you. Now, I'll go on with my opening statement. I was just so excited to get the meeting started tonight that I wanted to jump right in. Um, but as I mentioned before, uh, welcome. And we will be hearing four petitions tonight. Um before we move on to the agenda, I want to briefly discuss the role of the commission and the procedures of tonight's meeting. Um as a reminder, the planning and zoning commission is an advisory body and recommending body to city council. The job of this commission is to review development proposals and determine whether a proposal meets the applicable standard of review. Uh the process that we adhere to uh during the planning and zoning uh commission meetings is that we first hear from city staff followed by questions the commission has for staff on the uh petitions and then we invite the applicant to provide a brief overview of their proposal and then the commission will then ask questions of the applicant. After that we will open the hearing to the public um for questions and comments. During the public comment period, please come forward, state your name, um your and spell it for the reporter, provide your address and public comments should be addressed to the commission and um we will keep notes on the questions, concerns uh raised and then city uh staff and the applicant will have the opportunity to address those questions. Um and in the interest of time, we ask that those testifying do not reiterate points that have already been made. Uh the commission will then deliberate, vote, and pass its recommendations to city council. Um in all cases, planning and zoning commission meetings are the forms for public hearings for each project for each project. It's where all parties can provide comments or ask questions. Um at this time, we will move ahead with the agenda, and those of you who wish to speak tonight should now stand and take the oath from the court reporter.

this. Yeah. Anyone w wishing to testify or think you might want to testify, go ahead and stand and take the oath now so you don't have to do it later. Or just all raise your right hands, please. Do solemnly swear or affirm the testimony about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Thank you. Okay. So, good evening everyone. So, the first petition before you tonight and for the record, we have provided the required notice on this on this petition. The first item on the agenda is the application by DLA architects, LTD, as applicant and school district U46 as the property owner who are requesting approval of a planned development as a map amendment with departures from the Elgen Municipal Code to construct a refuge collection area within a streetyard and a larger than permitted monument sign with an electronic message center for Kimell Middle School at the property commonly known as 451 North MLAN. Boulevard. So, as usual, we will start with the site location. So, the Kimble Middle School property is about 17.9 acres in size. It's outlined here in red. It is owned CF Community Facility District. It's also along the Arterial Road, so it's also part of the Ark Overlay district. It's at the southeast corner of North Mlan and Demen Street. And as you can see, it also has frontage on the far east end along Melrose Avenue. Property is home to Kimble Middle School, which is a public middle school, and it also includes the surface parking

lot north and south of the school, and open areas for outdoor recreation fields. As you can see, the properties to the north, east, and south are generally yellow with with the yellow shade. That means they're residential. To the north, there are some properties along North Mlan, which are zoned RB, residents business. Uh there are some properties that are zoned TFR, two family residence district, and then the remaining properties in yellow are RC1, residence conservation. All those are improved with single family homes. To the south, the property along South Mlan again is zone RB, residence business, and that property is improved with Paul's family restaurant and accessory parking areas. And then the remainder of the properties are zone RC2 and are improved with single family homes. To the east across Melrose Avenue, it's all single family homes, zone RC2. And then to the west across North MLAN Boulevard are RBZONED properties that include one and twostory office buildings. This is a bird's eye view of the of the school. As I as I mentioned, the school includes the parking lots to the north and to the stop to the south. The school is currently undergoing renovation and construction of a a a building addition generally on the east side of the school um and a new parking lot and access driveway for school buses on the north side. That project is is currently under construction and that otherwise meets all zoning requirements. So U46 is requesting approval as part of that building renovation and and construction project to upgrade the existing monument sign along North MLAN Boulevard. Install a that would be a larger than permitted monument sign and then also construct a refuge collection area

northeast of the building that's generally considered the streetyard on the east side of the of the building edition. So this is the existing monument sign on the left that is along North Mlan Boulevard that was approved in 2006. It's about 6 ft high and about 37 1/2 square ft. As you can see, includes four manually changeable uh lines for eventually changeable letters. school is proposing a new 7 and 1/2 ft uh high sign that would be 98.7 square feet in total sign surface area and it would include a 27.18 square ft electronic message center. Per code, the properties allowed a monument sign that could be up to 10 ft high, 40 square ft in total sign surface area and then 20 square ft for the electronic message center. The new sign would be in generally the same location as the existing sign. Uh it would have the masonry base that would complement the existing building and all required landscaping surrounding the sign would be installed. The refuge collection area that's located east of the building that's considered a a streety yard because the east side of the of the property fronts along Melrose Avenue. Uh this was originally supposed to or was designed to be on the interior of the building, but uh following the renovations of the space, they determined that an outdoor location for the refuge collection area would be the the preferred alternative. So it's generally in the same location as was originally designed. It would just be outside and enclosed with a with an 8ft high fence or I should say a wall. The refuge collection area is east of the or just adjacent to the school kitchen that where most of the trash actually comes from. And the access to

