Plan and Design Commission - Regular Meeting

you know, an overall look uh based on how the signs are spread out throughout the entire property. Um, and then this is a look at the neighborhood. Uh, this is sort of for context. There's no residential around here [music] and there is no There there's no residential around here or anyone that would really have anything much different or and there haven't been any comments about um submitted by the public for this either. So um this is the before for the food mart. Uh this is what it currently looks like. Um and then this is the after with the new design, the armarts branding. Uh this is the uh one of the exteriors. So you can kind of just get a good look at the before and after. um and just see how their signage is laid out there. Uh it is worth noting that the sign you see on the right where the truck is parked, that is one of the new signs that's being added. It's sort of a uh it it the applicant will not be installing this sign right away. This is something that they want to have further down the line, but they wanted to include it in the sign package so that when they are ready to install it, uh they don't have to go back and make an amendment. I just want to make that note out there. Um and then this is the existing back. As you can see, there is no uh food mart sign there currently. This is another sign that's being added there with the Armarts signage. Um, so this is on the back side. I do want to make a note about the red accent lighting you are seeing in the picture. The applicant has confirmed that the red lighting will not be installed. There is existing accent lighting there uh that is white and it is the same that has been there. They will not be changing it. this was just um part of the design that the the renderings that they submitted to us. So, I just wanted to point that out as well that it will not be included as part of this uh review or approval. Um this is the encou this is one of the pull mounts that they have. Um and then uh just got the clearance sign on there.

This is what they're going to be adding to it. Um it's going to be painted red to match the armarts branding and then they'll have that sign on there. Um, and then this is the current car wash. Uh, this is the layout and this is the new signage that will go there as well as um that signage as well. Now, it's worth noting the sign you see at the top of the screen. It was hard to get a good picture of it, but what you see on the the left side is a mirror that's existing. Um, that's for vehicles to see what's behind them and to also make sure that they can get on the track. Uh, so the car wash is automatic. So it pulls you through there. Want to be able to see where the wheels are and and also see what's behind you as well. So um and then the applicant plans to repurpose that uh panels in the middle and to the right side uh just as local advertising for the G for the gas station. There's not going to be anything else other than car wash related materials on there. So to break it down uh for the sign package the wall signage um will be increasing by 7.9 just under 8 square foot. Um as a note uh and as point of reference code would allow u a maximum of 125 ft. Um and that would be the number over the 15% of the total facade area. Again there are two facads incorporated here. There's the the car wash facade as well as the convenience store facade. Regardless, the the maximum amount that would be allowed for this property is 125 ft² if we were going by code. Uh so you can see the difference about a 30t square foot difference in total for wall signs. Um the ground sign area is uh a total of 192 ft. It's worth noting the majority of that is covered by that fuel sign, the pole sign with the digital signage and the pricing on it. Um the remaining is the two polemounted signs. So that is

where the breakdown for that is and that is an increase of 58.7 ft. Um the ground sign maximum is 75 ft for the uh B3 district. That's per sign phase per frontage. Now they do have two frontages. Um but the majority of the signage for the ground sign that's being added is by the car wash. So it's sort of away from that. But just as a frame of reference for how much uh square footage for ground signs is usually allowed. Um and just where the 58's coming from is we considered the polemounted signs with the car wash ground signs. Uh staff considered that. So um standards for sign packages. Um usually as usual I don't usually go too into depth about these but they're here for reference if you need them. and uh the approval process. Um obviously the PDC has authority over the design review and sign package. The PDC can discuss the proposal make uh and the sign package standards and they could direct approval um or recommend changes of the draft certificate of approval that has been provided. Are there any questions for staff?

Um no but if you could go back to um one more one more. Okay. So, I did do the math on this and for the total wall sign area, that's really just an increase of 5% from what it was at 146.4. Um, I did not calculate the percentage over 125 square ft that it was. Um, and then for the the one that struck me was the for the total ground sign area that 58.7 square feet is like a 44% increase. and what there was to what there is now. So, um, do any of my commissioner fellow commissioners have any questions for staff? [clears throat]

Mr. Mantis. So, where there's an existing mirror going into the car wash, that's being proposed to have signage on it. Yes. But the size of that mirror is not changing. Correct. That's right. That is right. So in effect, they're just leaving that there. But now, so as a matter of fact, as it is, I I don't have a good existing picture of it. I mean, the applicant can probably speak to that, but they actually do have panels there right now with just closure windows or or sort of signs. I I would assume um that that it would be the similar type of signage with the same sign panels. The applicant can of course speak more to that if they wish to. So,

any more commission questions or comments? Did you have one? No. Okay. Okay. I don't think we have any more. Does any uh Okay. So, I I think we're done with the staff present. Does the uh applicant wish to come up and speak to their project?

Can you see on clicker right here? go through. Yeah. And I can also pull up anything in the packet as well if you need. Okay.

