Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

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We're going to go ahead and call the meeting uh of the planning and zoning commission to order. And we're going to start uh with the welcome and swearing in of a new commissioner that is joining us tonight, Ignasio Gasco. You, Ignasio Gasa, swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois and that you will faithfully discharge the duties as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission for the City of Belgian, Illinois according to the best of your ability. I just repeat the whole thing.

Thank you. I agnost Okay. I you sorry you [laughter]

um will uh staff please call the role. [clears throat] Commissioner Abali present. Commissioner Gaza present. Commissioner Jones here. Commissioner Olsen here. Commissioner Ruble here. and chairman Wermouth here. We have a quorum. All right. Um and now can we have approval of minutes of the November 3rd, 2025 meeting? I move to approve. Second. Will the staff please call the role? Commissioner Jones? Yes. Commissioner Olsen? Yes. Commissioner Abali? Yes. Commissioner Gaska? Yes. Commissioner Rubble?

Yes. And Chairman Wermouth? Yes, the minutes are approved six to zero. All

right. Well, good evening everyone and um welcome to the December 8th meeting of the Elgen Planning and Zoning Commission. Tonight we're going to be hearing petitions number 3825, 42-25, and 43-25. Before we move uh to the agenda, I want to briefly discuss the role of the commission and the procedures of um tonight's meeting. So, as a reminder, the planning and zoning commission is an advisory and a recommending recommending body to city council. After tonight's meeting, um uh the petitions will then go forth to the next part of the process, which is going towards um going before city council. So, we are the recommending body, not the voting body to the city council. Um the job of the commission is to review development proposals and determine whether a proposal meets the applicable standard of uh of the of review. So that's what we're going to be basing our decisions on tonight is a set of standards and we put our applications up against those set of standards. So the process that we're going to go through tonight is that we will first hear from city staff followed by questions from the commission that the commission has for staff. Then we're going to invite the applicant to provide a brief overview of their proposal and the commission will then ask questions of the applicant. And then after that um we will open the hearing to public comment um for questions and comments. And during the public comment period come forward, state your name and spell it and provide your address. Public comments should be addressed to the commission. Um and then we will be keeping notes on the questions, concerns raised and then city staff or the applicant uh will have the opportunity to address those questions. Um and in the interest of time um we ask that those testifying do not reiterate points that have already been made. We

have been given all the correspondence that has been submitted to city staff. We have been provided with those in the packet and those correspondents that were received over the weekend. We've got copies of all of them up on the deis. So, we've received um all of your comments. So, thank you very much for your participation in the process and we will be taking all of those into accounts and ask and asking questions from both staff and the applicant um based on what's in the application and the uh testimony and comments before us. Um so then 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. Um, and it's where we come together to weigh um both sides of applications and and understand and get to know a little more. So, thank you for being a part of the process. Um we just do ask that everyone please remain respectful um tonight and uh please just be good listeners and attentive and uh just respect for for everyone as we um go through the process. Um and with that um we will proceed um with um uh administering the oath to persons desiring to testify. So, anyone that thinks that they will be providing any testimony, um the uh court reporter will now uh swear you in. So, those those that wish to testify can please stand and take the oath.

If you all raise your right hands, please. Do you solemnly swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Thank you. All right, we'll look to staff for our first petition of this evening. Okay. Thank you, [clears throat] Chairman. Thank you, Chairman Wildermouth. And good evening, everyone. So, first petition before you tonight, and for the record, we have provided the required notice on this first petition. This is the application by Mike [clears throat] Spelain Spain and Sons Incorporated as applicant and property owner requesting variations from sections 19.20.635 site design pursuant to section 19.12.800 800 authorized site design variations to construct a new single family home with a 25 foot streetyard setback from the West Street lot line along Porter Street where a minimum 38t streetyard setback is required and with a 30-foot streetyard setback from the south street property line along east Chicago street where a minimum 36t streetyard setback is required at the vacant property commonly known as 552 East Chicago As usual, [clears throat] we'll start with the general location of the subject property. As you can see, the the properties outlined in yellow. This is approximately [clears throat] 8,580 square foot lot. Uh so an RC3 residence conservation district. It is also located in the Elgen Historic District. It's at the um just west of the intersection of East Chicago Street and Liberty Street on the north side. The property is currently vacant as you can see, but it did have a single family home in the past. That home was damaged by fire in 2010 and then subsequently

demolished. A twocar detached garage still exists on the property sort of on the north end of the of the sites with driveway access to Porter Street. Here are the couple photographs. One on the left is the former home on the on the site and then on the right is what that property looks like today. So the applicant is requesting approval of two site design variations to construct a new single family home. On the left is the plat survey or site plan of the former home on the property and on the right side is the proposed site plan for the new home. in red or circled in red are the two setbacks in question. The applicant is proposing to construct the home uh with a 30- foot setback from the south property line. The the actual foundation of the home is 36 ft from the from the south property line, but the the applicant is proposing to construct a 6ft deep porch. That would be uh 30 ft from the south property line. The required setback is 36 feet based on the average setback of the homes along this block of East Chicago Street. The applicant is proposing to construct the front porch to uh provide an elevation and the exterior of the building that matches the other historic homes along East Chicago, all of which have front porches. And then the other setback outline or circled in red is from the west property line. The proposed home would be 25 ft from the west property line where 38 feet is required. Again, 38t setback is the average setback based on the homes to the north on this block. And it's worth pointing out that the homes, as shown here on the aerial photograph, run east west. So the homes are set back

further from Porter Street property line and that's what sort of determines the required setback from Porter Street. With that request for a 25T setback, the home would still be only uh 20 uh uh 27t wide and the applicant would provide a 13t setback from the east property line where only six feet is required. That additional u setback between this home and the home adjacent to the east will add to that historic character on on this on this block of East Chicago Street. Again, this is still a modest home approximately 1,800 square ft and includes three bedrooms and two and a half baths. On the left is the proposed first floor uh with the kitchen, dining room, and living room and a half bath. And then on the right is the second floor plan with three bedrooms um and two bathrooms.

[clears throat]

Here are the proposed elevations. The one on the right is the south elevation facing east Chicago. The one on the on the left is the west street along Porter Street that that elevation. The home will be clad in fiber cement sighting. It was designed in the queen an style which is the most prevalent style in the area. Uh the as I mentioned the property is in the Historic District. So design review subcommittee of the heritage commission has reviewed the proposed plans and has uh unanimously approved them at their meeting on November 3rd. So this project is made possible through the collaboration between the applicant and the city of Elgen. Uh the home will be constructed with the funds or community development block grant funds and will be sold to uh general public or to to individuals that meet income requirements and restrictions based on the the HUD guidelines. So the home will be occupied um and sold to a low to moderate household. This applicant has constructed other homes in the u on the in the historic district of of Elgen. They've the applicant constructed three similar homes. Those those homes are displayed on the slide. There are a couple on Spring Street and one on Park Street. They've also constructed other homes uh in the Fox Valley area through the same program. The proposal requires compliance with the standards for variations. Uh there are nine standards. We have provided our overview of the standards in the packet and staff believes that all applicable standards are satisfied and therefore staff recommends approval. Um again this being a variation the planning and zoning commission is the final determining body. So whenever you make a motion it will be to either approve or deny the project.

With that happy to answer any questions. The applicant is here as well and can address the commission. All right. Thanks. I'm going to start on my left with Commissioner Bubble. No questions. Commissioner Jones, no questions. Commissioner Wallally, no questions. Thank you. Commissioner Olsson, no questions. And Commissioner Gaska, no questions. No questions for me. All right, we'll invite the applicant to come forward. And if you'd state your name,

uh, Michael Spelain. We're the owner of Spain and Sons. Great. And let us know your thoughts or anything additional you want to add. Um, it's a pretty, uh, straightforward project. You know, like um, uh, staff has said, we have done many historic uh, buildings or historic homes in the district before. uh we saw this opportunity and and and brought the home to the commission to uh to build. So we we think it'll fit well within the neighborhood and uh the style and character of the home proposed I think will fit well on the street. Thanks. Um I'll start on my right with uh Commissioner Gaska. Any questions for the applicant? No questions. Commissioner Olsen,

no questions. Thank you for investing in Elgen. The home that was there was beautiful and uh sad loss to the city. So excited to see something new there. Thank you. Commissioner Wallally, no questions. Commissioner Jones, can I just ask you out of curiosity, are you using all building materials that would be like drywall, composite, shingles, you know, today's industry products, not trying to meet any of like the historical woodworking and I mean, I know you can replicate some of that type of thing to cosmetically, but

yeah, with the historic standards that are within the district, we have to adhere to certain requirements. Um, some of those are um the type of siding that we would use, uh, the type of windows that you would use, and really the overall character of the home. So, we believe we've met all those requirements as far as um, you know, in building this home. The interior of the home though is is really styled with today's living. So, it it's the layout is different and um the materials that are within the inside of the home are much different. Um but the historic commission doesn't um advise as to what to use on the inside. So, so it's mostly the cosmetic exterior.

Correct. Correct. That's that's where our requirements are. Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much, Commissioner Bubble. No questions. Not have any questions. just thanks so much for uh especially utilization of the CD um GB funds and uh and building a beautiful home investing there. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. Now, we will um open up uh this part of the hearing for public comment. If there's any public comment on this petition, we'll invite you to come forward. All right, seeing none, um we will close the public comment portion of the hearing and look to staff for any final comments. Nothing further to add. Staff recommends approval subject to the conditions of the packet. All right, sounds good. Is there a motion from the commission? I move to approve petition number 38-25 subject to the conditions outlined within our packet and to adopt as the findings of the commission those findings also within our packet.

Is there a second? Second. Can staff please call the role? Commissioner Abali, yes. Commissioner Rubo, yes. Commissioner Gasca, yes. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Olen, yes. And Chairman Wilder, yes. The motion is approved. Six to zero.

Fantastic. Well, staff will be in contact. Thanks so much for your time. And with that, we will move on to the next set of petitions. All right. Okay. So, the second petition before you and again we have proof of proper notice that was provided for this one as well. So [clears throat] this is an application by Mia Mataji Sancha Chicago Midwest an an Illinois not forprofit corporation as applicant and property owner who is requesting approval of a preliminary plat of subdivision and plan development as a map amendment with departures from the Elgen Municipal Code to construct a new approximately 86,000 square foot temple with 536 accessory parking spaces and 33 town homes. all of the property commonly known as 890 G Boulevard. [clears throat] As was the case with the previous petition, we'll start with the general location of the subject property. Again, the property outlined in yellow. This is about 34 acre property that's currently zoned GI, general industrial. That's the purple outline. And then the northern 50 feet or so is zone CF, community facility district. That's the green portion of that of that property. The property is vacant and undeveloped. It has never been developed. Uh it was annexed to the city in 1966.