the new refuge collection area uh would be from the new access driveway that is um that was recently completed that's north of the building. As I mentioned, it would be enclosed with an 8 foot high wall that would again match the masonry of the building. So, those two items are departures from the standard zoning ordinance requirements. As I mentioned, the the maximum permitted sign on the property along North MLAN is 10 ft high, 40 square ft, and 20 foot electronic message center. They're proposing a 7 1/2 ft high sign. Overall, 98.7 square ft and 27.18 square foot electronic message center. And then again, the refuge collection area, it's only allowed in the rear yard, which in this case is on the south side of the building. Uh, but they're proposing it on the east side of the building, which is considered the street yard. Staff has provided the overview of the standards for approval in the packet. Uh, and we do believe that all applicable standards are satisfied and therefore staff recommends approval subject to the conditions in the packet. With that, I'm happy to answer any questions. The applicants team is here as well can address the commission.

All right. Thanks. Um, we will start on my right with questions for city staff. Commissioner Olsen, no questions. Thank you. Commissioner Abali, no questions. Commissioner Jones. I was just scrolling. There was a letter from the community about uh that garbage uh being in a different location around the original expansion of the school. Do you have any history of that that it was going to be in a different it was inside and now it's going to be outside? Is that the

as I mentioned their original plans and they can speak to that they've always wanted to have the refuge collection area adjacent to the kitchen but that area was going to be sort of enclosed in part of the building like an within inside of the building but they determined that that is not a good solution. So they would prefer to have an outdoor refuge collection area which is pretty standard. And so that's the current proposal. So it's just shifting it from indoors to out essentially no roof. Let's put it that way. Yeah. Okay. Thank you to me. You're welcome. Commissioner Buske, no questions. Commissioner Vubal,

I did um read that letter from the community as well. I do have some concerns about the noise. Um do we know how many times the trash will be picked up? I do not, but the applicant team is here. They can hopefully answer my question. All right. Thank you. You're welcome. Um and this might be a question for the applicant. Um but uh where the access point is for the garbage trucks going into the the new refuge collection is is that separate from where like the the bus the bus traffic is or is is there co-mingling of the garbage trucks going in with the bus traffic

and they can yeah it's probably a question for them but I would suspect that the refuge collection happens much earlier in the day or or certainly at the different times than during the the bus pickup and drop off. They can certainly arrange that. It's a private arrangement with the refuge collection company. So, just confirm. Thanks. All right. We will now invite the applicant to come forward and address the commission.

Uh so, good evening. I'm Brian Lynch. I'm the chief of staff with the school district. Uh and with me this evening, uh Carrie Matlock and Tracy Beerstat from DA Architects. Um, I think Demir explained uh the application very well, but we're here to answer the questions that you've already posed and any others that you may have. Great. All right. Um, we will start on my left. Uh, Commissioner Bubble, any questions? Um, I do have questions about the the the dumpsters. Um, like do we know how many times a week and the times a day that those will be picked up for the refues?

Yes. Um I am working to to collect that. We we got the uh question late in the day on Friday and I was trying to confirm the exact dates and times for both garbage and recycling pickup. Um we have the the days are um specified. The exact times are not specified with the the contract that we have with the company, but I will work to get that. I I do not have them unfortunately right now. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Bisque. No questions. Commissioner Jones. No question. The sign will be nice through Commissioner Wallally.

Uh the question came up about the times of the garbage, but is that going to deviate from what they are now? I mean, is there a change? And garbage is picked up regardless, right? Yeah, I would not expect it's going to change. Uh I mean, what's a little hard for us to project is because this would actually be not even it would be projecting like a year out. So, I don't know in terms of exactly what their uh schedules and cycles are. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Olsen. No questions. Agree with um the commission looking forward to the new sign. Looks great and um trash has to be picked up. So, it's kind of hard to work that away in any other way. So, um thank you.

Yeah, and I just I have the same question, but I'll pose it without knowing the dates and times about how that kind of traffic flow works with busing and garbage trucks going in and out. Yeah, Deir answered that very well. Like it it would it would be using that same access into the property that the buses would, but the times would be nowhere close to our um drop off or pickup times. Okay, great. Thank you. All right, thank you very much.

All right. Uh there we didn't have anyone on the sign up sheets in the backs, but we will now open the uh hearing to public comment portion um for this uh petition. So if there's anyone from the public that wishes to speak um please come up now and state your name and share your thoughts. All right. Well, look to city staff for any final remarks on the petition. We don't have anything else to add. Staff recommends approval subject to the conditions of the packet.

All right. Is there a motion? Chair, I move to recommend that the city council approve petition 3025 subject to the conditions outlined within our packet. I'll second. Staff, please call the role. Commissioner Boske, yes. Commissioner Awali, yes. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Olsen, yes. Commissioner Rubble, yes. And Chairman Willermouth, yes.

The motions approved six to zero. All right. Uh, thanks for that. Um uh staff will be back in contact with uh with you all on next steps. But appreciate your time this time tonight. Yep. Take it away with the next petition.