Okay. Great. [clears throat] Uh, good evening. Uh, my name is Ryan Rosowski and I'm the president of Arts LLC and Lake Cook and Skooki LLC, the company that operates the gas station, convenience store, and car wash at 10ki Valley Road. Uh, my family and I live here in Helen Park, uh, just around the corner on Lynon Avenue, and I grew up in the Rivian neighborhood. Our family business has proudly operated Shell stations throughout the Chicagoland area continuously since 1951. The proposed redesign represents the first major investment in this property since it was redeveloped in 1996. Uh our goal with this exterior redesign is to stay competitive with large corporate run operators such as the BP owned Thornton's across the street and the uh Casey's on 41 which is a publicly traded company with over a thousand locations nationwide. Beyond competition, we hope that by refreshing and modernizing the site uh that we can better serve our community, offering fresh food, bagels made daily, great coffee, and most importantly, an improved car wash experience. We believe uh these enhancements will encourage residents to shop locally and help keep business and sales tax dollars here in Highland Park. Uh thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. I'm uh very happy to answer any questions that you have and uh we're really looking forward to continuing to do great business here in Highland Park.

All right. Do does anyone from the commission have a question for the applicant? Uh Commissioner Kirch. It's a pool of nothing, but it's been bugging me. Armart. Is it Mart? Uh yeah, Royal Dutch Shell.

No, that's a great question. Um so the the name Armarts was actually created as an operating entity about 25 years ago when we started operating a package of stores for Shell. It was never a public facing company until about 5 years ago when we were finally starting to launch our own brand and uh because we had been called Armarts for so long and many of our vendors knew us by that we we ran with it. And so now uh we currently have five locations branded Armarts and um are just slowly branding our other locations Armarts uh just to create a more unified experience across the Chicagoland area. Thank you.

Thank you. Y questions down here comments you Oh, uh Commissioner Mantos. So, so just to confirm what staff had mentioned about the red light under the the seal. So, that is in this picture depicted as being red, but that is going to say white light.

That's correct. Yeah, it's currently white light, white eve light. Um, we considered putting in programmable lighting, which is what you see here, where you could change it for whatever the holiday was or something like that. We ultimately decided not to do it just based on cost and and having done something like it in a different municipality and and just having mixed feelings about it. So it was part of the original design and we we just didn't take it out of this graphic.

And and I can I make a comment on that please? And to be very clear on that because you know if the commission approved this they're adopting uh the renderings and exhibits in the draft certificate of approval in the fourth bullet point there's a comment that specifically addresses that that they can keep the lighting that's there and that they're not proposing any new new lighting by this uh proposal. That's that's in the fourth bullet point on the certificate design review approval because we didn't want anybody to be confused months from now when permits come in if this was approved. We don't want there to be any confusion. Um, it's expected that that lighting will stay the same as is there now.

And and so I guess as a followup to that then if we vote to approve this, is there anything that would prohibit or allow them to swap out the lighting to a red light if they so chose? Well, my understanding it's not proposed and therefore not approved and that's what's in the uh certificate of approval.

Thank you. Yeah, it says here uh there is Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. Is that okay if I finish, but I Sorry, apologies. I just want to be clear. It's in the certificate of approval. It Well, it's the fourth bullet point, but it's it also says there's at this location existing white accent writing that will remain. So, the way this is written, if they wanted to change that, they'd have to come back for design review. Understood. Thanks. Yeah, fair question. Okay. Um, Commissioner Inchek, I have a question about the site plan and the visibility of the signage, especially around the car wash area.

I'm I'm wondering how much of the signage. It sounds like a lot of the additional signage will be related to the car wash. And I'm just curious how much of that would actually be visible from the street or if it's more directional andformational signage for the car wash if it's like around the car wash. Yeah. So, that's a really great question. The way the car wash sits on the property, you can see Yep. Just above the cursor is where cars enter and they have to go um around this big turn and then they get on the track. Uh right above the cursor. If you'd like to go to um Is there something you want me to open from your packet, sir?

Oh, go ahead. Here.

Um so, here you can see the entrance. back here is uh really difficult to see from the street. Uh in fact uh part of what we're trying to do is make sure that the car wash is more visible to customers who can't see it from the from even the pumps really. Um the way it's designed uh the convenience store kind of hides the car wash and so that was part of our intention was to bring more attention to the car wash. Obviously, people who live in the community know it's there, but for people who are just stopping through and buying gas and aren't familiar with the site, it's it's very hard to see. So, that was a big piece of our intention was to make the car wash a little bit easier to see and stand out. Um, that said, like this corner back here where you see the entrance to the car wash and the entrance to the conveyor, uh, it's not visible from the street at all.

Okay. Thank you. Right. And can I also respond to that? Sure. And again, I again to get to that question, I just want to be clear. So, most of the of the signage um that's being added in terms of like new square footage, not all of it, but most of it again, it's it's it's on the west part of the property on those existing pole signs that lead into the into the car wash. And again to give an idea, you know, that's in the back here, uh, behind the the convenience station building and behind the gas canopy. And then, you know, along the south here, this is the municipal property line and you have Lake Cook Road. Yeah. Thanks.

That's really um, Council Member Ross has a question or a comment. I had the same question as you did. um how visible are particularly the save and dollar sign um and just those two signs but it seems like it's pretty well hidden and just directional on the site. Yeah, very much so. Yep. All right. Does the commission have any more questions or comments?

Do we have anybody from the public who wishes to speak on this matter? All right, we have public but nobody wishing to speak. [laughter] All right, thank you. Thank you. Yes, chair. If I might move that we approve the design, review and sign package amendment with variations from the city code for 10 Skooki Valley Road. Second. And we have a second over here um by Commissioner Annis. Correct. Okay. Um, any more discussion on that? Okay. Um, please call the vote. Commissioner, I. Commissioner Patner, hi. Commissioner Nannis,

hi. Commissioner Henry, I. Commissioner Mantis. Hi. Vice Chair Kersh. Hi, Chair Moore. I. The eyes have it. Motion carries. This item is approved [clears throat] as motioned. Thank you, Madam Chair. All right. Thank you. All right. Our next item of business is [clears throat] public hearing PUB-2025-000067 for an amendment to a special use permit in the nature of a plan development design review and modifications from city code at 763 Dean Avenue known as Ravenia School.