In 1988, the property was subdivided for an industrial development or a commercial type of subdivision that includes 15 unimproved lots around an unimproved G Boulevard boulevard extension. This is generally west of Hiller Drive and just north of Route 20. Uh Route 20 is also known as Villa Street and then east of the city is known as Lake Street. You you may hear the references to those streets uh by some of the public. So, as you can see, the property to the east is the Oakidge subdivision. It's a residential uh subdivision that includes single family homes, town homes, and some open space. To the north is the Sherwood Oaks subdivision that is currently unincorporated. It's in Cook County and zone R4 single family single family residents. I forgot to mention the Oakidge subdivision includes 72 town homes and 66 single family homes. To the west is the national or Canadian National Railroad and the properties to the west of that are zone GI or PGI plan general industrial and include a variety of light industrial and manufacturing uses. Uh the building that you can see there in the aerial uh right here. This is the the latest building that was constructed in this sort of industrial park. That's about 477,000 square ft uh of light industrial space. Just for reference, to the souththeast of this property, generally [clears throat] along Route 20 are a couple vacant lots. One west of Hillard and then one east of Hillard. Those properties are zoned NB, neighborhood business district. And then there is the Everclean car wash that's zoned PNB, Plan Neighborhood Business. And then the vacant property at the northeast corner of this is Lambert Lane

that kind of loops uh around u that property is currently vacant. It was approved for the construction of a gas station, Thornton gas station. However, we have been notified that Thornton's has walked away from that development. The property owner, however, is still trying to find a developer that will construct a a gas station on the site. And we do anticipate that at some some point in the future, a gas station would be uh would be proposed on the site. Again, here's the bird's eye view of the subject property. The property is subject to a 1967 consent decree or a court order that was issued by the Cook County Circuit Court. That court order has been amended, I believe, a couple times since it was um enacted. And the intent of that quarter was to limit the intensity of ind industrial uses on the property and to ensure a buffer for Sherwood Oaks subdivision that is to the north. The court order specifically prohibits residential uses and the applicant will have to petition the court to either amend that uh consent decree or nullify it altogether to be able to construct the proposed development should it be approved by the city. So, the applicant is proposing uh a mixed residential and religious development on the subject property. You may recall seeing this project and this proposal back in June. Uh we did previously receive a petition for a similar type of project back in 24. It finally made its way to Planning and Zoning Commission in June. And at that time the planning and zoning commission uh recommend the denial of the project. Following the planning and zoning commission the applicant has uh decided

to modify the project and the proposal that they came up with is in front of you tonight. This is a substantially different application from the one before and therefore requires uh a renewed process and a public hearing through the planning and zoning commission. The previous application included a 231,000qt temple facility that included a worship center, a community center, and a recreation center. That facility was going to be 125 ft total in height. The proposal also included a fourstory 81 unit multif family building on the north end of the site, 38 town homes along the east property line in six separate buildings, and then 823 parking spaces throughout the site, plus an additional 461 parking spaces that were landbanked to be constructed in the future should they ever be needed. that would be that would have brought the total to 1,284 parking spaces. And then a storm water detention facility was proposed in the north end. Uh this red spot down on the bottom is a is a accessory structure, a gazebo that was about 2,700 ft. The new proposed site plan is on the right. The current proposal in front of you tonight is construction of a temple facility that will be 86,000 square feet with a worship center and a community center. This building would be 90 ft high at the top with a 5-ft flag pole on top of that. 33 town homes again along the east property line in five separate buildings. 536 parking spaces generally on the north and west side of the temple, a 1,000 square foot accessory structure or gazebo right in this location.

The storm water detention facilities in the same location as before and a new sort of 8 acre private outdoor recreation open space. The proposal still includes the extension of G Boulevard as a private road that would connect to P Simmon Lane. However, that connection would be gated. There would be no access to general public. It would be gated and only accessible by fire department in case of emergencies. The town homes, as was the case before, would be available for sale and sold to general public. Although, as the applicant has indicated in the past, it is anticipated that uh the future owners and and occupants of these town homes would most likely be the members of the temple congregation. All town homes include twocar attached garage and two additional parking spaces in the driveway. The town homes are set uh 50 feet from the rear property line, which exceeds the the minimum setback for the town homes. The temple would be used obviously for various prayer services but also for special occasion celebrations and different special events. From what the application application states the temple's services can generally be sum summarized in four uh types. Typical prayer services occur Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm and 3:45 p.m. to about 7 p.m. The typical attendance during those times is only 15 to 25 persons in the morning and about 20 to 30 persons in the evening. And then on Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. the typical attendance is in the evenings is 400 people. The second type of services are the

special Sunday services which would happen eight times per year. The typical daily attendance for those Sunday services is 800 persons. Then there's a special once per year Hindu New Year service celebration that happens in fall with a maximum total daily attendance of approximately 2900 persons. So 2,900 the maximum attendance at any one point during the day on that New Year's New Year's uh holiday is approximately 965 persons. [snorts] It's worth noting that the maximum building occupancy for the building code is 225 persons. And then the final uh the last sort of possibility for a different type of service would be the nine-day n I'm going to namatri festival and I apologize for misspelling that that happens 30 days prior to the Hindu new year and that is daily so for nine days before the festival. So it's daily from 7 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a maximum of 300 persons each day. I mentioned that the facility would also be used for various types of celebrations and special events. One of the conditions in the in the back of the packet uh includes a suggestion or a condition that those special events do not take place on Sundays and on any of these special holidays. This is the floor plan for the temple. It includes about um a uh 16,000t worship center and about a 71,000 square foot remainder of the building that includes the the kitchen, the dining room, the uh the community

event space and other miscellaneous areas. Uh these are the elevations for the temple. As I mentioned, the peak height of the temple is 90 ft plus the the five foot flag on top of that. The majority of the building is about 40t high. Then here are the north and south elevation. North on the top and then um the south one the bottom. Here are the proposed town homes. Uh the town homes uh more details on the town homes would be expected to be submitted uh in the future. U if this application is approved, it's worth noting if this application is approved and the consent decree is approved. The applicant will have to come back for a a separate zoning application for the for the approval of the final plaque. At that time, more detailed engineering drawings, landscaping drawings, architectural drawings for these buildings would be submitted. These town homes would have to uh comply with the city of Elgen's design guidelines for residential for residential buildings. Okay. So, parking and traffic management. So, the applicant has submitted a parking and traffic study. It's in your packet. Um it was submitted a similar traffic study was submitted to the first application. They've obviously updated that to reflect the new proposal. I'm going to touch on the parking uh requirements and proposal first. So, the proposed development meets the parking requirements of the city. The town homes require four parking spaces per unit, and that's what they're providing. Two in the garage and two in the driveway in front of it. The proposed temple facility is required to have a total of 518 parking spaces based on the total occupancy, I should say maximum occupancy of the facility, which is 2,25. And then based on the number of

employees and volunteers, so a total of 518 parking spaces required, uh they're proposing 536 parking spaces, which obviously satisfies that requirement. The study, however, goes into further detail about uh the the anticipated parking demand of the facility at different times of the day and and different times of the week and the year. They've compared the uh the operations of this facility to three other similar temples in the in the general area. One in West Chicago, one in Bartlett, that's the the most known one uh I think it's called BAPS on off of Route 59, and then the one in Itasca. Based on observations at those other facilities, the applicant traffic consultant has determined that an average occupancy per vehicle is 2.68 68 persons per vehicle. So based on the anticipated peak attendance during the midday on a New Year's holiday when they anticipate about 965 people to be at the center at the same time and based on 2.68 68 persons per vehicle. That generates 361 parking spaces. Again, demand for 361 parking spaces at the peak on a New Year's holiday. They obviously have 536 parking spaces. So that would satisfy that. [clears throat] Now in regards to the traffic management, so the traffic study in its analysis assumes that the improvements to the intersection of Route 20 and Lambert Lane that were contemplated as part of the gas station would be completed. As I mentioned, we've been notified that the Thornton's gas station that was approved is not moving forward. We

however do anticipate that a new gas station would come in. Regardless, if this temple project is approved and construction commences before a gas station development at Lambert and Route 20, this this development will have to complete those anticipated roadway improvements to that intersection of Lambert and Route 20. What do those improvements include? There are four general uh requirements for the roadway improvements. One is restriping of Lambert Lane southbound to accommodate a designated right turn lane, a designated through lane, and a designated left turn lane. The southbound right turn lane on Lambert Lane would be adjusted to overlap with the left turns eastbound and westbound on Route 20. Route 20's left turn on green arrow only. So the the traffic signal will be adjusted so that left turn is only during the left turn signal. And then the route route 20 eastbound stacking for the left turn lane that storage would be extended by approximately 100 ft. So those improvements would have to be completed by this development should it happen before any g gas station at the northeast corner of Lambert and Route Twain. So the traffic study estimated the peak part peak traffic demand at this facility during generally during the midday on New Year's holiday and that's based on the observations at the other area temples. So that peak time during the midday between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. does not coincide with the peak hour of traffic on surrounding roadways, but that generally happens in the morning or in the afternoon. For the special Sunday services, the

peak happens in the late afternoon, which is also obviously does not coincide with the peak hours of the traffic that happens during the week during the morning rush hour and then the evening rush hour. to manage traffic during the the busiest time. So, the the special service Sundays, the nine-day festival prior to the uh New Year's holiday, New Year's holiday, the applicant is proposing a traffic and parking management plan that's generally indicated here on the on the slide. Essentially what this plan proposes is that all so any tra all traffic coming into the site would obviously utilize u either Lambert lane entrance or Hiller Drive which is a right in right out only. But all exit or or vehicles that are exiting the site would would be directed on Hiller Drive to the right in and right out driveway. So they would only make a westbound movements on Route 20. So all traffic leaving the facility would have to travel westbound. Any traffic leaving the Oakidge subdivision would be directed to Lambert Lane. So the the traffic leaving the Temple facility and any traffic leaving Oakidge subdivision would be separated. There would be volunteers stationed at at various sites throughout the uh property to direct traffic in right directions. One of the other conditions in the in the report is that the applicant will have to implement and coordinate with the Elder Police Department uh to uh to to hire the police officers as needed to direct traffic. The Elgen Police Department does that uh for other religious facilities on the far west side. I believe there's a couple churches that do that and

there's also one on on Randall Road down in in St. Charles. Uh so our police officers assist with that traffic as well. So so our the traffic management division does have experience managing traffic during the the busiest times. Again, that will be you the the traffic management plan will be utilized during the eight special Sundays on the New Year holiday and then the nine-day festival prior to that holiday. The traffic and parking study, and I'll let the applicant probably address that. They it also includes a comp comparison of the proposed development to what could also be constructed here under current zoning uh regulations for the general industrial that would comply with the consent decree as well. Um that [clears throat] would be a light industrial development that would uh far exceed the the trip generation of the proposed temple facility. Uh the the applicant the traffic study also includes a comparison to a sim similar type of residential development similar to the Oakidge subdivision. Again, residential uses are not allowed currently based on the consent decree, but the the traffic study includes that comparison. Uh the Oakidge subdivision includes about 138 residential units. The traffic and parking study, it compared that to if if 84 town homes and 50 single family homes were built on this site, that's about 134. And the the traffic generated by that type of residential development would also exceed the projected traffic from the temple during the uh morning and evening rush hours during the week. Uh but less on Sundays obviously uh prior and after the Sunday services. The proposal uh requires to meet these departures. I'm going to summarize them

quickly. The accessory structure gazebo that was shown on the plan is generally located in the street yards south of the temple. Uh such structures are only allowed in the side and rear yards because the Gulf Boulevard extension is a private road that that necessitates or or um there's a transition landscape yard requirement for the temple lot because of that and that's the transition between the temple lot and the town home lots. If that private road was a was a public road, that would obviously not be applicable. But that transition landscape yard is as it stands right now required to be 45 feet. Because of the the private road, that ends up being only about 15 ft between the road and the property lines of the town homes. The density for the the town homes is based on the general lot sizes that are proposed for the town homes. So based on the the five lots for the town homes, the maximum number of units there would be 30. Um they're proposing 33 town homes. Same with the building floor area and the building coverage. That's based on the proposed lot area of each lot for the town homes. Uh generally about 31% of a lot area can be covered or can have a building floor area for the town homes. All of the lots that are proposed exceed the permissible building floor area based on the lot size proposed. And then similarly for the building coverage about 27% of each lot can be covered with buildings. All all all five lots exceed that. Um, and I' and I've listed here the ones that exceed that by most. The proposal is required to meet the standards for map amendments and the standards for plan developments. Um, I'm

not going to go into that, but all all of this staff's analysis of all of these standards provided in the packet. And we do believe that all applicable standards are satisfied. and therefore staff recommends approval subject to the conditions outlined in the packet. And again, I'll summarize some of the conditions that are listed in our packet. [clears throat] One is is that uh additional trees need to be saved um at the northeast corner of the site adjacent to the single family homes in Oakidge subdivision. No special events such as weddings or other types of celebrations can be scheduled on Sundays, New Year's Day and the during the 9-day festival prior to the New Year holiday. Again, Lambert Lane and Route 20 intersection improvements will have to be done and the traffic and parking management plan will have have to be implemented with review um and and recommendations as determined by the city of Elgens Police Department. And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions the applicants teams here can address as well.

All right. Thank you. Um, I will start on my left um with Commissioner Rubble. Any questions for staff?

Uh, Commissioner Jones, I was reading through some of these extras that were up here on the dice. Um, somebody's mentioning that that consent decree that was amended in 2005. Is that the original construction of this subdivision, the residential subdivision, right, adjacent to it? Could be. I'm not certain. That could be. Yes. But the the consent decree affects more than just the subject property, includes properties west of the railroad as well as, you know, these properties including the subject property east of the railroad.

Okay. And there has been amendments made to that along the way. That is correct. Developed. Okay. Thank you. Any any other questions? Commissioner, no. Okay. Commissioner Bali, um, you mentioned the Hindu New Year. Just to confirm on the report, it says maximum total daily attendance, but is the new year just one day? I'm sorry for my ignorance on that, but it sounds like it's one day. That's probably directly best for the applicant, but our understanding is that the celebration happens on one day.