Thank you, chairman. Uh we're going to be moving then to F2, the text amendments, petition 3125 of an omnibus text amendment proposal for before you. Uh for tonight, we've prepared and are recommending approval of five text amendments to the zoning ordinance. While not presented in this order, three of the amendments are designed to help area not forprofits. Another reduces the time required in the development review process and the fifth enhances the economic viability of a property at the end of an arterial street. The first amendment would move accessory package liquor sales from the list of conditional uses in the CC one center city district to the list of permitted uses. Accessory package liquor sales allow a business to sell a limited amount of beer, wine, and or alcohol in their original package for consumption off premises in addition to the primary purpose of the business. Accessory package liquor is not the same as a liquor store, which would remain as a conditional use in the downtown zoning districts. An example of accessory package liquor would be to allow a brew pub to sell prepackaged bottles or cans of beer to its consumers to take home to drink or a restaurant or bar to sell bottles and or cans of beer, wine, and or alcohol for customers to take home and drink. The conditional use process here is really a belt with suspenders because the city's liquor commission, which consists of sitting city council members, still retains full discretionary authority to determine whether the business receives a liquor license. The conditional use process in this instance only adds time and cost for certain downtown business owners. Notwithstanding, this amendment, like many of the zoning ordinance amendments we bring before you, takes an incremental approach. It only includes properties in the CC1 district or the core of downtown, not property zone PCC or CC2 center city. Those other zoning districts and perhaps still others could be considered at a later date in so long

as implementation goes as expected. Again, the CC-1 district is the core of downtown highlighted on the map in red. It's about 40 acres generally extending from Symphony Way on the north, Prairie Street on the south, and from Center Street on the east to Riverside Drive on the west. The PCC and CC2 districts consist of another approximately 150 acres that radiate out from the CC1 district. The city has been working with a tenant to occupy the ground floor of the newly renovated 40 to page court building called the bottle shop. They intend to provide about two dozen beers primarily from Illinois brewers, non-alcoholic beer, pre-batch cocktails, and craft sodas on draft for on-site consumption only. They would also have standing coolers containing 300 to 400 other bottled and canned beers, non-alcoholic beers, premixed cocktails, and craft sodas that they could open and pour in a glass to a consumer with a corking fee. bottle shop would like customers to be able to purchase from this wide selection of bottles and cans to either take home and consume later or to take to a restaurant like Dream Hall that has a Bob Corkage liquor license. The bottle shop also intends to offer wine and cocktails for on-site consumption and prepackaged wine and a curated selection of liquor to go. The bottle shop will also allow persons to bring outside food into their establishment. If this zoning amendment is approved, the bottle shop would not be required to go through a conditional use process or pay the $980 application fee plus public notice deposits. Instead, only request approval of a liquor license from the Elgen Liquor Commission. The second amendment would allow property owners in the AB area business district to put a mural on their building. Murals are currently only allowed in the CC1 and CC2 center city districts. This zoning map shows that the AB zoning districts in red are generally applied to major arterials like Randall Road, Larkin, Mlan, Dundy,

and Summit Street. No other changes are proposed to the mural regulations. Building can have one mural. Murals cannot cover major architectural features such as doors, exits, and windows, and murals cannot include more than 3% text. Ecker Center on Lark and Au would like to put a mural on the front of their building as a key part of their strength in the community initiative celebrating 70 years of service to the Elgian community. If the amendment is approved, Eker Center is hoping to begin installation next spring. The third amendment would remove the Arterial Road Corridor Overlay District or ARK designation from the northernmost end of Dundee Avenue north of I90. Several factors effectively disconnect the north 10,000 ft of Dundy Avenue north of the interstate from the twomile long commercial corridor that starts on the south side of the interstate. The map on your screen here gives you a sense of that scale. The orange line is that two-mile long commercial corridor. The major left right or east west road on the screen is I90 and the small red north arrow is the northern 1,000 ft of Dundee at the end of the ark. Dundy Avenue is separated by the substantial width and grade change of the Dundy overpass. This aerial looking south gives you a sense of the nearly 900 ft of horizontal separation that the interstate imposes. And this street view also looking south shows the vertical change in grade that also visually separates the north and south sides from the interstate. This is taken along the side of the industrial buildings on the east side of Dundy and the crest in the distance of the picture is 8 to 10 ft higher. Also, the Dundy Avenue gateway entrance to the city has long been on the south side of the interstate at the single point entrance and exit to the interstate. Here is the raised center median and landscaping enhancing Dundee Avenue south of the interstate ramp. This feature was installed in October of