Whenever you're ready. Okay. Thank you. Sorry. Sorry again. It's a new public hearing. Um, it's not a new public hearing. This is a new public hearing. Oh, it is? Yes. Do you have the sheet or do I give you a copy? I'm sorry. I thought this was an old one based on their currency, the currentness of their project. Okay. All right. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Highland Park Plan and Design Commission. My name is Karen Moore. A quorum of the Plan and Design Commission being present, the members of the Plan and Design Commission will now introduce themselves for the record. From my right, Kristen,

Josh Dannis, Danny Mantis, Steve Coach, Ken Henry, David.

The plan and design commission is charged with hearing applications for resoning, planned developments, and subdivisions under the zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations of the city of Highland Park. In all matters, we recommend to the city council based upon the testimony presented to us in the hearing. We are required to decide cases within 45 days after receipt of the transcript. All testimony is under oath. Both applicants and others who wish to speak on the particular case should present specific evidence as to why a proposal meets or fails to meet the standards for the relief requested. for excuse me for clarity of our record. Only one person at a time will speak and all questions will be directed through the chair. We ask that you make every effort to not be repetitive in your testimony. Finally, we will make every effort to adhere to the schedule prepared for tonight's hearing. If additional time is needed on a matter, it will be continued until the next available agenda. With that, I open the floor for the staff to the plan and design commission to read into the record proof of publication and ownership. Proof of publication and ownership are available for viewing at the offices of community development, 1150 Halfday Road in Highland Park. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. All right. Um, Mr. Burhoff, are you presenting this one for us? Yes. Thank you. All right.

Okay. Good evening, everybody. My name is Carl Burhop. I'm a senior planner with the city of Highland Park, the planning division in the community development department. So this is a plan development amendment request by the school for the 763 Dean Avenue site, the Virginia school site. Okay. So there was an approval for this site 2 years ago. I think a little more than 2 years ago approximately 2023. So that was an approval for additions to the school building and then parking on the site. I think there were also changes to the BL playground at the time. this. Now, this proposal has to do with parking. Okay. So, this proposal is about parking. So, the applicant is proposing parking along along the south property line along Roger Williams Avenue. Uh there are, excuse me, there are 13 spaces there. That is not correct. There are 13 parking spaces there. So, there are three spaces. There's 16 total they're proposing. 16 is the total for the site. There are 10 spaces along here, angle parking pointed south towards Roger Williams Avenue and then three spaces here. So, this is along the south side of the property. And then the applicant depicts landscaping here. And there's one variation requested since these are 10 spaces. They're supposed to be a landscaping island and none are proposed. And these these spaces were not approved in 2023. I just want to point that out. This is a change from the 2023 site plan. Okay. The north parking the north parking is proposed to be expanded by three spaces. These spaces are within what was approved in 2023. In fact, in 2023, that parking lot was larger than what they ended up building. And you can see that if you go into the development agreement or the ordinance from 2023, it

talks about how parking was going to be between 50 to 60 spaces. And so there's a space proposed here at the northeast corner and then two down here at the southeast corner of this parking lot. And this is along Baldwood Street. Actually, I have a another um uh slide with the whole site. Okay, there's new landscaping that's proposed. It's always a little hard to see it on these pages. Of course, these are in the packet that are posted online that anyone can go to and zoom in on, but they are proposing nine total new shader ornamental trees, four new evergreen trees, and 209 shrubs. And of course, those are depicted on the landscaping plans around the new parking locations. Okay. Zoning modifications. So I do want to point out that the applicant and their team did work with city staff uh from the beginning to modify modify their plans to actually uh reduce uh the improvements that was proposed in street and to increase the landscape into the plans you're seeing now are plans that uh did go through generation to be improved to be better. Uh as I stated previously uh the vehicle use area for the south does not have a parking island. So that is a variation request to the commission. I will point out that the PDC granted three of those variations in 2023 for the north parking lot. And this modification does not trigger public benefit. This is not in that uh section in the article 5 of the code uh where it triggers public benefit. And so this is uh the most recent aerial image we have on the city's GIS and this shows the site. And so the improvements. So you have the row of 10 parking here along Roger Williams Avenue. Then

there's three spaces approximately in this area. And then again, this was a parking lot that was approved in 2023. It was actually approved to be slightly larger than this. And so the applicant is proposing a space there and then two down here. And so that is the project that is before the commission to make recommendation. I'll point out that the engineering division and public works department did review this and they said the project scope does not warrant a new traffic study and they have no no objections to the project and forestry had their comments resolved. So the plans you see are plans that uh uh satisfy the forester. Um commission is a recommendation body for this PD amendment should consider it and make a recommendation to council. This is a public hearing. That is my presentation.