Okay. All right. And then um I don't know if you could go back to where G Boulevard gate is going to be where you close it off. Is that between the the townhouse entrance and their area like so the entrance to the development there will be no gate. That's at the southeast corner here. That's the extension of G Boulevard. So this private road that connects the PCmen lane at the northeast corner of the site. There would be a gate here so that there's no access to the subdivision on this end. So it would be only for the fire department. So their entrance is either there's two ways they could get in from 20. No. Well, yes, you're correct.

Yes. U the entrance to the site and this is probably best seen here. So there is uh you know full traffic light here at Lambert and Route 20. then one can kind of go here. But the main entrance is is sort of west of Hiller Drive. There's Hiller Drive has a right in right off Route 20, but G Boulevard starts here on Hiller Drive. And so there's really no roadway right now, but they would extend any, you know, the roadway from Hiller Drive into the site and and up here. Okay. And then just to confirm, the people who live back there, they still have those two ways to enter as well. Correct. Yeah. No changes are proposed to the existing entrances. Okay, thank you. That's all I have.

You're welcome. Commissioner Olsen, uh, I might have missed it or it may not have been included. Do we have an approximate square footage of each town home unit? Yes. Give me one second. Mhm.

That was on your on this on the drawings. It's about 2,000 square ft or so, just over that. And they're all the same. Uh, let me see here. Looks like 2,165 square ft per unit. Okay. No other questions. Thank you. You're welcome, Commissioner Gasco.

No questions. Um, I don't have any questions. I appreciate staff the distinction between the consent decree and the standards that we're reviewing um tonight. So appreciate that. Um with that um I'll invite the applicant to come forward. All right. if you could state your name and then uh share your thoughts.

Uh commissioners, uh it's a pleasure to be here this evening. My name is Peter Bezos, Bazos. I'm an attorney in Elgen. I am representing the uh petitioner, the Umaya Mataji Santa Chicago uh um Midwest Temple. Um here with me this evening, and just raise your hands so the commissioners can see who you are, is uh Mr. David Patel, chairman of the Temple's board. Um, Mr. JP Patel, the temple's president. Then Mr. Chuck Hanland, our uh, professional land planner. Miss Lynn Means, a senior transportation engineer from BLA, Inc. Um, and Mr. Michael Merchel, who is a religious adviser uh, with headquarters here in Illinois. And finally, not last but not least, our civil engineer, Mr. Takor Patel.

[clears throat]

As per usual, uh, the staff, Demir is giving you a very thorough presentation. We're going to try not to be labor things too much, but by way of background, I've been working with this temple group since October of 2021. Uh, when they approached me about acquiring this 34 acre uh parcel of land for their uh temple. Uh since 2023, we've been working in uh on regular basis with the uh planning and zoning staff um and have met many times with Mark and Demir. Um in fact, this site plan has been revised multiple times um and contains, you know, many many of the changes that staff has recommended and some that you'll see tonight that we took the initiative to do ourselves. Um, in October of 2023, the uh Hindu Temple purchased the property from Mr. Jack Saen, the owner. Um, in July of 2024, we filed our uh we filed our petition with uh with the city. And then um almost 11 months later, well 11 months in fact, on June 2nd, we had a public hearing before this plan commission. And I know some of you were commissioners then. And as Demir indicated um that the the plan commission in in June of this year recommended or did not recommend approval. Um it was to us um seemingly the driving uh concern of the plan commission then as one of the commissioners had verbalized it that the project was so large that it seemed to be putting 10 pounds of development in a fivepb bag. Although I explained to my client after that June uh plan commission meeting that, you know, gee, we wish we had

gotten a recommendation of approval, but the city council is free to do what it wishes. The temple said, "No, uh let's let's uh listen to what we heard. Let's go back and see if we can't redraw our project." Um uh so that's what's before you tonight is the redrawn project. And I would observe again, and Demir just said it a minute ago, that staff has again recommended approval like it did on the first project. I don't think I've ever seen a petitioner um voluntarily reduce the scope of its project as much as has been done on this new project. And Chuck Han will explain that to you. Um on November 17th, so let's call it two and a half weeks ago, we uh at the encouragement of the staff, we scheduled a meeting with the Shore uh the Sherwood Oaks and the Oak Ridge neighbors and we held that at the uh rec center to uh introduce them to this smaller project that uh you know that they weren't aware of. So with that as background, with your permission, we'd like to have uh Chuck Handlin address you and explain the site plan in a little bit greater detail, especially the comparison of the larger one that was before you in June to the smaller one here. Then our traffic engineer, Lynn Means, will address not only parking but traffic. Uh and finally, our religious consultant, Mr. Marshall, will address you. Mr. to uh Takor Patel, our civil engineer, is here to answer any questions um if you have any about utilities and drainage. And then I'd like to kind of do a quick wrapup and we can uh then respond to any questions you have after uh you after that or at the end of the presentation if that's okay, Mr. Chairman. In other words, it although you're free to ask your questions at any time, it would

might make more sense if you kind of heard both Chuck and Lynn means but uh with that I'll turn it over to Chuck where we don't. There he is. Yep. That that sounds good. We'll reserve questions toward until everyone has on your team has presented. So, appreciate it.

Uh thank you, Peter. Again, Chuck Hanland with JSD Professional Services, a planning and engineering firm located in Wisconsin. Uh if you can go forward please to the uh the zoning. So uh some of this will be could be redundant uh to Demir's presentation certainly but uh just to hit on some of these points uh again certainly the existing zoning is as we know now is is general industrial for the predominant portion of the property with the community facility band of green space and storm water management area that's uh in the northern band of the property. uh existing zoning adjacent is certainly PSFR 2 single family PMFR uh multiple family development a little bit of uh CF development of course neighborhood business when you get down to route 20 uh our proposed zoning uh which is on the right predominant zoning of the property as we have proposed it would be planned community uh facility with a band of planned multiple family uh residential which is abudding the existing uh PMFR that's on the existing uh property where they have town homes as well. And a little bit later, I'll show you some of the lot size comparison. So again, for the most part, uh planned community facilities and we are budding uh attached town homes against existing attached town homes on on the parcel next door. You go forward, please. The existing uh land uses as as proposed on Elgen land use maps again is to the northern part of the property single family residential and attached uh product below for attached uh single family which is exactly what we're proposing. Uh we obviously do not are not proposing single family residential

to the north. Most of that land as we go forward, you'll see is actually in open space adjacent to the existing single family homes uh to the north as well in the neighboring development. Bingo forward please. This is looking at uh a map of obviously a broader Elgen and we could have added more but we just selected about 12 locations where there certainly is a precedent of blending in religious facilities in and amongst adjacent to and embedded in residential neighborhoods. The center city is uh called out in the red uh square. uh didn't try to identify uses there because there are as as we all know historically and there continues to be uh religious facilities embedded really this the central part in these historic neighborhoods but there's a lot of existing uh res religious facilities embedded in those neighborhoods as well but that is occurring and has continued to occur going out of the center city over time uh all the way to the far west area and really in every direction of the city we continue in new development to blend the religious facilities into residential neighborhoods. So, uh setting somewhat of a precedent we believe to continue that again. If you want to go forward, please. Uh these not going to go through each one individually. Um, but we just pulled out those same 12 that we saw in the previous map. And the purpose of this just to kind of show the inset maps and to illustrate the adjacency of the residential to the religious facilities and sometimes the religious facilities becoming even the center point of some of these newer uh expanded areas way outside of the center city. You can go forward please. one in particular uh that I had experience

uh back in in 2005. This property was annexed and zoned at that time. It's where the West Ridge Community uh church is located. And in that case, we started with 25 acres. All that was on the property was uh open land, uh some wooded areas, and one single family home on that property. as the property broke down into very similar uh land uses that we are proposing uh for the temple project this evening. PMFR PCF plan community facilities and plan multiple family residential with some adjacent um open space. So this again just one just drilling down into one example where there was raw land. We created something very similar to what we are uh proposing, very compatible with the uh area in this case and the same mix of land uses in this property uh centered around the Westridge Community Church. Go forward, please. U looking at an aerial of the subject uh property kind of with route 20 uh in the foreground. Uh we hope kind of concluding some of those remarks that we are seeing a compatible compatibility with the local uh zoning that historically has been used all the way from the center city out to new development areas within Elgen. Uh strong land use transition. It it might be better to say just a an appropriate land use transition. Again, putting Lykine residential adjacent to Lykind residential. uh local precedent as we've confirmed and proven experience with case studies and all these developments that this can be very compatible uh to work the religious facilities into a residential um neighborhood. Uh final opinion on that would be that the pro proposed application is appropriate well planned and compatible use of the site.

to hit some of the numbers. Uh Deir already mentioned some of these numbers, but again uh the previous development plan. I had the the temple complex with a condominium structure. As previously mentioned, that condominium structure has been completely removed. That was a fourtory 81 unit uh building uh with additional parking. Uh that parking field uh that is on the east side uh east of the condominium structure is not just for the condominiums. That was also because of the larger temple complex that was part of the previous proposal. So if you go to the right image, you now see a temple complex uh greatly reduced. It's about 63% reduction. Uh so 37% by simple math of the previous proposal in terms of the square footage of this new temple complex and the condominium structure is obviously gone. uh in that area. It's been replaced with a six uh slightly over 6 acre uh recreation area for the property uh that would be utilized um by folks that are visiting the property uh alone for the most part. So with uh pimmen closed off that area would not be accessible to uh the public. If you can go forward, please just to illustrate um further the kind of the fields of parking that was part of the previous uh proposal. Um starting with the landbank area that was due to the uh the larger size of the previous temple complex uh where we were land banking in case that parking exceeded what we were proposing. In this case, the land bank is not necessary based on the reduced size. Uh, and the field of parking, as you see on the right image, is greatly uh reduced. Again, Demir went through the same numbers, but from 823 spaces on the left, not including the

land bank, which would have taken it up to 1284 down to 536 uh parking spaces. So again that's 65% of the spaces that we uh were proposing before or a 35% reduction in the field of parking. You can go forward please. Uh that translates uh also to uh in the previous proposal we had seven total acres of undeveloped land whether it was parking or buildings or heartscape the town homes the town home driveways and etc. translating to 7 acres of open space or green space in the previous proposal. That has now gone up by three-fold. We have 21 acres of area that is in green space, storm water management, recreation, passive, backyards, front yards of town homes and etc. So again, from 7 acres of green space to 21 acres of green space within the 40 I'm sorry, the 34 acre uh proposed development area. Uh the you're also seeing if we go well we'll stay on the slide for just a second. Um I wanted to mention with the with the breakdown of the temple structure and what's inside just generally just three areas. So there's a there's a prayer hall at about 15,300 [clears throat] square ft. Uh there's a dining uh area and a kitchen at about 16,900 square feet breaking down to 86,000 and a community hall of about 43,000 square ft with some ancillary uses, offices, storage, and mechanical spaces uh of another 10,500 ft. That gets you up to the total 86,000 square feet. So I thought it would be helpful to understand uh just the the breakdown. It's not just one large temple or prayer hall inside the building. There's certain breakdown uh between these spaces. So just to

illustrate uh that along with the additional green space. Uh the next slide you could skip over was inadvertently Oh, you did. Thank you. Um so the height comparison as well. Uh previously the top of the flag pole was at 150 ft. The shikara top was 125 ft. Uh now the top of the flag pole is at 95 feet and the top of the shikara is 90 feet. So uh not only as you can kind of see in the silhouette image is it a reduction in the height. It's really just a reduction in the overall mass of the building and uh those elevated areas above the 40ft parapit wall. That is one thing that is consistent. It's a it's a two-story building uh with a 40ft uh tall parapit. that has not changed since the uh previous submitt. Um there is some uh commentary about that in the consent decree, but the 40 ft is actually for what it's worth um the same height I believe is the general industrial uh would allow for in the current uh zoning of the property. Uh although we have a much smaller area that relative to the distance of the width of the property. You can go forward please. Thanks. Uh again, uh Deir mentioned this. We have a reduction of one building with the town homes and a reduction of five units from the previous uh proposal. [clears throat] Uh if you can go forward again, please. Uh I think what I'd like to uh point out also these lot sizes uh across uh the middle of the page the typical lots the one on the left is actually what's uh required uh by Elgen the Oakidge subdivision which is the uh the next one uh second one did receive actually variances to decrease both the front