2007. This request comes from one of the Dundy Avenue property owners north of the interstate. Ploy Property Management owns the three industrial buildings at 1605 to625 Dundy and has suggested to staff that the land use and site design regulations of the Ark make it difficult to lease vacant space in their buildings primarily when trying to consider logistics and transportation companies that would take advantage of the access to the interstate and the capacity of Dundee Avenue. The city has other examples where the character along a portion of Arterial Street is different enough from another segment of the street to warrant including only a portion of the street within the ark, including National Street between Villa Street and State Street. Those properties further west along Walnut Avenue are not within the ark. Congden Avenue, but only those properties east of State Route 25 are in the ark. Summit Street, again, only those properties east of Dundee are in the ark. and State Route 20, but only those properties west of Weld Road are in the ark. The fourth amendment would allow businesses along arterial roads to have a small commercial operations yard if the commercial operations yard was generally not visible from the street. Currently, commercial operations yard are not allowed in the ark. A commercial operations yard is most often an outdoor space enclosed by a solid fence in which a business stores vehicles, equipment, or materials necessary for an accessory to the business. It cannot be a junkyard or a motor vehicle wrecking yard. A commercial operations yard has setback screening and landscaping requirements. The amendment would allow commercial operations yards subject to site design requirements intended to ensure that the commercial operations yard was generally not visible from the street. Specifically, the commercial operation jar would be allowed only immediately behind a building on a property greater than 4 acres back from the street by 200 feet or more, and it could not be larger than 15,000 square ft. The amendment

would also wave the 10-ft setback requirement when along a railroad track and allow the development administrator to count existing trees and shrubs toward the landscape requirement versus tearing them out and starting new. The Habitat for Humanity Restore on State Street needs a place to temporarily store items outside of their building. Those items are typically associated with a shipment of donated building materials, furniture, fixtures, and other goods that are then sold from within the building to raise money to support Habitat's efforts to provide affordable housing for incomequalified persons in the Elgen area. The area highlighted in red on the screen immediately behind the building is not visible from State Street and meets the criteria suggested with the amendment. This street shows or actually doesn't show the location of the yard driving north on State Street. And finally, the fifth amendment would create a new land use category for transitional housing facilities and make it a conditional use in the GI General Industrial District. A transitional housing facility would be a long-term residential facility intending to facilitate the movement of homeless individuals and/or families to permanent housing within a reasonable amount of time, generally 24 months. A transitional housing fill facility could include various programmatic elements for the benefit of their residents such as kitchen and meal services, child care services, supportive services for mental health, housing, healthcare, vocational training, recovery and education, andor retail sales and/or services to provide vocational training and or funding for the facility. A transitional housing facility could also include emergency sheltering for a transient population, rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, and or permanent residential accommodations for staff or other like persons who help with the facility. Supplementary regulations would require a transitional housing facility must always be adequately staffed and that individuals and families within a

transitional housing facility enter into an occupi occupancy agreement, easy for me to say, with the facility provider for at least one month. The supplemental regulations would also require a transitional housing facility could only be operated by a notfor-profit. The proposed amendment would allow Wayside Cross Ministries, a long-standing not for-profit in the community that provides most of these services at 1730 Berkeley Street now shown on the screen to request a conditional use at 890 North Street, North State Street, and expand their capacity to help address homelessness in Elgen. About 15,000 square feet of their approximately 20,000 square foot building of Berkeley is dedicated to helping homeless individuals and families. Wayside operates in about 7,800 square feet of the space. PADS is in the other 8200 square ft. Two other tenant spaces make up the remaining floor area of the building. The building on State Street is about 42,000 square ft. If approved, Wayside would consolidate all Elgen operations at State Street and Pads of Elgen could assume Wayside space on Berkeley, obviously subject to an agreement with Wayside. A conditional use for an emergency shelter on Berkeley Street was approved by city council in 2006 and residency was capped at 60. This amendment before you would update the def definition of an emergency shelter to reflect how way in pads of Elgen currently operate on Berkeley Street primarily by not requiring persons to leave the facility every 12 hours. Emergency shelters are only allowed by conditional use in the GI district as is proposed for transitional housing facilities. Wayside also works to prevent homelessness before it happens by providing the above described accommodations and services for individuals who are identified as on the verge of homelessness. Staff recommends approval of the amendments and offers for your consideration these purposes and intents of the zoning ordinance and goals and objectives of the comprehensive plan for your consideration. They're also provided at the end of your staff

report. With that, I'd be happy to try and answer any questions that you might have. Thank you. Um, we'll start on my right. Uh, Commissioner Olsen, questions for staff. That was a lot of information in just a few minutes. Great job. Uh, no questions. This all sounds wonderful. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Commissioner Abalia, no questions. Commissioner Jones,

can you give us like another example of how those uses would apply for other applicants like for the liquor for example? Um, could a coffee shop do it that way and sell to go? Any any of those downtown? Could an insurance agency set up a cooler with a liquor license and start selling to gold purchases? Well, they could make that request and ultimately would be subject to the to the liquor license to the liquor license. But any business within those CC, the theory of an accessory use is if if we remember all our our basic zoning is that it's customary and traditional to the principal use. Mhm.