All right. Does the commission have any questions for staff? Uh vice chair Kirch. [clears throat] The parking spaces around Roger Williams. Do they are they accessible from Roger Williams or only from the turnaround? By accessible, yeah, the vehicles pull into or out of. Yes. Right. So, the vehicles come along and presumably would pull in here and then they're angled. So, they go like that. So, nobody's going to be backing out under Roger. Oh, that is that is correct. That is correct. Sorry, I misunderstood. That is correct. in fact that there is landscaping in between there as well.

We're making a U-turn from Roger Williams into those spaces. [laughter] No, correct. Correct. I misunderstood that question, but you're right. They they're not they are not accessible from Roger Williams. And there's additional there's additional curb and city uh boulevard or parkway in between as well. So only if you have a allterrain vehicle and you want to get your tires muddy. No, it's not meant to be for Williams. Okay. But people can enter the east entryway from eastbound and westbound. Roger Williams. Correct. Make a left turn into the parking circle. I would ask the applicant to confirm that drop off.

Hm. Not during drop off. All right. Well, we'll have to get that clarified. All right. Any more uh questions or comments from the commission? All right. Would the applicant like to come up and speak? [clears throat] Good evening, Chairman Moore. Good evening, commission, city staff. Um, as Carl Sher, we've been working with city staff um very closely and we're grateful to the city staff. Oh. Oh, do I have to swear in? Yes, we should. Uh, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? I do. My name is Michael Liberfeld, superintendent of schools, District 112.

Thank you.

Thank you. Um, as as I was stating, we've been working with city staff uh since we reopened the school in August, and we realized um that we had more adults than we initially had planned for. We have some special programming at the school. Um, we had additional consultant staff. We also have food service at the school. And um in hindsight, we simply should have designed the parking lot as we had it approved in 2023 to make it larger. As we were going forward, we didn't think that we were going to need to. Hindsight is 2020. We did need to. And in an effort to um relieve pressure on our own staff but also pressure on the adjacent neighbors, we would like to simply maximize the utility of our own property uh in as uh least intrusive manner possible. We plan to use permeable pavers from another additional environmental um prospect. And uh the only additional interruption on our very patient neighbors will be if this commission approves it, if the city council approves it, and if we can commit construction, it's estimated by our partners to be about a 3-week process where there'd be slight disruption to drop off and pick up for 3 weeks and then we would be um ready to move forward.

All right. Uh, does anyone from the commission have a question? I do. Uh, Commissioner Annis. Hi, Dr. L.

Hi. Good evening. Good evening. Uh, so I have, uh, two kids currently at Riven Elementary. They both very much enjoy uh, the fact that they get to ride their bikes to school when the weather permits. Um, one kind of concern I have cuz I've walked with them and done it with them is the three spots in the lower right is generally where the children congregate before they're permitted to enter the program. And so I'm just concerned as a parent and um and does it have a understanding of just the premium routine. There's to me it seems like there's a conflict between um whoever's parking there and children who are congregating before they're permitted to enter the grounds. I was curious how we could approach that. Yeah. um those three spots ideally would be for our food services personnel and so it would be it wouldn't be a random sort of delivery and we would coordinate to make sure that if they arrive before students arrive with no problem whatsoever and if they are currently arriving after that I'll work with our director of operations Jim Bach who's here with me and our principal to make sure that we do not encroach on the kids or we open up a different part of the property for that cool thank you for bringing that to more attention. No problem.

Is that parking area accessible from the drive that you have there on the south side of the school or do you access it from the north side of the school from Baldwin? No, I think please Carl. Yeah, forgive me. I my the way the site plan is laid out is is these three spaces are accessed from Roger Williams app. They wouldn't be able to access through here. This is playground and Right. Yeah. Thank Well, and I didn't know if it was like we're going to fill in all these spots by 8:00 in the morning and then close off the parking lot or something like that. So, I just wanted to understand. So, uh, Commissioner Inch had a question comment.

Um, I have a question about the um key trees that are located um in this front area of the school. Um, and maybe maybe it's more of a comment that um because there is a landscape island requirement, I would love to see one of the key trees preserved in a landscape island, if that's like a possibility given the construction to not like disrupt the root system and everything. Um, cuz it looks like some of the bigger key trees that are on the site are it clustered in this area. So, that was one observation I had from looking at the site plan.

Yeah. No, I appreciate it, Commissioner. We did work very sensitively and very closely with the forester. A tree that I actually mistook for a heritage tree was an invasive tree. So I I I had wanted to make sure we took care of something which that we've done with all of our other projects. I was corrected. It was not even supposed to be there. So whatever the forester and his sensitivity and their sensitivity is what we're absolutely take taken care of. But I I share your sentiment and um you know you've seen some of our tree protecting efforts where we can. Thank you. So these spots here on the south are those for staff only or parents going to be parking there for pickup and drop off? It will probably be staff only.

Okay. Yeah. I mean there's not a restriction. I don't mean it that way. The way that this operates that's drop off for parents really kind of coming passing through. Our staff members are currently parking at the Metro East rod or on our neighbors uh streets. [clears throat] Commissioner Mantis has a question. So the um package that you submitted says that this is phase two. It references three phases of parking. So first phase was included in the original PUD. Yes, sir. 52 spaces what was built with a future plan for 11. Yep. This is adding 15 instead of 11. Yeah.

So, is there going to be a future request for more parking then? Am I reading that correctly? No, no, no. You you're reading it correctly. The spots in the the what I'll call the center. We're not planning to if if the commission approves, if the city council approves, we would we would actually do the south parking phase 2 ASAP, like by Thanksgiving, first week of December. the middle parking lot, if you approve it, if the city council approves it, will be done next spring or next summer when there's almost zero impact on the the neighbors and the school. Got it. So, that's just that's reference to those three spots.