yard uh and the rear yard from 30t to 25 ft in the front and from 50 to 25 ft in the rear. year uh our previous and I will I will mention as a footnote it's just from our observances without trying to measure by a survey level uh but I I believe the Oakidge subdivision actual rear yards are closer to 30 feet even though they were approved for 25 ft they seem to be closer to 35 ft the best that we can measure without survey level our previous plan we proposed a 25- foot front yard and we proposed a 40 foot rear yard in the town home lots. Uh moving all the way to the right in our current proposed plan, we are proposing 30 foot front yard. So we've increased that 5t over our previous submitt and 5t over uh what Oakidge subdivision has in their town homes. We're also proposing a 50-foot rear yard uh that's uh compatible with the Elgen requirements, but we really increased it based on comments we heard at the previous hearing about saving existing trees. Uh we were also proposing a fence back there. We've eliminated the fence so we don't have the difficulty of trying to remove trees just to put a fence on a straight line. That was another comment that uh that had come up. So, we're uh I think greatly increasing that buffer there that will save existing trees and other vegetation and just put a greater distance obviously from back door, you know, deck to deck uh in the rear yards of existing town homes uh compared to the proposed town homes. So with the about 30 feet we believe is close to what's been constructed in Oakidge and our 50 ft uh that puts you about 80 feet from structure to structure uh rear yard to rear yard from existing and proposed attached residential. Go forward. Thank you. Um so final final comment uh from the lany's perspective

is that uh we believe the religious mission the mixeduse development as proposed the pud is now been downsized and adjusted uh is very compatible uh and will fit this uh this area and this neighborhood. Uh in in conclusion to just uh mention that um there is a religious land use and institutionalized uh persons act uh which exists which is should also reinforce the idea of the compatibility of the religious institution embedded and becoming part of and adjacent to uh residential uses. So, we would uh greatly ask for your consideration uh of a positive motion on the development as we've now downsized it and are proposing this evening. Uh that said,

Lyn's turn.

Hi, good evening. Uh my name is Lynn Means. I'm a senior transportation engineer with BLA 333 Pierce Road um Sweet 200 in Itasca, Illinois. Um Deir did a great job um going over the traffic and parking study, but just to maybe give a couple quick highlights um to what our traffic study included. Um it included peak hour traffic counts during weekday morning, weekday evening peak periods as well as Sunday afternoon and evening coinciding with the typical Sunday pre and post um service peaks of traffic. Um, we also reviewed historical traffic counts on the adjacent street roadways um just to make sure that no adjustments to the existing counts were needed based on pre and post um code um co traffic conditions and we found that our traffic volumes that we collected to be above average conditions. Um we also reviewed historical ID do crash data along the study area roadways and intersections for the last five years. um as well as their safety tier information. Um IDOT does a safety tier. Previously in 2020, they had a five tier system that went from critical to minimal. Um in this area in general was considered critical. Um they re-evaluated that and included some local safety tier information in 2024. Um so we looked at that information as well. And just for a frame of reference, Shales Parkway um to the west at um US 20 is classified as high. Um at Lambert Lane, that intersection signalized intersection is medium. And further to the east at Neapville Road is low. So now they have a three tier system of high, medium, and low. And those systems pretty much regulate where safety

improvements um should be necess necessitated to give priority to um projects where the greatest um need is. So we also then as part of future conditions looked at general growth within the study area um coordinating with CAP um to get a general background growth considering general socioeconomical growth within the area on the roadways. We project out to a five-year buildout consistent with IDOT guidelines since US Route 20 is an ID dot roadway. Um we also looked at planned developments in the area. Um, at the time we did include the um Thornton's gas station since that was still contemplated as um as a as a future um development in the area. Um, as well as looking at roadway improvement projects. Um, and as you're aware, IDOT has an improvement project to improve safety and traffic operations on US Route 20 at Shales Parkway, which considers a grade separation. Um, they have a uh preferred alternative which includes some roundabouts that's still in the development stages. Um as well as along Route 20 to the east, they included um barrier median. So the right in right out that's at Hillard that would have a barrier median which would further protect folks from not um turning left either in and out of um that access as well as the signalized intersections um to include those protected um left turn movements. Now obviously whatever comes first Thornton's this development um the ID do improvements th that's where some of those improvements would recommend be implemented in place. So

those left turn protected um signals um turn movements, the lengthening of the eastbound left turn lane and then the restriping of the southbound Lambert lane to provide that left through right and the southbound right overlap and retiming of the signals. Um we again generated future traffic volume for this development looking at the Institute of Transportation Engineers trip generation manual. Um however, temple uses are not included in that um manual. So we did um reference and collect historical data from three existing temples from traffic and parking. Um generated traffic generation for each use based on attendance as well as that vehicle occupancy. Use the highest um rate observed to be conservative. um and then assess future traffic conditions um to make recommendations regarding traffic and parking operations. Um just to um briefly um conclude our traffic um analysis had found that this particular development during typical weekday and um midweek um week I'm sorry typical weekday traffic operations as well as um Sunday typical operations would generate between about 1 to 4% additional traffic through the US Route 20 and Lambert Lane intersection. Um just for a frame of reference, volumes typically um in general fluctuate about 10% on any given weekday. Um so those volumes are very relatively low and will not materially impact the operations of the adjacent street traffic. Um therefore um those traffic volumes can

be accommodated with the recommendations um that were previously described as well as the implementation of the traffic and parking management plan. Um just to briefly go over that traffic um and parking management plan. Again, there'll be um staff positioned um throughout the site um to help facilitate and manage um traffic and parking as well as the use of um police detail as needed to facilitate traffic within the public right ofway. Um there will be a program coordinator designated. So they will have a direct um liaison between the police and the city staff to make sure that the plan is implemented, followed through, re-evaluated as well as the appropriate number of P staff personnel um is hired um so that way adequate detail can be provided for safe and traffic and um parking movements both on and off site. Um there will be priority at um Hillard and Galt for the residential folks when they um come to that southbound um approach um to Hillary um to Hillard and G. um staff andor police would be there to help facilitate. So that way they would hold the um temple traffic um so that way the um the residential traffic has priority to then proceed um as needed. And again that coordinator would have proper safety training going through OSHA you know flagging um training that you're not going to get you know random people there. they will be um staffed and trained and the plan um followed as as protocol. Um and then again just to

briefly go over we did um perform just for information purposes only. There is no plan for residential or industrial on this property but just for comparison purposes only just to get an idea if this develop if this parcel was developed as um industrial andor residential. We compared the temple traffic to um what it could be if it was residential or industrial. And during your typical weekday, both um the residential and industrial would generate more traffic. Um Sunday, the industrial is fairly split between ins and outs. Um and then the temple would generate more traffic on a on a Sunday than than residential use. Um also we did just for your information purposes for those um that may have been here or not um been here at the last um meeting regarding the proposed um previous use and this use. We did a traffic comparison. As you could see from the previous testimony, the development size had been significantly reduced. But what does that mean from traffic um from the former use? um during your typical weekdays about 35 to 40% less traffic and on your typical Sunday about 10 to 15% fewer um vehicle trips again that's one fewer vehicle every 1 to two minutes at those study area intersections by this reduction and then on your Hindu new year um what this decrease means in size about 30 to 50% fewer trips during those peak hours than the former use Um, and I'm available to address um any additional questions or comments that you may have. Thank you.

And lastly, good evening. Uh, Michael Marshall, Mur Sel, Elgen resident. Uh, thank you for offering me this time this evening to address you regarding some pretty specific items about this proposal. Uh, a little bit about me. I'm a professional religion consultant, uh, forensic theologian, commissioned spiritual director, and author. I'm in private practice here in Elgen, and I've been in that role for many, many years. My wife is a third generation Elgenite. Uh, and our grandson now marks the fifth generation of people investing themselves in this place. Some of you may remember me from my 25-y year role as religion writer with the Elgen Courier News and the Daily Herald. My membership in the Elgen Area Chamber of Commerce spans three uh three decades. I'm a member of SURURL, the Coalition of Elgen Religious Leaders, which is a longstanding religion uh organization representing a host of religious traditions in this area. I'm an act I'm an active member of St. Thomas Moore Catholic Church over here on Elgen's west side. I hold an associate of arts degree from Elgen Community College, a bachelor's degree in communications with extensive classical and medieval studies from Northwestern University, a master's degree in theology and pastoral care from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and I have been a professional religion and culture trend watcher for a very very long time. Through that, I've come to relate to about uh 25 different

religion religious traditions. I could not have asked for a better place than right here in Elgen to headquarter my religion consulting practice. The historical DNA of religion in this area infuses the very air we breathe and blankets our community in one of them and one of mutual understanding, sharing, and religious tolerance. Elgen began weaving its tapestry of religious involvement from its very beginning. This place is appropriately nicknamed the city of churches. Perhaps that's better nuanced nowadays as the city of faiths. Within our boundaries are more than 100 100 houses of worship from a host of American and global traditions representing just about every flavor of Christianity you can imagine and tradition traditions such as Bahigh, Buddhist, Druid, Hindu, Islam, Jane, Judaism, Sik, Wikah and Zoroastrianism. This community culture right here respects and reveres sacred space. Elgian has the unique distinction of never ever having a religious house of worship become a restaurant or an antique shop or a private residence with the exception of one brief uh excursion of a house of worship into a warehouse and that was quickly retrieved and brought back into its role as a house of worship. Uh this all traces back to almost two centuries ago when James T. Gford who along with his brother Hezekiah founded Elgen in April of 1835. It was James who made it a point to donate land within the bounds of this new town specifically to churches thereby encouraging them to come to Elgen and their wise acceptance of that

invitation ultimately contributed hugely to the rich diversity of religions which anchor the culture of our community. Now Mr. Hanland alluded to the practice of embedding houses of worship in neighborhoods. That's a very longstanding practice in this nation. Um over the years, numerous subdivision developers have set aside land for houses of worship specifically because they believed that those would anchor the community, provide peacefulness, uh a calm attitude within the community and a stabilizing factor. uh all of these uh have have uh been represented across this nation. Now understand this this isn't just my opinion. This is and this is data which is informed by prestigious religion and cultural interfaith and interconfessional authorities such as the Pew Research Center, the Bara Group, Harvard University Center for the Study of World Religions, the Parliament of World Religions and the Theos think tank amongst others. Mention has been made of housing being built around the temple site. This is a tradition which members of Hindu temples uh have to live in close proximity to the temple for the convenience it provides for worship as well as to their community hub. Such close proximity also reduces as has been mentioned car traffic to and from and has the added benefit of stakeholders living nearby for the ongoing care of the temple site. There's an inherent quietness about Hindu temples. This is after all sacred space and distractions are discouraged in order to allow a personal space for meditation and prayer. The Hindu temples in this area and there are many of them are eloquent expressions of their cosmology and their theology and of

course they look different from churches because the tradition is different. The expression of deity theology and cosmology is different. So of course they're going to manifest themselves in different ways but very eloquent poetic ways. These temples uh these mander if you will being the Sanskrit word for Hindu places of worship are graceful in form and spirit. They use what we in the service of God call vertical theology wherein the height of the highest point of the temple reflects the aspirations of the spirituality of its community. It's the same way uh with a steeple or a dome on a church in Christendom. All pointing toward that something higher, that heaven, that throne of God, that something beyond our realm of existence here in this world. The central tower, this shakira of the mander is situated above the central shrine. Much like a Catholic church often has a dome over the crossing where the transcept and the nave and the chancel come together. It marks that as very sacred space and in Hindu ar uh architecture it represents the sacred mountain peak and as such represents the sacred mount maru the legendary golden mountain standing in the middle of the universe and the axis of the world. Far from disrupting the flow of energy of nature, a Hindu temple is a reflection of the interconnectedness of everything, the physical and the spiritual landscape and the personal embodiment of that. Hindu temples are designed to harmonize with nature. The practices and the rituals affirm their connection to this by enhancing the natural environment. There centers highlighting ecological

awareness and stewardship of the natural world in a responsible way. And the the temple as as well as every other house of worship and expression of faith in this community enhances and adds to the value of the religious capital of this community. Think of religious capital as the investment of personal and organizational spirituality. time and physical work involved with religious faith which enrich the total environment of our community and everyone and everything that calls Elgen home. Hinduism is a very personal religion and faith lived out by its devotees faithfully, respectfully, reverently with high regard for neighbors and the neighborhood they have seen as a worthy setting for their faith. This isn't about anyone taking anything from anyone else. Rather, it's about what we can give each other in light of that divine light embodied in every house of worship. Seeing the divine in all, finding God within everyone. This is the very essence of that Sanskrit greeting namaste which may be interpreted as the divine in me recognizes the divine in me or the best in me recognizes the best in you. This invites us to live to the into the best that we can be for ourselves for each other for our God. However you choose to name that omnipresence for the rich religious heritage of this place called Elgen and which we call home. Therefore, I invite and encourage you to accept this new place of worship. This religious capital is a gift as an investment made into our community which pays itself forward throughout the ages. This is a vision worth grasping and a

reality of lasting beauty and grace. Namaste and thank you. Yep. Uh thank you. Appreciate the context. Um uh going forward and thank you. Uh if you just like a minute or to kind of sum up so that we can get to questions of the commission. Please

can you put that up? Um so uh from from a legal perspective then uh folks uh the uh the staff report indicates that all the standards for map amendment and special use and plan development have been met. Uh the staff summary of those is uh pages 14 through 20 of the staff report. Um the this approval of this project ultimately would get rid of the of the industrial zoning that it exists right here and would result in um a community facility where the temple would be here community by the way industrial safety clean others here and then town homes here adjacent to the Oakidge town homes. This is frankly a classic example of transitional zoning going from industrial to housing that's compatible with the housing next door. Um it bears repeating that our prior site plan had uh 27.9% open space. The site plan that we're asking you to approve tonight or recommend approval on is 61%. Um folks, I think we will uh stop there and thank you so much for letting us uh present.