So, in as much as I'm not sure what insurance companies are selling liquor to go, it might that might be a stretch, but I'll I'll be by later. Um, and then let's see here. Well, I I may circle back. No examples of like the other areas where those sideyards could be used, where the outdoor storage, anything of that. I know we're doing them specific. There's pretty specific items that we're looking at.

Yeah, we we made it pretty tight. Um it does provide some accommodations. The the the location of the commercial operations yard for habitat is about 600 feet back. We capped it at 200 feet. We have other language in the zoning ordinance now that says if you happen to be in a multi-tenant building and that tenant space was 200 feet back, you could you you could you could have a use go into one of those spaces that was otherwise prohibited in the ark. So we felt that that distance had worked before. We wanted to have some degree of continuity. That's why the 200 feet rather than the 600 feet for habitat. Okay. Thank you,

Commissioner Bisque. Yeah, I have uh just a quick question. Are there any conditions or restrictions anticipated that would be placed on businesses selling packaged liquor under permitted use and like um hours of operation, signage or uh caps on volume? Those are certainly the purview of the liquor commission, but that would be subject to the the specific proposal put before them. Thank you. Commissioner Vubal, no questions. I don't have any questions. Thank you so much,

uh, yes, while while we're waiting for the sign signup sheet, um, Commissioner Jones, everyone will have one more crack for staff um for questions. Commissioner Jones, back to that um liquor several years ago, and I don't even remember the details, but they eliminated the single serve sales in the downtown um to prevent some things from happening. Will that will that apply here too when you're taking and going?

That that is still on the books and as it relates to working with the bottle shop, we're going to have to create a new category for them. They completely understand that and they are currently working with the city attorney to find what's the appropriate either number of bottles and cans or by volume. So that's going to stay in place. Okay. Thank you. Mhm. Any other questions from commissioners for staff? Commissioner Biske? Yeah, I have a question. Um why limit the change only to CC1 district and uh or or is it just an initial thing and what criteria or characteristics justify the p the pilot area.

Sure. Uh so CC-1 is a discrete zoning district surrounded by the CC2s. Uh it's about 40 acres whereas the other surrounding zoning district are 150. Uh Elgen has a long history of taking in incremental approaches to changing to their zoning ordinance. In as much as I've been doing this for 30 years now, you know, we we would like to think that we can look around the corner and make sure that we foresee any and all problems, but this makes sure that if heaven forbid we miss something that we haven't opened up the door too great and if in fact we didn't, we can always revisit it and add those districts at a later time. I think it's a great idea. Thank you.

Other questions? I guess I guess I have a similar question but on the transitional housing um basically yeah why the um uh shoot now I'm escaping general uh um industrial industrial yes thank you sure we look for we look for like uses to be able to have those in there and that is the currently the only zoning district in which someone could request from this board and city council a conditional use for an emergency shelter. That's the process through which Berkeley Street was approved. So, we're keeping that similar there. Okay. Thank appreciate it.

And I do I I appreciate that langu that uh that language change for transitional housing. I was just thinking of other locations and access to transportation and things for those individuals. So, appreciate it. Yeah, my pleasure. All right. With that, I think we're all squared away for uh commissioner questions for staff. So with that, um I will open up the um this part of the hearing to public comments.

My name is uh Matthew Willis. M A T H E W I L L I S and I actually represent the bottle department, which would be the bottle shop that would like to go in there. So I know that some of you did have a couple of questions. I can only speak to the conversations that I am having with downtown, but I can at least answer one of the ones that was brought up and that is are there any restrictions and one of the restrictions that has been suggested uh by the liquor commission which I'll be at that meeting uh Wednesday and then again uh in the first I think it's the first Wednesday of December also. Um but uh the suggestion was the sale of packaged liquor to go needs to represent less than 30% of your P&L over the span of the year. So it does have uh you're not a liquor store. Uh and that's not what we're trying to be. We're trying to be a curated place to buy bottles and cans that are unique uh that you probably can't find in other places. So if that helps uh with that question, I just was listening. Uh, and then the second question that you answered perfectly uh was about um putting limits on single cans to go. Uh, as a business owner, I have absolutely no problem with that. You want to make it fours, let's make a fourack. So, you you tell me what we're going to make it and that's what we'll make it. So, but I assume that the liquor commission is going to be the one who comes down and and makes those rules for me. But that just to answer the questions that I heard and any others that you might have, I'll be as quick as possible. But there you go. Uh yeah, anything else that I can help with. Also,

phenomenal reading of that scenario there. Yeah, you're absolutely hired for the podcast. Yeah, they say I have a face for radio. Yeah, that's right. I've been told the same. Yeah. Thank Thank you so much for your comments. No problem. Nothing else. Okay. Awesome. Thanks. Any other comments from the public? Okay. Look back to staff for any closing remarks. Nothing else to add. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Um with that, uh is there a motion from the commission?

I move to recommend that city council approve petition 31-25 subject to the conditions outlined within our packet and to adopt it findings of the commission. Those findings also provided within our packet. A second. Staff, please call the role. Commissioner Olsen, yes. Commissioner Bowke, yes. Commissioner Abuali, yes. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Rubble, yes. And Chairman Wermouth, yes.