Yes, sir. My I guess my concern is just that I I remember this being taking up a lot of green space and I'm concerned that we're taking up more green space. Um but so I just want to make sure that this is the totality of the parking requested for Ravenia at this point then. Yes. and insensitivity to that comment commissioner as well as working with staff and working with the forester. Our original plan, our second original plan had uh something that would have impacted what you're talking about and we've removed that from our planning and consideration.

Okay. Thank you. Um does commission have any more questions for the applicant down here? Does anybody from the public wish to speak on this matter? All right, please come on up and I'll swear you in.

Do you swear you'll tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? I swear to tell the truth. Yes. Okay. And I'll ask you to speak your name and spell your last name for us. Uh my name is Jana Susankin. I live next to the school. Um, spelling out the last name, S O S O N K I N. And did you submit um No. Okay. All right. Go ahead. You have three minutes.

Um, so um notice that uh parking at for the metro station is very underutilized due to less commuting. uh recently and um I concerned that um adding a lot of uh parking spaces uh to the that um drive-thru the circle where a lot of parents are going and a lot of kids running around would be problematic and also anxiety. I do notice that um staff running out of parking space and utilizing streets. Um maybe we can designate some part of the metro parking lot for those extra that don't have spaces and for the spot that um going to be utilized for delivery. If they will be going back, right? you um going backwards and then cars going entering the circle, dropping kids off or um whatever. I I feel that it could be dangerous situation. Um, plus it's on site too. We need more green space for kids where they are congregating and if somebody is going to be backing off while kids are there, they're there constantly. So, I feel like it's going to be um dangerous and um not pretty from the street.

All right. Thank you. Anybody else from the public have a comment? Come on up.

Um, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Yes. Ryan Shirley, S H E R L I N G. I'm a resident of Baldwin Road. I live directly behind the school. Um, first I want to ask a question. Have we done a survey to understand if the proposed spots will cover the folks that are parking on the street and in the metro lot? Do we do we know that would be something I'd like to know about this? But um separately with the staff parking on the road, I believe there was an agreement in the short term for five cars to be parked there. Um in the last week, just random counting, it's been anywhere from 8 to 12 cars have been parked there. We've struggled with anyone servicing our properties to find parking and work on it. I've concerned that as the snow comes, you can't get a snowplow down that street if cars are parked on there. Um fire truck, landscaping truck, you name it. It's a fairly narrow road. So Baldwin is the street you're concerned about.

Road. Um so I want to make sure that those are accounted for as we're doing this and um if additional parking is put in place that it is going to alleviate those folks who are parking and blocking [clears throat] the residents from using the street. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Um, would the applicant like to speak to that? Chairman, would you like me to speak to both comments or either one specifically?

Um, both comments, please. So, the comments about the traffic potentially backing out of those spots and then the traffic on Baldwin, which I know Baldwin is very tight and there is a sign there that says you can't park opposite driveways, which leaves not very many parking spaces.

Yes. So, we we we respect our residents view that it may be unsightly, dangerous, or a cutting out of green space. We respectfully reject that though with respect to the fact that we are um in the business of operating um eight other schools where we have um people and parking and there's a 10 minute morning, 10-minute afternoon chaotic, crazy, very busy opportunity. Um uh it is not dangerous. It is part of our business, part of what we do. It also is not green space that is used uh for recreational areas and we do have some beautiful green space on the property and we are not anticipating our teachers to be driving recklessly or or aimlessly. In addition, the Metro East lot, which is um not school district property, it's 2/10 of a mile away. Um it is about a 5m minute clocked walk. Teachers um are there. Whether the commuter lot is empty or not is not a concern or matter of responsibility for district 112. Um we do not want to rely on non-district property for our parking. And if the commuter lot does increase, then obviously our staff can't park there. So that that's not a matter that the school district has perview in. With respect to Baldwin Avenue, Baldwin Avenue is a public way. Um, it is legally permissible to park on Baldwin as long as our staff do not um or as long as no one blocks the driveways. Uh, as a a professional and respectful courtesy to our neighbors on Baldwin, we've agreed to uh restrict the school district 112 parking to uh no more than five vehicles. Um, there is room for more than that. And again, I want to remind the commission and the city council, it is legal to park there. We've agreed not to. So, I do not dispute our neighbors comments. There could be 8 n 10 cars there. That does not necessarily mean they're district 112 cars. We have

medallions and plaque cards. We've been extremely diligent with our director of safety and security, with our school resource officer, with our principal, with our staff, myself, our union president, everybody reminding people no more than five. Um, we understand that it is uh problematic for our neighbors. And again, as a professional courtesy, on a neighborly concern, we want to build spots on our own property so that we don't have to. I will not guarantee to this commission, the city council, the neighbors that we'll never park anywhere. Uh we're also good neighbors with the Revenia Neighbors Association, uh your food trucks and all that that take our spots at the schools. So, we're all going to work together. Uh we're going to do the best we can. This request allows us to maximize our own property and clean up our own uh sort of needs while still honoring and respecting our neighbors and doing the best we can. Acknowledging a the legality of things that we're not doing and and voluntary decisions that we are making to make sure that we can be uh productive members of this community.