Thank you. Um I'm going to start on my very right uh with Commissioner Wallally. Any questions for the applicant? I do have that question just to clarify on New Year's Day. Is that one day or is that several days? One day. Okay. Um, also the recreational area, what does that have? What are you doing in that area?

So, should we have the core come up and talk about that? Our engineer is uh he's also a practitioner of this religion and designed many temples. He knows that answer best. What did they do in the cultural center? No culture. The open recre that big space outside that you took out the buildings and the condos and all that stuff. If you could state your name for the court, please. Taco Patel advantage consulting engineers.

Uh due to size it's about 6 acres. So we can pretty much do the cricket field. There will be few volleyball courts, basketball courts. We can put anything within these six acres. There's little tot lot in the middle here too for the kids, young kids. And the six acres is how far south of the uh of the Sherwood Oaks property by the pond say at least 250 pretty much detention is there right between Shook Oaks and this.

So generally does that mean that it's the people that are going to the temple are going to the recreation area or people coming from outside and going to the recreation area? It's a temple and then whoever lives in these town homes. Towns. Okay. Inside the subdivision. Okay. Okay. And then just my last question probably to traffic a little bit. Um did I notice the study the data was from March of 2022? Is that where most of that data came from?

Yes. The um traffic counts were performed in March of 2022. Um that's when we started the traffic impact study. Um as mentioned we compared obviously since the date of the data um just to make sure that it's valid um since the time has passed from our original study. Um we checked um current available traffic counts from ID do which were from 2023. um as well as from precoid condition traffic counts um just since traffic has fluctuated over the course of um the years and found that our counts from 2022 were higher both than the 2019 as well as the 2023. Um it's not atypical for a traffic study to start um and then for time to have passed before um you know before the evaluation to occur. Um and it's for those purposes that we do forecast out into a five-year post buildout year. So we looked at um an opening year of 2027 and then we projected five years out beyond that. So we looked at traffic conditions in a 2032 condition in 20 year 2032 which also considered um about I think it was a8% um compounded annual growth rate to those 2022 volumes as well as considered um traffic specific to Thornton's um those traffic volume projects projections coming in. So, and we also did not um you know perform additional traffic counts just since the current traffic conditions right now. There is some variability just due to the large construction projects that are ongoing

on US Route 20 west of the study area. What we have found is that um there is some diversion in traffic as a result of those construction projects. Um, so if we cons, you know, consider traffic count, new counts right now, um, I wouldn't expect there to be significant variance. Um, they might be actually lower than the volumes that we used in our study. All right. Thank you. Just a quick quick followup. You mentioned um, high, medium, low. The high by shales is that basically number of accidents.

So the high is not necessarily frequency of crashes. It considers also the severity of crashes. So you could have a high location um and it also considers the types of roadways. So it compares basically similar types of roadways. Um it looks at like those higher um injury and fatality type crashes. Those are all considered into the high, medium, and and low category. So you could have like if you had um an unsalized location that had one fatality at it, that's going to you know jack up that um that safety tier to a high um where it's or you can have vice versa. a location that has um a lot of traffic signals may have a high number frequency of rear end type crashes where that may keep it in a low category just because it doesn't have that high of the severity. So the levels are not as straightforward. It compares basically the classification functional classifications of the roadways and the severities and types of the crashes.

Okay. Thank you. Yeah, Commissioner Olsen. Uh yeah, for traffic before you go back. Um so you guys talked about the traffic and parking management plan. Um is that happening basically every Sunday more or less? Because obviously you have big events that are going to have over 2,000 people attending, but also on average Sundays look to have about 400 cars, you know, is that something you guys intend on having implemented every Sunday?

So we would expect that to occur just during those special occasions. um your typical weekdays, the 400 people in attendance does not equate to 400 cars arriving at one time. So, we have that 2.67 six, seven um persons per vehicle occupancy, but you also don't have um the typical arrival and exact start time um as you may have at say you know your traditional um maybe Christian type service that has a set like start time. um there is a um I guess random a little more random type of arrival of it over the course of the hour and so that's why we reviewed the historical volumes and found that based on that distribution over the hour that we wouldn't expect that traffic management plan to be needed during typical Sundays it would just be during those special higher attendance events where you would need more regulation of the parking and the traffic. And obviously it's something that we did note in the study that should be you know with that program coordinator and and um continue continuous discussion um with the city as well as the police you know engineering and police staff to make sure that um if any changes need to be made andor it need to be implemented at different times they could. Um, I know that there are several religious institutions within the city of Elgen that regardless of um of of the need do have um police detail helping to facilitate traffic every week. So, it's something that obviously can be discussed and um managed and

implemented as needed. Okay. Yeah. The only reason I ask is just cuz even 200 additional cars is not something that neighborhood is used to. Um I travel through there every day. I I go to that car wash on a regular basis and sometimes just 20 cars at the car wash is kind of a mad house jumping out on the route 20. So that's my only concern. Yeah. Your snow, you know, the day after the snow you Okay. All right. Thank you. That's but uh I I've also attended Westridge Community Church, which is one of the ones you've guys have mentioned over the last 10 years, and the traffic management they do there has worked really well. So, I'm sure that your guys' program will be effective as well. So, good to hear. Thank you very much. No other questions? Commissioner Gaska?

No questions. Commissioner Vubel,

hi. Um question is for traffic. Um, so this person that they're going to have manning the gate and and uh directing traffic, will it just be like like how many people are they going to have do this?

So, it's more than um if we could pull the um possibly the plan back up. It's more than one person. Um if you could see on our traffic management um plan where you see all those red red red dots on there. Um those are staff. Um and they would fluctuate obviously and move um depending on they could move slightly on the loadings and the unloadings of the person of of the traffic coming in and out. So it's more than one person. Um we just recommend that there be um a coordinator um a person basically like in charge of the staff. So that way there's a point person that can communicate with the city staff and the police as well as um that has kind of oversees the other um staff that is volunteering and um facilitating traffic on site.

Okay. And then as far as the Elgen Police Department, um how many officers you have any idea?

So it's on typical um weekdays we we don't expect there to be a need. Um obviously what part of this process is um for coordinating police detail. Um the coordinator andor um you know other personnel would um meet with the Elgen police. they would discuss um what the plan is um you know their activities what they um what the needs are and from that they would be able to determine um how much staff would be needed um so if there's a staff needed at per se you know G and um Hillard that's that's one police officer um we wouldn't envision there to be staff on US Route 20 police detail but if it was determined that police detail was needed. That would dictate that you would need at least two officers out there. Um and that would be something that they would need to court, you know, discuss with the police um come up with a plan and then there would be a contract um you know to to hire um the police the police detail um as needed.

And then you mentioned training of these individuals.

The the coordinator and staff would be appropriate. We recommend training. So that way just as you know um like school you know if you have you know you for you know I think like most people are aware of like you know school staff that's out you know at intersections helping facilitate traffic something similar. They have to go um to training um to school OSHA related training. Um so that way they have the the means and the safety needs to be able to facilitate traffic um both for the um staff of the you know the the traffic entering and exiting the temple as well as for the existing traffic within the neighborhood. It's to to promote um you know safe and efficient traffic flow for for for all.

Okay. Um and I I have a question for I don't know who it would be. It it's in regards to the um square footage of the temple. Um the the square footage of the temple. Just ask. Okay. Yeah. The the there was a slide that showed the breakdown of the square footage of the temple. Uh 43,000 square feet of I forgot what part it was. Yeah. Want to find that one? Um, sorry. The the temple building itself, yes, the entire building is 86,000 square ft

and uh let me get my if I get to the paper copy here fast enough. Yep. So, so we refer to the whole building as a temple complex and some of the breakdown within that uh is the prayer hall. The prayer hall area would be 15,300 square feet. The dining area with kitchen would be just under 17,169. The community hall uh which is within the temple. Uh so that's the current plan. If you want to go towards the proposed plan,

is that in the center area that the community hall or is that Yeah. Well, this is the That's temple community uh dining which are communities. Okay. Yes. And and what was the what would happen in the community hall? Just a regular uh religious functions. Could you repeat that? Just regular uh religious functions. Okay.

Usually prayer Sunday prayer happens in the temple and then they go to dinner. Nothing happens in the community but there is a if there is a religious function then that happens there. Okay. Thank you Commissioner Jones. Uh, no, no questions really, but I I just want to um compliment you on the revisions and it's obvious that you heard what was being said at the at the last meeting and the concerns of the neighborhood and it's a very thoughtful resubmission. So, thank you.

Yep. I echo Commissioner Jones um and I have any additional questions. Um so, with that, we're going to I've got the sign-in sheet here. we will go through um the the list um as people have signed up and then once we've gone through the list we will um circle back around and see if anyone didn't sign up on the list um that wants to submit um public comments. So, um, with that, um, I am going to, and please forgive me for any names that I mispronounce. Um,

yeah, I've got it's on here. Yeah. Yeah. Um, with the last name Wildermouth, I'm used to it. So, just please bear bear with me if I mispronounce any name. So, the first person I want to call up is um Paul Oakman. Good evening everybody. Uh Mr. Chairman, there was a timer last time. Is 3 minutes someplace or I don't recall? Not at this not at this juncture. Perfect. [laughter] If if if we get to if we get to about 10 o'clock, 10:30 we might have to start uh rethinking that.