Motion's approved six to zero. All right, we will now move on to the next part of the agenda which is petitions 33-25 and 34-25. Okay, the final petition before you tonight is the application by Stephen Silva, the architect, and James Lucose as from Wayside Cross Ministries as applicants and EMAR Real Estate LLC as the property owner. We're requesting approval of a map amendment to PGI planned general industrial district ordinance number G7203 with departures from the LG Municipal Code and of a conditional use for the adaptive reuse of the existing fourstory office building for a transitional housing facility with general warehousing and storage at the property commonly referred to as 890 North State Street. So again, we'll start the uh site location, subject property outline in red. It's about 3 acres in size. It is on the west side of North State Street, as you can see, uh just before the railroad tracks, and it's about a/4 mile south of Big Timber Road. property zone PGI planned general industrial district uh per ordinance G7203 that was established in 2003 uh when the city approved the construction of the existing building on the property. As you can see the properties to the west and north and even south they all have general same color over them. Uh to the west is a uh GI general industrial zoned property

that includes about 480,000 square foot light industrial building that has several light industrial and manufacturing tenants. To the south is a CI commercial industrial zoned property that includes a multi-tenant commercial building that's home to Habitat for Humanity resale store and the Fox Valley Flea Market. And then to the north are the up Union Pacific Railroad tracks. And then beyond that is a self-s storage facility that's at the southwest corner of Big Timber in North State. And then west of that is a fourstory office building that's currently vacant. And then finally to the east across North State Street again same Union Pacific Railroad tracks. And then there's another self-s storage facility directly north of that. And then there's another light industrial building to the south of the tracks. This is the one that has Gerber Collision motor vehicle repair shop there. Here's the bird's eye view of the subject property. So the property's improved with this fourstory office building. It's probably approximately 42,000 square ft in area. Uh, it was built in 2004 for Bank of Elgen that also has a drive-thru service on the west side of the building that is covered by a canopy. The property also includes parking lots to the south, west, and north of the building with a total of 156 parking spaces. There's also an accessory building in the northwest corner of the property that includes a fourc car garage on the ground level and then a second floor office with about uh 1,600 square ft. The access to the property is shared with the property to the west known as 900 North State and that access driveway essentially is functions as a street with a traffic light uh at the

intersection of with North State Street. Here are a couple a few photographs of the existing building. The the two photographs on the top are from North State Street and then the ones on the bottom are from the back of the property. So, the applicant is requesting approval to establish a transitional housing facility within the existing uh office building. They're proposing the adaptive reuse of that building. Uh the Wayside currently is as Mark has indicated for the previous petition. Wayside currently operates at 1730 Berkeley Street. Uh their intent is to consolidate and move their operations to this facility if that is approved and once completed. Uh the facility would provide housing in dormstyle living quarters and a variety of services and programming activities for up to 94 uh persons. That would be the initial number of beds with in the future with a potential to expand that up to 126 persons. The facility would have uh 10 staff members and there would also be up to 10 resident staff members. Those are essentially residents that have graduated through the program in the later stages and once graduated they they're offered the opportunity to actually uh become uh sort of staff for wayside and oversee the program and the functions within the building. The facility would include one security guard 247. So the basement of the the building indicated here on the left would be used for the shared kitchen, dining and laundry facilities. The floor plan on the right is the proposed first floor plan that would include the common areas, a variety of offices for staff, and then different

areas for programming and various services. I'll let the applicant kind of get into the details on the specifics of the programs and and the and the services offered. The the second floor on the far left would provide dorm style living quarters for women and then the third and fourth floor would provide same dorm style type living quarters for men. The fourth floor is the one where they would have more individual individualized and personalized living quarters for these resident assistants. As you would suspect, most most of the proposed improvements are on the interior of the building um to accommodate the the proposed use, but there would be some exterior changes. The applicant is proposing a 5- foot high ornamental fence that would surround the the north parking lot uh generally from the back of the building north around the parking lot uh and sort of in line with the existing building. And then they are also planning in the future to enclose the drive-through service lanes which are on the west side of the building and that are covered by the canopy. They would enclose that to house a donation center and a resale shop in the future. Here are the details of here's the prop, you know, the proposed fence. And then the other changes to the building are the exterior uh signage. They would propose signs of the north, east, and south sides of the building that would generally uh kind of match and and enhance the exterior of the building. So the proposed signage is one of the primary departures that is requested. The building current or any building is allowed up to two wall graphics. They are proposing a total of nine. Uh