Thank you. Um, real quick, can you remind me where the buses pick up at Levvenia? Is it in the back or is it Dean Avenue? It's on Dean Avenue. Okay. Yes, ma'am. Office and they'll move and pick up. Oh, okay. Thanks. Okay. Any more questions from the commission? Any more questions from the public? Come on up. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Yes, I do. Okay. I'll need your name and spell your last name.

My name is Dennis Smith Henry. Last name is S M I T H E N R Y. I live on uh Roger Williams Avenue. Um, I appreciate the what you commented about the patience of the neighbors um during all the construction during the last two years. Um, one I just had a few questions. Maybe one had to do with uh you had mentioned um Daniel Mattis Mantis about the phase three. When I read through all the materials, it did look like there was a phase three. So, I just want to make sure and it was additional parking beyond phase two, which I think we're all referring to here. Um, another point is you said uh back in and I did submit a appearance form FYI.

Okay. Yes, we saw that. And so the the other thing is you said 2020 sign. I totally get that. But what I don't understand is why the parking lot on the north side, those three spots weren't done when um the original construction occurred because it seems like a um inefficient use of funds to do that to have to redo it uh when it was approved already. I did have a question about I don't know if we can put up that view of the parking the south or middle Okay. Sorry. Go ahead.

Just this had to do with question um about chairman's question about whether you can turn left or right into the the circle. I'm also I just have a question about the is it possible to even turn left into the west side. Is that you know are there one way signs? I don't know. Well one way. Okay. Um and I also share concerns our neighbor over here. Sorry about that. No, I share concerns also just I I understand um I was actually a former teacher myself but there there uh there is a lot of activity with children uh in front of the school and particularly in that zone here between those three spots and the the proposed uh proposed three spots and proposed 10 spots. um that there's a lot of activity there in the morning. So, it does just seem like you have people driving in. Uh you have parents drive driving in to drop off. So, I it just seems like a an odd coordination of um parking for staff, parking for um or people dropping off children and then children trying to get to the playground. So, I it's just a concern that um I'm thinking about as as I listen to all the comments. I think that the only other thing is that we all of our all the neighbors around received this uh letter that we had to sign from the mail and it wasn't correct. So, I just was curious if someone could comment on that because it actually I got really confused because it said it would add like eight additional classrooms um if changes to lamp lighting courtyard.

So, I think that was the original plan when this came through two years ago. Yeah. And I'll have Mr. Burhoff speak on that if I could. Could I please respond to that? Yes, you could please respond.

So, um Thank you. Yeah. So, for the notice, um, yeah, I apologize for any of the confusion. Um, staff basically staff reused the notices from two years ago and updated it and we updated it everything correctly, new date, new time, the new project except the one issue is uh, the prior project, there was like two or three sentences in the middle of that neighborhood letter and those should have been deleted and I just apologize for that confusion. That's what happened. We reused the notice from 2 years ago and everything in there was updated correctly except for that should have been struck. So, straight up, I apologize. And for those of you that called us uh and spoke to us, I'm I'm always pick up the phone and talk to us. We're happy to talk to you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Um Okay. So, I felt that we kind of covered the reason that the three spaces on the north side weren't added was because we were trying to maximize the green space at the time. Is that correct, Dr. Lufeld.

Um, Chair Moore, no, we we made a mistake by not adding those at the time. Okay. I'm sorry. Okay. It happens. Yeah. All right. Um, [clears throat] and then that does, as we discussed, that does um finish the request for additional parking for this property. Okay. There's no like phase three.

No, we were we were going to ask permission to build on the North Triangle. Um it's a special space, a special site. It's an exceedingly difficult site. Um we've withdrawn that decision discussion and plan in cooperation and coordination with the city staff, especially the forester. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Um, if you would like to come up again, you can come up again. My question was you'll still need to come up and speak into the microphone. [clears throat]

Please identify yourself and then Sorry. dance or something. Um, I just want to um ask if the parking instead of the circle um on Dean Avenue would be considered instead of parallel parking there could um cut into the that space where not much greenery and have parking on Dean Avenue. Just a question.

Okay, thank you. Do you want to put up the map again? All right. So, because Dean Avenue is that street there and there are parallel parking spaces there. Oh, on the street, right?

Yes, there's parallel. And I think she's asking is can we turn some of those into angle or angle parking spaces by cutting into the parkway? And I'm not sure that we can do that. Um due to our city code requirements for um that would be the um I'm sorry it's not the easement. What is it? It's the um setback. Setback. Thank you. [laughter] I think that you run into the same problem of you have to give up that green space then at the I think your point at the southwest

it wasn't very nice green space to begin with but well I mean we had this space I mean I think as as commissioner Mantis pointed out we had a lot of these concerns two years ago about the parking um and I mean it is a very it was a very difficult site. We preserved what we could. Um I think we've been accounting, but I don't I don't know how you kind of get around the needs that have developed here.

Right. Well, and then I think if you're trying to park in the parkway of Dean Avenue, those aren't necessarily Ravenia school spaces. Those are perhaps city spaces. So, and I think since we have approved the original plan, you know, I think we need to let that lie. We can't reinvent the original plan. So, I think we have to go ahead with what's in front of us, which is adding the 10 spaces on Roger Williams and then the the extra six spaces in the two locations in the back parking lot. Chair. Yeah, Commissioner Henry.