So my name is Paul Akamatnik. Last name is spelled Omn 640 North Lasell number 495 Chicago, Illinois. I'm an attorney at the law firm of Kovit Schiff Nesbbit. We serve as corporation council to the Oakidge Community Association as well as the Oakidge Towns Homeowners Association. So, as a matter of cander, I'm not an occupant. I'm not an owner. I'm not a board member. I've just been asked to help facilitate the members/constituents objections to the grant of the application. In short, I apologize if I'm reiterating some of the arguments made at the June hearing, but I do find them relevant this evening as the members object plainly on the basis of this plan deviating from the overall comprehensive city plan as well as safety, health and wellness factors. That being said, um again the traffic study as noted by traffic consultant, we find it being flawed. It was admission that it was done during COVID. However, redone apparently in 2023, but I do not believe it was done pri I'm sorry after the car wash was in place. So even the most recent data from 2023 is skewed. Um there has been uh different slides showing outlines and individuals who are being trained to come in and help move residential vehicles. But before we even get to that point of a regular vehicle moving throughout the community, there are construction vehicles, there are deliveries, there are materials, there are I-beams, there's support, there's cement, there's foundation, plenty of construction workers. Looking at G Road and Hillyard, those are two-lane roads. And I don't know if a right turn moving eastbound is possible at that juncture.

those roads might need to be altered to allow for construction vehicles to even gain access. And then as we look at the plans being resubmitted, um we feel that IDOT definitely needs to be involved. Uh prior statement from a commission member just you know even noting the car wash itself. There's been no indication regarding the impact on the street regarding the construction vehicles, the construction workers, and ultimately then leading to the regular residential vehicles moving to and from the temple area. Um, we find that a blanket approval for these departures is premature. Prior information from IDOT as well as fire and safety is involved. As noted on all the drawings, there's only one means of ingress and egress to the temple community, the new development. The secondary area used only for emergency purposes is allegedly blocked off by a gate. Well, if it's emergency services, it stands at that gate should not be locked. We cannot allegedly wait for a emergency responder to find a key to enter that rear area to service a town home or temple incident. Therefore, is that gate really secured? And what I'm getting at is how do we stop and prevent all participants and those residing at the temple development from actually opening up that rear gate themselves and moving through the association community. the changes to the fence. Uh there was a transition from the prior taller fences which were soundproof. Now they are no longer soundproof. They're cast. They're iron. They're metal. This creates noise pollution. It impacts light pollution on those town homes on the west side. Uh there's been conversation regarding the church day. And I apologize if I'm using it incorrectly with this religion, but

one day of service and then according to my math as I was listening and taking notes, there are different holidays uh every six weeks by my math and then one major holiday in November. So it appears that there are large activities going on every month and a half, which is for the temple only. We didn't hear any study or information regarding the community hall and other church services what the traffic study and density will be regarding those factors. And then even as we look at the buildout of the process and I regress for a moment I apologize. Um the final drawings show a change in elevation. This impacts water infiltration, saturation, which is key even into today's day and age because as I pulled into this parking lot, the snow was pushed aside in this parking lot. There was no information regarding snow removal. Where is all that snow going to go? And how is that going to impact the parking and parking spaces? not only on the one day ceremony that lasts nine days, but every six weeks as well as those who are using the community home and the 38 town home occupants and their guest and deliveries and moves and trash removal. I don't see speculations and drawings for trash removal. Where are the deliveries going to go? and the game plan for a um professional to help move traffic throughout the week. Does that apply through the during the day, peak times, deliveries at night for food, door dash, things of that nature? Uh the factors that we are bringing to the commission's attention, we reiterate that the prior denial should stand, reasoning that many of the issues, although downgraded in scope and size, have not been addressed. There was a information in the application packet regarding the project being built on donations. It's unclear whether all

donations have been secured to fund the entire project. The worst case scenario would be for this to start all donations not be obtained and then holes be left because the town homes can't be be completed or the temple not be completed. that would be even worse than what is there currently. We find that this could potentially cause fire and safety issues bringing about issues with children in the neighborhood and impact on the community. We find that this development even in its modified state goes well beyond the comprehensive plan that was adopted in 2018. We find that this is not just a simple variance but a gross departure from what the city has intended. For the foregoing reasons the associations object to the development still on noise, light traffic congestion, water infiltration and saturation, snow removal and fence emergency concerns which then ultimately lead to traffic in the association which is what we're trying to prevent. Thank the commission and the staff for their time and their attention to this matter. That's all I have on behalf of the associations. Thank you.

All right. Thanks so much. Um, next on the list, uh, first name is Amita. Uh, last name starts with a B. Looks like a Amita BL. Amita Bu. Yes, that would be I think that would be correct. Come on down. It's Yeah, you're I think you're the only Amita on the Yeah. Wow. Okay. Thanks, though. [laughter]

And then um while he's up there, I'm going to start. We're going to go the next uh one on deck, one in the hole. So, next up is Jessica Arrug and then Jeremy Carlson. So, go ahead. here.

Yeah, my name is spelled Amitab. A M I T A B H. Last name Middle M I T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T A L. Um, yeah, the growth is going to happen. The traffic is going to increase. And this is the same thing I said in June. Uh, the cities um are growing, the Cook County is growing, the DuPage County is growing, the Kane County is growing. Um, and if we're afraid of the growth, we're in the wrong place. uh you know uh simply it's going to be in a magnificent building that's going to increase the value of the area is going to increase the name. Okay,

everyone gets a chance to speak. Please no reactions. I know uh the it's you know 30 years ago there was nothing here jungles most of the time was called the u like there's nothing there corn fields and the most beautiful city most happening city now Aurora neighborville area is growing uh the city needs growth that's the number one thing any city needs and then the people are growing and uh I feel it is a good fit. the current location of the mund and as it is it's just off of 59 on Juliet um so and in that small place the entire congregation manages I'm not part of this sunst or this mandr at all but I speak as a fellow Hindu the well-managed I would encourage you to visit that temple and the busiest today and see how they managed the traffic, how everybody behaves, how everybody works together and celebrates their faith. Uh that would be an example for everyone who's worried about the traffic. There's a single lane, this only two-way, very tiny road that turns from 59 into the temple area. They only have one turn into the temple area. And they still manage that magnificently in my opinion. And my opinion can be wrong. You know there will be opponents for that. U but I encourage you all to visit that mandr or temple to see and come on the busiest day and see how they manage that temple. I think it'll bring a sanity to the community. Even the traffic will be

controlled because they will have somebody to manage the traffic that is happening there. And I'm a resident of Lambert Lane. I live there 20 years, right? Right. And I'm now my son goes to Elgen school. I live still in like my phone says I'm in Elgen but I live in Bartlett. Uh and I'm still here. So I would I would encourage everyone to take a deep breath, think about uh you know visit that small temple where they are all congregating today and see they need a place see their need and they're not you know forcing anything. that are redesigning their plans accommodating and how accommodating and how cooperative and how helpful this group is going to be for the community. That's the community has to think about. Thank you.

Thank you. Um next up is Jessica Estrug, then Jeremy Carlson. Um and then we've got Linda Cersi after that.

Hi, my name is Jessica Astrug. A S T R U G. I reside at 8:16 Beach Drive. Good evening. Thank you for allowing me the moment to speak. I am here to respectfully ask you to deny the reasonzoning and development for the proposal at 890 G Boulevard. Based on the Lal factors, this resoning should be denied. The law in Illinois says the courts don't make zoning decisions. Cities do. But courts can step in if a city allows zoning that is unreasonable or harmful. Though the solve factors are what the courts use to decide what uh decide that and several of those factors are not met with this proposal. Surrounding uses the property at 890 GT is surrounded by established homes and lower intensity uses. Putting a more intense development here is simply not compatible with the area especially without its own ingress and eress. Reszoning would disrupt the existing neighborhood pattern that residents rely on. Suitability. Just because a developer wants a use doesn't mean the property is actually appropriate for that use. There are infrastructure, traffic, access, and fit issues here that show the site is not suitable for the change being asked for despite adjustments made. This is case in point with a consent decree, which was established in the 1960s, upheld again in the 1990s, and only amended for compatible housing when Oakidge was established in the early 2000s. Public benefit versus harm. For a reasonzoning to be justified, the public must benefit more than the residents are harmed. In this case, it is only public burden. Traffic impacts, safety concerns, strain on nearby property, loss of neighborhood character, and negative impact on our property values. When multiple dissolve factors are violated, a zoning change becomes legally unreasonable and should be denied. Beyond Illinois law, we have something even more important. Elgen zone comprehensive plan which was created to make sure our growth is

thoughtful, compatible and protects established neighborhoods. The plan clearly says that the development should match the character of surrounding areas, maintain orderly and compatible land use, support cohesive growth rather than peacemail reasoning. This temple with town homes is a textbook example of a leapfrog development. The temple will be drawing hundreds to thousands of people to one area with no benefit to Elgen Commerce. The town homes, while open to the public for purchase, will be purchased by members of the temple, as stated very clearly by Mr. Bezos on more than one occasion. If we approve a resoning that contradicts the comprehensive plan, we send a clear message that our planning policies don't matter and that any neighborhood could be changed by ad hoc requests, creating a new precedent for all new proposals. That's not good government and not fair to residents. Lastly, I'd like to show you a rendering of a 95 foot tall temple 500 ft behind our homes from the perspective of our roadway using AI image generation and actual average house heights in our area to generate the image since we don't have the rights or copyright ownership privileges to use Amaya's drawings. As you can see, this does not blend, as Mr. Hanland pointed out, with the other 12 religious institutions. Denying this resoning protects nearby homeowners, follows Illinois zoning law, respects our comprehensive plan, and prevents arbitrary peacemail changes to neighborhoods. In short, saying no tonight supports responsible, legally sound planning for Elgen. I am also providing you copies of the petitions from two neighborhoods with over 200 signatures that still stand in opposition today despite the changes that have been made. Thank you for your time, your service, and for protecting our community. Thank you. Uh, next up is Jeremy Carlson. Please, uh, let's keep this

orderly and going, right? Jeremy Carlson and then, uh, Linda Cersi. Good evening, chair and commissioners. My name is Jeremy Carlson, C A R Ls O N. I reside at 8:16 Beach uh Drive, which is to the I live immediately at the northeastern corner of the property, backing up against what will become the recreation area. I want to focus this evening on um one topic that cuts across traffic scale and uh credibility, and that's the city's reliance on comparisons to the BAPS complex in Bartlett. The record describes BAPS as approximately a 336,000 square foot facility and that figure is used to normalize traffic and operational impacts here. Even though it represents the gross interior floor square area than the building's footprint, height or surface level land use intensity, it is not what neighbors experience on the ground. When you measure what actually occupies the land at BAPS and Bartlett, the total footprint is closer to 123,000 square feet. When we don't look at gross square feet with approximately 101,000 square feet that is attributable to non-mandeer structures, the comparator used throughout the candidates's application uh therefore inflates the perceived scale as far as it is relevant here this evening by three-fold uh before a single traffic model is even run. That distinction matters here this evening because zoning decisions are based on land use intensity, not interior accounting, which would be gross square feet. The similar distortion I have noticed appears in the traffic analysis. The applicant's own study acknowledges that by 2032, even without this project coming to fruition, the most critical

lefthand turns at Route 20 and Lambert off of Lambert are expected to decrease from what is currently a level of service rating of A2F uh which essentially means it is unacceptable conditions where the vehicular demand exceeds the capacity. The response to that admission in this case is not mitigation but normalization. The report continues uh the report concludes that because failure already exists, additional demand will have minimal impact. Adding traffic to a failing system does not cure the failure, it exports it into the surrounding neighborhoods in the form of over uh traffic overflow. Parking here follows the same pattern. The BAPS comparison explicitly relies on a site supporting roughly 1,000 parking spaces with inflow and outflow directly onto a major highway, not through a an intersection shared between the residents and the exit from that area. Um, I also want to point out since it it seems like this is selectively mentioned when it comes up. I do not know what happened to Dewali. It certainly is separate from New Year's. Dewali is 4,000 cars. 4,000 people uh as was stated in the uh hearing earlier this year, that 4,000 people should be taken into account even if the 2.65 people per car were 1300 cars across the course of a day. If that was for, you know, 13 hours were 100 cars per hour on that occasion. The other thing neglected to be mentioned was that that that holiday we're talking about that takes up nine consecutive days that occurs twice per year, not once per year. So, we're not getting a full picture on holidays here.

Well, you'll have a ch you'll have a chance to um applicants will have a chance to answer any questions raised. We'll let the

I will concede that I will concede that one of those two occasions of nine days is not as populous as the second stretch of nine but it is 18 days in total that that can be looked up anywhere. Um I also want to mention that the proposal before you well the B so the proposal before you relies rather than on you know sufficient parking and ingress egress on volunteers temporary restrictions rather than demonstrated on-site capacity especially for days like Dewali. Finally the conclusions depend on event day management plans and enforcement assumptions that are not enforcable zoning conditions. Zoning approvals are meant to rest on what is built, not what is promised. Staff has made a recommendation, but under the Elgen Municipal Code, this commission must determine whether the evidence demonstrates that the approval standards have been met, including compatibility with the surrounding uses and adequacy of the public facilities. While the applicant's own study already acknowledges future operational failure and where key comparisons are not truly comparable, the record does not clearly establish that those standards have been satisfied. In that circumstance, this commission has both the authority and the obligation to pause and reflect on what it has been presented. I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to make comments this evening and again I vote in opposition to the subject project. Thank you.