essentially those are graphics like you see in the middle here. Uh this is the proposed east elevation that would have a cross in the middle and then a sign generally that says wayside cross ministries on each side of the building. U and the signs are proposed so that they complement the building. So because this building looks exactly the same on all sides, they're proposing to have these types of uh graphics on the norththeast and south elevations. the most visible uh aspects of that the total sign surface area on for the graphics on the east side which I was previously shown is 80 square feet. Uh these two signs total 162 square ft. While that size is fine on the north and east the maximum number of or the sign the maximum size of a sign is determined based on the setback of the building from the road. And in this case, because the building is fairly close to North State Street, only 80 square feet of signage is allowed on that east facade. And that's the only side where they're exceeding the maximum number of u square feet for for the signage. And then the the monument sign. So there's an existing monument sign on the property that actually exceeds their uh they're proposing to keep that sign and upgrade the panel within the sign. The sign overall is about 80 square ft. It's quite attractive. It's got a masonry base to it. Uh let me see. I think one of the images includes so it's it's right here in the corner, but it's a it's a fairly attractive sign that matches the exterior of the building with the the masonry, but it does exceed that allowance of 60 square feet. So they're they're requesting to keep that. And the final departure is in regards to the accessory use. So, normally an accessory use is allowed to be up to 10% of the building floor area. In this case, the idea is to give them

some flexibility and allow those the donation center and the resale shop that may be in the future on the west side of the building within that building addition. That building addition is going to be actually less than 10% about about 8% of the building. But this allowance would allow them some flexibility in case they have some additional donation stuff or if they want to move the resale store towards the ground floor of the building. It simply allows them some flexibility in the future should they ever need it. With that uh the proposal is required to meet the standards for uh map amendments, plan developments, and the standards for conditional use. We provided the overview of the standards in the packet and staff recommends approval. Subject to the conditions in the packet and I think I'll just note one. I believe there is a condition that no outdoor storage of any kind of any equipment or materials uh is allowed on the exterior of the property that goes back to the the donation center if they ever have one. Uh they can't have any materials or any donation stuff outside. So, with that, I'm happy to ask any questions. The applicant is present as well and can address the commission.

Great. Thank you, Mayor. Um, we'll start on my left with Commissioner Rubel for questions for city staff. No questions. Commissioner Bisqueke, no questions. Commissioner Jones, would there be the opportunity to have outdoor um living arrangements in the future? There's been some models that I've seen that have a combination of the outdoor indoor. That would be the situation. There would be no expansion here either.

The only expansion they're showing right now would be to enclose that the the drive-through service lanes. That's the only uh planned and if this is approved, it would be the only approved expansion. Uh but all activities are to be on the inside of the building. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Wallally. No questions. Commissioner Olsson. No questions for staff. Not have any questions for staff. Thank you. We will now invite the applicant to come forward. Chair, any thoughts you have with the commission?

And did everyone get sworn in at the beginning? I did not, but we both came a little late. Okay. Uh the you the court reporter can swear you in right now. Do you sly swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Thank you. Thank you. Please uh state your name and spell it for the court reporter and then share your thoughts with the commission. Steven Silva sa Steven with a ph. James Lucos with E at the last some of those no E is still there. Okay. K.

All right. So, um just a little bit of bit of history here. Excuse me. Um we have worked together in the past. Uh James and I um we developed this pretty much the same plan down in Aurora. Um pretty much four-story building with a basement. Four-story building with a basement. It's it's going to be modeled uh as a smaller but uh same same same same use same functions. Um it's operating down there since 2015. Well, we have been in existence since 1928.

So 97 years of history and uh reputation in the Fox Valley area. And the new building which she was talking about was built in 2015. We tore down three of our buildings and in the same footprint we built a 48,000 foot building very similar to uh this one on State Street. Four stories and basement and the only difference uh compared to what we have there on the first floor. We intend to have a a chapel for the residents. Other than that is very identical. Are there any questions from the commission? I'll start on my right with Commissioner Olsen.

Uh, yeah, a couple questions. Are you guys purchasing or leasing this building? We will be purchasing it. Purchasing. Okay. And then the current tenants in the accessory building on the northwest corner of the property. Will they be remaining or will they be vacating? Well, um, it's part of our agreement that he would be leasing it for 5 years. Okay. And then afterwards, uh, it'll be used by us. Okay. Thank you. um great job in the community for decades. Obviously, you guys are amazing. My spouse works at the Eker Center. So, very familiar with the needs of the community in that sense and I appreciate you guys expanding and um providing more for our community. So, thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Wallally.

As stated in the report, there's a lot of extra parking spaces um that will probably not be used. Similarly, is that a similar situation in Aurora or do you have future plans for those parking spaces in the future? Well, the only plans we have in the future subject to your approval to have a resale store. Uh other than that, we don't have any other plans. Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Jones,

do you guys have a location on the east side of Elgen as well in addition to Berkeley? I thought I remembered. Um, yeah, we were on Fremont Fremont for about 5 years and then we moved back to the building that we own at Berkeley property. So now we coexist with Pats. Okay. So you're not on No, we are not the east side anymore. Yeah. How long has that been gone? Uh, we just vacated in September. Oh, okay. Okay. Thank you very much. And so this will be the one location central location for us. We remodeled the building. Yeah. And do you work in conjunction with the city of Elgen with their unsheltered uh population too with the

things that they're doing? That's our plan to to help work with the city. Yeah. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Biske. Uh no questions. Thank you for everything you do. Commissioner Vubo, just curious, what are you going to do with the Berkeley building? Um, you know, we would give uh PADS the first option to expand it or buy it and uh we don't have any plan to uh do anything, you know, by ourselves because we'll be moving all the operation to the 890 North Street. Okay. Well, thank you. Thank you for all your work.