Um, Dr. Dr. Luell, would you come back up to the podium? I got a question for you. Yes, sir.

In looking at this schematic, I'm not troubled by the the spaces on the south or adding the stuff that we should have done the first time around. I get how that works. But the three spaces, to the point of of some of the comments, [clears throat] the three spaces seem to be located near play areas, basketball courts, and all this kind of stuff. Would it would it have been poss or is it possible? Did you explore the possibility of putting those on rather than on the Baldwin Roger Williams side on on the dean side so that they're separate from those areas where students congregate. Uh Commissioner Henry, thank you very much. We um we we have exhausted every every option um and to avoid any utilities or to avoid any any other issues that we have on that property. These three are actually three that was down for about seven in terms of other iterations and configurations. and the way that we have some of our um uh considerations there and the way that we have been operating, we're not concerned about the we do not believe there are any safety concerns.

Okay? Cuz it it just you know, as I look at it, you I'm looking at basketball courts uh just south and then and a whole area. And when I look to the the dean side, which is where we have a new addition, amazingly so. Um have been laid on that. Yeah.

Um I was just wondering if those three spaces could or could be or let me ask you this. If there ever was considered, why uh did we believe that does the district believe that these three spaces uh are best situated where you propose as opposed to on the dean side where it doesn't seem to be any area of student congregation or anything like that. We we we have student congregation on both sides. We It's a very busy site, very busy space. This would be adjacent to the parking lot that's already there functioning very well, thank goodness. And it's the minimum amount of spaces that we feel comfortable adding at this point.

Will those spaces be signposted like food service only, employees only, or something like that? Um the ones that are those three that are immediately close to the south, the answer is yes. Yes. Okay. Because we don't want to have parents pulling in there. They they won't parent parents. The main entrance of the schools on Dean Avenue is where parents or visitors come in or they'll they'll come in their side. But point is made, point is taken. It will be for employees only.

Okay. Um, Commissioner Inchuk, um, just following up on that, I'm curious if there's a way to like physically separate the parking vehicular traffic area. And I don't know this particular site super well, but like ballards or fencing or any other kind of like visual separation that would flag to kids like, hey, this area is dangerous. Don't go to this part of the site. Yes, there's already bothers gate there. There's already fence there, so 100%. Yes. Mhm.

Do we look to opening up the playground earlier than the the current hours to not have the children congregate there? Uh, be I'd be completely open to that. I I have not. I can certainly tell the school staff that's a great idea. Great. Thank you. Thank you. No, they're any more uh comments from the commission? I have a question from uh a question from council member Ross.

Thank you chair. Um [clears throat] it is um my understanding that um in general uh district 112 has been adding more staff or felt the need to add more staff and and not just at Ravenia but at other schools as well. um which for the worthy goal of you know uh having all the the the educational offerings across the district uh being uh equitable and um so my question is if uh what's to say that you won't need more staff at the given elementary and would you expect that the staff to be parking at me metro station ultimately um do not have a crystal ball. I do not believe right now we have the capacity. We do not have the need for additional staff today. I don't believe we have that much more capacity for additional staff. We have room for students, but uh so we're working on that internally. Um and we're grateful to the city for permitting us to send our staff to the Metro East lot at Raven. It is certainly not a school district lot, so we're grateful for that. Um, we're doing everything in our power to make sure that our planning is commensurate with our ability to create these spaces.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I think we had one last comment from a member of the public. Okay, never mind. All right. So, um I think we have findings of fact. Is this correct? That's correct. We do. All right. Do we have any conditions on the findings of fact? No. Though any conditions from the uh original approval would carry over. This doesn't strike anything that was already approved. It just makes uh the amendments as specifically requested. So then we would need a motion to adopt the findings of fact. Um

if I may. Yes, you may. I would move we adopt the findings of fact recommending approval of an amendment to a special use permit in the nature of a plan development design review and modifications from city code at 763 Dean Avenue known as Rivonia School. All right. Do we have a second? And we have a second by Commissioner Henry. Um any more discussion amongst the commission on this? Okay. Um please call the role. Commissioner Inchek. Hi, Commissioner Fentner. Hi, Commissioner Nannis. Hi, Commissioner Henry. Hi, Commissioner Mantis. Hi, Vice Chair Kers. Hi, Chair Moore. Hi.

The eyes have it. The motion carries and this item has been recommended for approval. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Um All right. Shorter meeting perhaps. Uh, do we have an administrative design review update from staff? Yes, the update is that there are there are no there are none to update you. Okay. Uh, the next regular meeting is scheduled for November 18th, 2025, which would be here regular meeting at city hall. Um, if there's anything on the agenda, we will have that meeting. Correct.

Yes. I believe that meeting will likely be cancelled and I will confirm that. Okay. Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving. There you go. Exactly. All right. To the case briefing.

Yes, ma'am. Chair, [clears throat] on October 30th, um at its special meeting, the city council um considered and approved a preliminary approval for the uh 1700 old Deerfield road site, former solo Cope site. Um so what's going to happen next is the applicant is uh directed to prepare final documents as part of that that include a host of um conditions and um uh other stipulations to be included in the approval documents not just only the final documents but also the development agreement and the ordinances that would be u required as part of that. So this item will be coming back to the plan and design commission in its final form and then back on to the city council. At that time we're doing a substantial compliance with the preliminary approval um check and then would go to city council for final action. In addition, um there will be as part of that uh consideration, it's a separate but um related a consideration for a conditional use for a freestanding parking lot related to that development. Um the parking lot that it consists of 42 spaces, 28 of which had to do with an easement and 14 of which is part of a public benefit. And so not for discussion this evening, but those things will all be coming back to you. um uh for in their final form.