Thanks for your comments. Um, Linda Cersi, then Lindsay Malin, and then, uh, Michael Cronin. Uh, good evening. My name is Linda Cersi. S is in SAM, E A R C is in cat Y. I live at 123 Robin Hood Drive. As you know, a consent decree exists on the parcel of land known as 890 G Boulevard. The decree has been in effect since 1967 when it initially addressed the potential construction of lowquality homes. Over the years, it has been challenged and mattified, example, in 1975 for gravel mining, but has never been vacated. The property was given an M1 limited manufacturing classification and was zoned industrial for tax and revenue purposes. Industry brings in more revenue than homes. Homes bring in more revenue than religious institutions. This industrial zoning would financially benefit Elgen. Since a consent decree is a court order, it generally overrules, excuse me, overrides any decision made by a local PNZ committee regarding resoning. Therefore, if the PNZ committee made a conflicting decision, it would be in defiance of a court order. A consent agree cannot be vacated unless all parties are in agreement, something the Temple group has never been able to obtain. Sherid Oaks and now Oakidge residents have relied on the protection of the restrictions the decree has provided in preserving their residential values and safeguarding the quality of life within their single family environment. The fact that the new adjacent property owner does not wish to honor the legal

commitment is not a basis for setting aside or altering the consent decree. The temple group's zoning classification has gone from a mixeduse residential religious development to a PCF and a PMFR in hopes that it now checks off all of the boxes within the Lasal factor. But the P stands for planned which implies that the proposed development has met all requirements of the special review process. Though a cursory attempt was made, but too much is lacking. There is an outdated traffic report with the excuse of ongoing road construction prohibiting a new one. No true comparison of temples in relation to road access and side size, etc. a workable traffic management plan. No written traffic parking management plan, only their word that it exists. Just because someone makes a claim doesn't make it so. Nothing about this build would benefit the needs of any community but their own. But my favorite part is what we call the wild card. The Temple Group wants the ability without your future approval to make any other departures as may be necessary or desirable. So, goodbye green space and hello fourstory condos with all their amenities. This could really start a new president. I oppose petition 425 and 432. Three neighboring subdivisions will be greatly impacted, but of epic concern is the increase in traffic that will be generated along Route 20, Hillard, Lambert, and Shales as it swelves to an even greater vulnerable level as

demonstrated by this past Thanksgiving tragedy. Therefore, I respectfully request if your response is less than favorable to this zoning change, do not render an even preliminary approval. Vote no. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Um, next up, Lindseay Min. Then we've got Michael Cronid. Then Joe uh Joe. My name is Lindsay Man. I know it's hard. I know. I know it's hard.

The H ran into the end. Sorry. It's It's totally fine. Uh I I spell it wrong on phone calls, too, just so everybody knows how to spell it. Um so our opposing communities have consistently remained civil and respectful throughout this process. Um this is not about religion. This is about safety and our goal is simple. To communicate our traffic safety concerns and the potential impact this project will have on the investments we've made in our homes. I am an original owner in Oakidge and I appreciate the fact that we were able to build there. Um I've been there for almost 20 years. Again, original owner. Um I'm thankful that that space was able to be built as homes. Um, I've made best friends um in that neighborhood and I'm very thankful for that. Um, but with that, the traffic studies that have been conducted um have not been appropriate. Um, and accident rates in the area have not been fully considered. We experienced frequent accidents that shut down access to our neighborhoods, including this past Thanksgiving. I think that uh my previous speaker uh talked about that it shut down Lake Street for most of the day which meant that people could not get to their Thanksgiving, could not get home from their Thanksgiving if they were visiting. There was an entire family in a minivan that was hospitalized. Um and while that absolutely is a driver issue, um we have we have traffic issues on Lake Street. Um we frequently have that area shut down. Um during these shutdowns only about 40 cars can queue on what we're calling I call it GTS. It's what I think you had said you go to the the car wash.

So um so that that turn um that I call GTS that we're calling Lambert apparently. Um only about 40 cars can queue there. We've counted that when we have had days when the road has been shut down. neighbors and I have stood there and counted the number of cars that can be on that street. It's 40. There's going to be more than 40 cars coming out of that temple on a big day. No question. That is a fact. Um during those shutdowns, um vehicles begin cutting through our neighborhood because they think there's an exit even though there's even though there's a sign that says no outlet. There's cars that whip through our neighborhood almost picking off our children trying to find an exit because they're frustrated. It's already frustrating. It's already unsafe when those shutdowns happen. Um, so even with effective traffic management, um, those situations will be extremely difficult to manage. Um, I don't care if you're a police officer cuz they they manage the traffic when we have those shutdowns or if you're a trained human that's just waving cars along. Um, snow removal for our subdivision is another area of concern and I I realize nobody's brought that up yet. Um, we are on the far east side of Elgen. We get plows probably the last because we're not an emergency snow route and I understand that. We don't need to be plowed out immediately. We get we get plows when it's needed. Um when those holidays happen on those days, what's going to happen?

Um so we are definitely in a lower priority tier on the municipal snow removal schedule and I'm not giving the guys a hard time. They're doing the best they can do. Guys or girls, I don't know who's doing the thing. Um, also due to the car wash traffic that regularly uses G Boulevard or Lambert as we're calling it, um, it's typically an area where people actually park on the side of the road to dry off their vehicles.

It's a problem. I stop there and I say, "This is not where you dry off your car." First of all, it's because they're going to get hit, but second of all, that's not where you dry off your car. Um, so I'm I'm kind of my own police force in that. Um, additionally, the projected number of attendees has not been accurately represented. I'm sorry. Uh, when compared with attendance at surrounding temples, information that's publicly available through those temples own social media, these projections appear significantly underestimated. Um we we talk about 12,000 people in a holiday and that's at a smaller temple. We don't think we're going to get a larger population. This is basically like seeing the biggest ball of yarn on the side of the road when you're on vacation. uh the holiday data that has been shared reflect reflects only a limited number of holidays and does not capture the full impact of all observance observances that will occur at this temple. And while we have appreciated the Q&A sessions that have been held, they have not been moderated in a way that promotes clarity, respect or constructive a constructive path forward. We would like to understand how the attendance and traffic numbers presented were generated. Overflow parking has also not been adequately addressed due to walkability and ease of access. We're saying this is a private property. What makes my street not not accessible? if if it's walkable and everybody wants to park on, you know, in front of my house and that's private property, how do I manage that property that I have?

Um, so basically the overflow parking if needed is likely to spill into our subdivisions and we have no recourse. We have no recourse to that because we have open parking on our streets, which I appreciate. Please don't take that away from us. Um, again, as an original owner in the subdivision, I do not agree with this build. I would be happy if that would have been completed as the second phase of our subdivision. Um, and for these reasons, I respectfully ask the city to deny approval of this build in order to protect the safety of the current residents, the stability of our property investments, and the taxpaying community that already resides here. And also, I'd like to know if there will be fireworks because that's illegal.

Thank you. Um, next up, uh, Michael Cronin. And then we've got Joe uh and then um next after that uh um I'll come back to that after I have some time to contemplate. [snorts]

Michael Cronin, 824 Beach Drive. Uh I'm an original owner since ' 06. I'm going to live on the gate apparently. I live at Beach in Pimmen. So I'll be the gatekeeper apparently. Um, I know in previous uh meetings or whatever, the zoning board members were invited to come to our subdivision, okay, to maybe take a a tour of what it looks like. And I know I I work a lot, so I don't know who made it and who didn't. I will tell you on that tragic accident involved on Thanksgiving, it took me 40 minutes to leave my subdivision. I mean, it's it's a real problem leaving Lake Street. Uh, I also work in construction and I set the bridges up and down 20 and we all know 31's been a nightmare for a while, right? And in previously, if I, if I remember correctly, um, it's been stated that most of the visitors from this will be coming from the east and then the traffic will be forced west. Now, it's also important to know that there's a big plan here for Shells and Lake Street. This could be what? A seven, eight year project for an overpass to be put in. You know, that's on top of having a five or six year construction project, you know? I mean, this just doesn't fit. And I'm going to echo what everybody else says right here from the subdivision side. Um, I recognize that you guys made attempts, you know, to to try and make things work, but most of these, you know, religious, you know, churches, everything around, they have some age where, you know, they were built up before the subdivisions were. So, I mean, we follow HOA rules.

We have certain guidelines we want our community to move in. I picked my corner lot because of where it's backed. Okay? I didn't, you know, I didn't sign up to to live by a six-year construction project. You know, I work in construction. I don't want to come home to construction. So, I'm just going to ask that the zoning board and the commissioners, you know, you vote in favor of the community that that's paying their tax bill that has been here and, you know, do the right thing for the homeowners. Thank you. Thank you.

Uh, next up is Joe. And then, uh, next after um, next up is is Ro Robbie. Rob, that was gonna be my guest. Thank you so much. So, go ahead.

Good evening, commissioners. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to express myself. I'm gonna present a slightly different point of view, and I'm not going to be redundant with all the beautiful comments that I've heard these guys talking about. I love my neighbors. I lived in Chicago once. These people are wonderful. So, I'm really representing not just my wife and I. I am a disabled veteran. We came here in 2004 because it was so peaceful. I'd look out my back porch and I'd look at the deer running around in this area where that map is. I'd watch the coyotes and my dog would howl with them. It was so much fun. For 20 years, I've listened to the animals that live in there. I disagree with the person who said it's been vacant. It's not vacant. There are beautiful animals. There are two species of protected species that live in that very area. What's going to happen to them? What are you going to do with the deer and the coyotes and the raccoons that live there? I don't know the number, but I will tell you it's a great number. So, I am a disabled veteran. I'm also 81 years old and I continue to work as an ordained hospice chaplain. Religion has no business in this argument. I don't have any disagreement with anybody's religion and I don't want anybody to disagree with mine. But when I approach patients, I don't push my religion on them. When people are at the end of life, they don't want to have somebody preaching to them about what their religion should be. My commitment to people at the end of life is that they have peace and beautiful

connections with their families. Isn't that what we're talking about here? I want to present a humanistic point of view. I got three points to make. First of all, the animals that live there need to be considered. What's going to happen to them? What's going to happen to the protected species that live there? Secondly, of all the comments we've heard about traffic, there's one point that hasn't been mentioned, and I wish I wish that the uh map showed it, but the intersection of G and L and um Hillyard, that single intersection, every single car and truck in this area and every single car and truck in our area have to pass that single intersection. One intersection. That's why we heard the problem about Thanksgiving because everybody had to go through that single intersection. What's going to be done? Can you expand it? Can you make it an eight lane intersection? No, you can't because there's no room to expand it. one single intersection for every car in this entire area has to pass that intersection Hillard and and G. One more comment is the rainwater the rainwater drainage is in that area right now. What's going to happen with the rainwater? Where's it going to drain when that area is developed? How are we going to be able to see the rainwater? It accumulates. You know, it looks like a lake when there's a heavy rain. Where is that water going to go when that's

all developed land? When it's all ashvault and concrete and buildings? So, I I just want to point out that uh this isn't about religion. This is about what's going to happen to this beautiful community. I look out my porch at the animals. I look through my back window in the winter and I I I have so much peace. I have a disability that can only be treated with peace. Can I live when I see the track? You know, cars don't drive through this neighborhood at 20 miles an hour. They drive through this neighborhood at 40 miles an hour. I don't think that's going to change by bringing a religious institution here. I think people are going to continue to drive at 40, 45, 50 miles an hour through our neighborhood. I really truly appreciate your listening to this community because these are lovely people. Now, so many people here have already studied it legally, financially, uh, geographically, and their their arguments are beautiful. But think about this. We're people. We chose these homes because we want peace and contentment. And where is that going to come from when we crowd it like we're planning to do here? And let me just say that flag over there. Generally we have we have a we have a a we have a ceremony before that flag. That flag is I fought for that flag. That flag means so much to me. And to see it sitting here and no reference to

it that's not religion. that res represents every single person in this room, including over here. It represents all of us. What we're talking about is let's have a place where the diversity in this group can live under that flag in peace. We want peace, not war. Thank you. Thank you. Um, next, uh, we'll go next. Thank you. And Robbie, do you have comments?

Yes. All of my concerns have been addressed already by my neighbors. But I also want to add one thing. Those two exits that we have. That's all we have. And it has never been any discussion about opening up other exits in the back of us. Thank you. Thank you.

Um, next up is Sarah. Uh Sarah Sitake Sitiki and then um after that is Oh boy. Um Arrier A R I J R um and then M O S I E um something like that. I'll come back. Go ahead.