All right. Thank you very much for coming up and sharing your thoughts. Um we will now uh open the public comment portion um of the hearing. So if you have any there's any public uh public comments, please come forward and share your thoughts. All right. Look to staff for any final thoughts, remarks. No, there's we don't have anything to add. Staff recommends approval subject to the conditions of the packet. Is there a motion from the commission? I move to recommend that the city council approve petition

3325 and 3425. uh subject to the conditions outlined within our packet and to adopt as the findings of the commission. Those findings also provided within our packet. A second. Staff, please call the role. Commissioner Boske, yes. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Awali, yes. Commissioner Olsen, yes. Commissioner Rubble, yes. And Chairman Wilder, yes. Motion's approved. 620.

All right, great. Uh, thank you so much. Staff will reach out with next steps, but I appreciate you coming forward tonight. All right, we will now move to other business with the uh 2026 meeting schedule.

How does it look? Glorious. first first Monday of each month except for the September one that's due to the Labor Day. So these are proposed dates for next year. That's good. Looks we do need a motion to approve it. I move to approve the meeting schedule for 2026. Second. Staff, please call the role. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Olsen, yes. Commissioner Abualali, yes. Commissioner Boske, yes. Commissioner Rubel, yes. And Chair Wildermouth, yes.

That motion is approved six to zero. So, the meeting dates are set. Thank you. The only other item that I that staff wanted to bring up is um chair had mentioned a couple months ago that due to work commitments, he's going to be he's not going to be able to attend the next regularly scheduled planning and zoning commission meeting on December 1st. So um we have two options. We can uh move the meeting back by for one week. So there would be a Monday December 8th. In that case we can have the chair again present and chair the meeting or uh we can stay with the December 1st and uh we would see to appoint a chair that night that would um presside at the meeting. We would certainly recommend to move it to the eighth just for the sake of consistency and uh but it's really up to you now.

And if you didn't hear earlier, Mr. Latina Vench mentioned there is probably in all likelihood probably going to be uh the temple coming Hindu temple coming back before you for that meeting. So chairman we would hence our recommendation we would appreciate your leadership certainly certainly no espersions against anyone else who might step in but um could be could be somewhat contentious. Well, I appreciate everyone's flexibility on this. Um, and I am certainly available if we move the meeting back to the 8th. Um, but also look to the other commissioners knowing that it's a change in in schedule from what was originally approved.

Can we discuss like obviously that's a very important meeting. So, is there anybody that can't make it? So if we just recommend moving it and then we all say yes and then we don't have quum, you know, I actually open discussion. I have u um a meeting on the second Mondays of the month every month. So as of now any other vacations, anything else going on for anyone? No. In that case, I move to recommend moving the meeting to December 8th. Keep our fearless leader. We don't need a motion. I'll take a motion. I'll take Yeah. Yeah. I'll take that. Thank you. Okay.

Thank you everyone. I I appreciate it. We'll move it to December 8th. We appreciate your flexibility. Yes. The chair of my board of directors appreciates it, too. Make sure you bring a note from your parents, though. Okay.

All right. Um, next up, we have the uh summary of pending development applications. So, what do we got? So, council meeting this week, we'll have three items on there for consideration. Couple that were here in front of you last month. The adaptive reuse of that building at 860 Summit will go to city council. Um that along with the uh event space for the gaming retail store at 1341 Manor Court and then that detailing shop at 1048 Dundee. All those are scheduled for consideration u by the city council. Mark Mark had mentioned that uh we anticipate the the applicant for the temple to be resubmitting some documents in time for that to be uh scheduled for the December planning and zoning commission meeting. Um, not sure if anything else will be ready by that time. Um, so

that might be enough. See how it goes. So, uh, but that's about it. Unless there's any questions. I'm happy to answer any any questions about any of the items. Um, maybe just a quick update. The gas station that we approved a few months back, um, I it was like Congden and Liberty. Liberty. Yeah.

Yeah. challenging um property owner. We've been having some conversations trying to see where they stand. There's uh they're they're not able to secure financing. They were they were trying to solicit multiple options from the contractors for a for a more favorable bid, but they're that they're kind of in that process right now. It's taking some time. So, Well, in that case, I move to adjourn. Is there a second? Second. Staff, please call the role. Commissioner Abuali,

yes. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Boske, yes. Commissioner Olsen, yes. Commissioner Rubal, yes. And Chair Wermouth, yes. Meeting the motion's approved. meeting a jour. Thank you. Thank you, Ever.