Okay. Okay. In the future, I can't wait.

We'll provide updates when we have you know an estimated time of arrival. Right now we have some internal tenative uh um ideas on that and um obviously the applicant is interested in moving this forward quickly. By our local law we have uh they have to supply final uh plans within 6 months. They plan to do that more quickly than that. Right. So depending on when you get those, which we're expecting them this month, but in what condition they're in and you know how well they're done, we can be back before you sooner rather than later, but not before the November 18th meeting. [laughter] So we get another jitter out of it. [laughter]

Um, is there any other case briefing? No. Is there any business from the public? So I have I have business from the public. Okay.

So to speak. Um it's about your behaviors. No, I wanted to um [laughter] I wanted to update wanted to update you all. I did promise Commissioner Henry that I would um update you all on pending legislation uh before the uh general assembly down in Springfield. Now, if you are subscribed to the LRAD Freriedman client alert, you are already on board. You know all about this. Uh so, Senate Bill 111 is a uh it just passed both houses October 31st. It is a bill that among other things, among many other things, um, eliminates the ability of municipalities, home rule or otherwise, to require minimum parking requirements. Now, that is a um a home rule preeemption, meaning that even if a home rule municipality such as Highland Park wished to impose minimum uh parking requirements, it could not do so. those parking requirements. I'm trying to think off the top of my head. Um the reductions or the elimination of that requirement is um applicable to new developments or the amendment of existing developments that are located. Um I think it is a half mile toward a parking or a um

public transor. Yeah, there's there's two there's two of them. Yeah. Um, in any event, you can read our client alert to find out specifically which ones are which. Um, the both of those terms, public transit corridor and public transit uh station are defined in the in the bill. Um, it has not been signed by the go the governor. I don't see any I've not heard anything as to why it won't be. uh if signed goes into effect January 1st, 2026. Is that for any development? New developments and amendments to exist. I mean commercial, residential, it doesn't matter. I believe so. Yes.

So that would be applicable like hypothetically like second street. You could put another story on one of those first onestory buildings like above Michaels in theory second without needing additional parking.

Correct. Correct. There may be other requirements but that one won't be right. So yes, it's only related to parking and uh the client alert was excellent. Thank you Marcus um for that. Your firm I understand right. Um having said that [laughter] major transportation staff is is doing the following um in response to the update. Um we have no reason to expect the governor won't sign. So we've uh already assigned this as a task for staff to do is to develop a memo on the impact of this new legislation. There is uh state preeemption. So our local code will be will not apply. Um uh you know we are looking at uh then an amendment to our local code. But even un amended this still applies. So it just you stand down on the things that are in conflict with state or federal law as we always do. Um but eventually we will come back with an amendment next year to to clean this up once we better understand it and and figure out a way to amend the code properly so that in the areas it doesn't apply it won't apply. Um we are a bit ahead on this. Um you all uh sat on uh matters and made recommendations related to the repark rule um that did really uh change parking requirements for reuse of spaces in in our community. Um this goes beyond that though to to really affect new development and additions to the development out there. It does not according to the uh client briefing from LR Freement undo what's already been approved. Okay. It's only the next you know when things change in an amendment or a new project is proposed. And so, um, it's a half a mile from like a train station. And then there's, um, a bus, uh, metric that you need to be able to

meet to to have that be a locust point from which you would also relieve parking. So, we're not sure if we meet the the bus one, but we're going to check. We obviously have pace buses and we're going to be working with our colleagues in public works to understand the schedule because it's a 15minute service schedule at at a particular location from I believe maybe two lines at least. So we'll do the analysis. We'll we'll be back and and brief the city manager, city council, and the plan design commission of course about the implications as Marcus had indicated. It becomes effective January 1st. So we will be doing this uh during the holiday season taking a look at this. do more.

So, I guess my my question, so if somebody came in with a new project on the 18th, which they're not going to, um, that was going to that was going to have to deal with the minimum parking requirements. They can't say, "Oh, that's going to be signed and we don't have to deal with that." You know, it actually has to be signed to become effective law. And the law is effective January 1st, 2026. And so I would say and I defer to corporation council if an item has not been approved yet it is not an already existing approval. So if the law if the approval takes us past that time then then that becomes effective and I defer to corp counsel on that modify.

You don't just if you just apply now but it doesn't actually get approved until 26 and that law does come into effect then it would be in effect right? It's not yet approved,

right? And it's really I mean it affects our law. It affects our It doesn't really affect the application. If the application is for so many residential units and so many parking spaces, that is what it is. If they're not allowed to have that by virtue of our law, um then there is I mean it really does come down to when does the application when was the application filed? When was the final um uh approval? My thinking is um is that upon uh submitting your application, your application is as to the law as it stands that day. Correct. Yeah, I agree. I agree. Okay. Um, is there any other new business that we should be aware of? There's no business from the public because there is no public. All right. Um, can I get a motion to adjourn?

So moved. Okay. Can I get a second? Okay. Um, all in favor? Right. Thank you everybody. Thank you for dinner tonight. Thanks for dinner.