Okay. Good evening. My name is Sar Sadiki. I've lived um in the Oakidge community in Elgen for almost 20 years. Also an original owner. Um and I've lived in Elgen for 25 years. I've raised my three kids here. Um I have lived at this subdivision before we had um actually the street light on this the traffic light where we only could make a right on shelves. So we've been through a lot and I'm sure all the other original owners are in the same boat as me. Um, of course it wasn't easy, but I do want to let the record show that regarding the current petition, I'm not in support of reszoning this property at the entrance of my subdivision. Um, there are many concerns, but even after all the changes presented um by the temple, a very important reason for not reszoning the property is still the traffic and safety. Reducing the size of the project does not change the Temple community's needs and doesn't reduce the number of members that'll be coming for services. Their members are their members. Um, Oakidge is landlocked, has no outlet other than Hilliard. Hilliard should not be considered a road, but more of a byway that connects our neighborhood to Lake Street. It's just the entrance to our neighborhood and it can't handle the traffic or the load of such a large institution that will have waves of traffic that exit um basically into our exit and enter into our entrance. Um it's not the same as a neighborhood because we have no exit out of there other than that one street Hilliard. The applicant proposes that all traffic coming from the development will ma be making a right onto the byway Hilliard and then only a right turn on Lake Street, which means going west when they exit. The applicant also indicated that 70% of their visitors originate from the east and need to return back to the east. And all these people will not only be, I'm sorry, will be not only looking for intersections to make U-turns at, creating a danger on Lake Street, but also will be rerouted back to the

traffic light of Lambert and Lake, which is at a high critical safety tier. Even if our residents are given the right of way to exit, about four cars maybe can fit from where G meets Hilliard, I still see that this will block our residents from even moving forward because the Lake Street traffic never stops to let these cars in. I would also like to add that the stop sign leads to Lake Street, which we all know um is an extremely busy highway that's often shut down due to traffic accidents as everyone's talking about. And the area of Oakidge's exit and entrance is directly between Lambert and Lake Street and Shales Parkway and Lake Street. And both of these intersections are considered at a critical safety tier. I know that it was mentioned that it wasn't by IDOT, but I looked it up as we were sitting here and as of November 2022, which was a study done by IDOT at www. us2020 at shillstudy.org. It says there that they are um at a critical safety tier. Um saying this, our only entrance from going east on Lake Street is at Lambert and Lake. And again, this intersection is at a critical safety tier. Also, once the Shields Parkway intersection project is completed, um which I'm sure you're aware of with them making that into um not a traffic light, but an exit, um our Lambert and Lake intersection will be the last stoplight before people begin to drive 70 mph or more like they do once they pass Shells Parkway. We need you to consider safety and danger that comes from the over congestion of traffic in this area. We are worried for our families and our community. We're worried about situations that may require emergency vehicles to not be able to come into our neighborhood or leave our neighborhood. We're also worried about being delayed in entering or exiting our community due to the community larger than ours that will be using our small entrance as a roadway. Buildings that have hundreds and thousands of visitors do not and should not exit into other exits or enter into other entrances. They should have their own exit onto a major road. And for a

property development of this magnitude, it's impossible to come up with a safe plan for entering or exiting due to the critical tiers of traffic in this area. Please vote no to allow the resoning of this property. A development with waves of hundreds of thousands of visitors adding to the congestion on Lake Street and blocking our neighborhood traffic cannot logistically work in this space due to the infrastructure of our landlocked neighborhood. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Um, so next up is uh the uh person they the the address is 812 Beach Drive. Thanks. Um, and then we've got uh Charlotte Miller and Jocelyn Miller. And um just a reminder please um if your statement or your comments have already been uh stated um please either you say uh something that's a little different or also feel free to pass if your comments um and statements have already been made. So hi my name is Arthur Mashevki. Um guess I got to work on my spelling a little bit and don't worry about

M O S I E J E W SKs KI. I live at A12 Beach Drive. uh been living here about seven years. We got two small kids, daughter and a son. Uh I want to say, you know, this place is beautiful and great, but what is trying to be put in here is going to be difficult to live with. Uh traffic, everything that goes on. You know, you got cars coming in and out all the time. Uh with the car wash, kids want to go see, kids want to go explore. Nobody pays attention to what goes on over there. There is a stop sign, people blow it all the time. It's a safety hazard. Putting so much traffic into one place just because somebody wants to benefit from it, it's it's just going to be bad for everybody else. It's going to benefit one person, but that's about it. Everyone else that lives here that's been living here, they're going to have to deal with it daily. And it's not because they want to, it's because they have to. You're going to have problems getting in, getting out, and it's never going to end. and it's going to be unstoppable until everybody starts leaving. What's going to happen with the neighborhood then? Everyone's been here happily here and for a while, but everyone's going to have to leave because they're not going to be able to keep up with everything. So, thank you for hearing me out. Appreciate it.

Thank you. All right. Uh, next up, uh, Charlotte Miller. And I know I'm just, uh, making sure everyone's everyone's got it going. Um, Charlotte Miller, Joselyn Miller, and then U. Michelle Bach is next.

Okay, I'm Charlotte Miller. C H A R L O T T E Miller. M I L L E R. So, everybody's talking about traffic, and I'm going to do a little bit about that, too. Traffic jams and overcrowding on vehicles on Route 20 will create major problems in Elgen and Bartlett, and that will affect how people live and how the city operates. The problem so the problem slows down travel times and uses more fuel creating more hazards that harm the planet and human health. Heavy traffic slows down the delivery of goods and the services which reduces business output. Rising vehicle numbers make the situation worse. So there are ways to solve the traffic problems. According to ID do promoting public transportation is that an option? Car pooling initiatives. Again, is that an option? Non-motorized transportation. That sounds pretty dangerous. Um, use of alternative routes, there are none for us. Developing parks and ride facilities, again, how is Elgen going to protect us? When you go to um exit and you take Hillard to Lake and you're going to make a right turn, the first thing you see before you even look at the traffic because you're going south is two crosses where people have died. That's what we look at every day when we exit that you go down to the west, you're going towards shales and what are you going to see now after Thanksgiving? More crosses. This is a very, very dangerous area. We need to protect that area. The distance the distance from G to Lake Street on Hillard is 300 ft by Elgen's map. 300 ft divided by 18 ft. The part the uh length

of a regular parking spot is for 16 cars. Non-moving cars cars moving ID do says that would be eight. So, eight cars can leave between G and Lake Street at a time. I understand that the plan is that the residents of of Oakidge should be using Lambert, but what if we need to go west? Now, we're making a right and we're getting we're getting behind all this traffic that's already coming out on Hillard. It's really not it's really not a great plan and I think that you have to consider that um for our neighborhood. Thank you. Thank you.

And I live at the same address as Joselyn. Thank you very much.

Hi, I'm Jocelyn um J O C L Y N Miller and I live at 874 Oakidge. Um I appreciate you all dedicating your time to be here and hearing us all out. Um, so from my review of all of the paperwork, the traffic study may have been revised with new anticipated numbers for the Temple Community Center, Community Center, sorry, center, the visitors, which I didn't really hear talked about too much now that apparently there's going to be some open to the public um, and the residents. but a new traffic study which was never produced despite the board specifically requesting one at the last zoning meeting. The new traffic study would have shown the car wash traffic due to this being built after the traffic study. It would have shown the increase in traffic due to residential developments created west Elgen South Elgen Pingry Grove Hampshire. This combined with the previous concerns about the project size where the proposed town homes rem remain significantly above the city's permitted square footage for the land and the developer blanket request for future approval of any use on this land should signal exactly the kind of bait and switch scenario that this project invites. The city of Elgen should take these issues seriously before recommending any zoning changes for this location. The traffic numbers being used to justify this project are also misleading. The comparison for to a residential complex the size of Oakidge being in that area is exaggerated and does not reflect the actual in-n-out traffic this development will generate. This development will actually create more. We cannot assume 2.65 people will be in each car. We know what happens when people assume. You can be coming home from work and just going straight to the temple. You can be coming from your house and there may be some more people in the car. But still, a church further down Lake Street, West Ridge Community Church, actually, which was mentioned by the applicant, has less of an attendance on Sundays yet has police to direct the traffic to ensure the safety of all, why does this development only find it necessary on their largest holiday? And

if the number of visitors exceeds expectations, as it often does, what is the contingency plan? Since so many comparisons have been made to BAPS, I would like to mention that they had 12,000 people on their last major holiday as stated by major news outlets and their own social media. What what is to be said when this happens at this location? The word maximum gets mentioned a lot when there is no guarantee that it is actually a maximum. What are the plans when cars are backed up onto Lake Street because drivers turn directly from Lambert and Hillard? What what people should do and what they will do are two very different things. If Hillard becomes a primary access point, the constant stream of vehicles will block the entrance and exit for the existing community every single day. What happens when the left turn light at Lambert backs up as it already does? I regularly have to wait until the light turns yellow to make a safe turn because so many trucks and cars run that intersection, and I'd rather not risk my life doing so. With the future removal of the light at Shales and the forced right turn from the development down to Route 20, what are the plans for the people that need to go east? They will be using the next exit to turn around to travel east. We will be dealing with the same traffic regardless. So, the traffic is still going to remain an issue. What happens when there is a traffic accident on Lake Street, especially once the expansion projects adds the median in front of Hillard, removing the ability for police to direct cars to turn left from Hillard, which is currently only allowed during emergencies. Where is the protection for the existing neighborhood when the drivers start cutting through the residential streets, speeding around the community, trying to find alternative exits during traffic blockages? Where is the safety for the people who already live here? These are not hypothetical concerns. They are real everyday issues that will be amplified by this development unless they're addressed before any zone changing any zone changes are recommended. Thank you.

Thank you. Phone, sorry. um Michelle Bach. And then um next after that is uh Susanna um at let's see 320 Green Feather. Yeah.

Okay. Hi, good evening. My name is Michelle Bach. I reside at 106 Builtmore Drive in Elgen. I am a 20-year resident of Castle Creek. You're hearing from a lot of people who are in Oak Oakidge and Sherwood Oaks. I am on the north side and I'm an original owner who has been there since 2005 when Lambert was originally constructed for our neighborhood to be able to exit our brand new community. Castle Creek is divided between Elgen and Bartlett. It is primarily a Bartlett neighborhood with a very small portion 54 of our homes fall within Elgen. Um, we ha we use this intersection, right? I'm not going to be redundant to what everybody has said, but I completely feel what every one of these people have talked about for our community safety. I bought this house and moved in in November 2005. I have raised my children. And I have taught my children to drive through this neighborhood, which is frightening because as experienced drivers, any one of us who uses this intersection knows how dangerous that intersection is and how critically important it is that we pause. Even though we get that green light, we have to pause because there is nobody there enforcing it. City of Elgen rarely comes to the east side for us just as people have talked about for snow removal. We rarely see police. We have a very nice safe community which is lovely that we don't have this high need for police. But I sure wish that the police were there when we sit there every single time and watch the people blow through this intersection. My husband and I were almost killed for

the first time. my first time almost being literally losing my life at that intersection on October 24th. I was crossing through the intersection from my side going to get a car wash before I started a a road trip journey and one of our neighbors, which is a neighboring um trucking company. He had to wait, the trucker had to wait to make his turn until all of the traffic stopped. the trucks on our side, they also experienced the same concerns that we deal with. So, he made his turn. I had the green light for a while. By the time it was my turn to go straight, everybody should have been well stopped on Lake Street and we proceeded to go through the intersection. Just at that moment, thankfully, my husband yelled for me to stop because that a truck was coming without stopping. This is a a safety risk for anybody who uses that intersection, our community members, our existing community members, just as it would be if a temple was built there. It is just not set up, that residential side street is not set up to support any additional traffic, especially of this volume of traffic that the temple will bring in. Another thing, those of us who live there, we see what happens when there's these accidents. We're talking about a 1.1 mile stretch of road from Neapville Road to Shales. That stretch, frequent accidents, right? We have the curve that goes around Villa Olivia by Bartlett. The traffic comes through both of our neighborhoods. They have no idea how to get around when Lake Street is shut down. How's that going to work when you have all these temple members trying to get out in addition to our community members who are just trying to get home?

It is something also that has not been notated. Has there been any discussion with Bartlett with the village of Bartlett? That intersection right Lambert and 20 it's kind of a blurry line there. We frequently have Bartlett coming in and using that. Bartlett sometimes patrols over there as well. So I believe the intersection itself is owned by Elgen, but there is a blurred line and the intersection safety is something that I think needs to be reviewed with the village of Bartlett. There's no, it doesn't seem to be that there's good communic communication between Bartlett and Elgen to help each other out when there's an accident. If there's something going on at if there's something going on at Shales, there should be Bartlett trying to help. Elgen should be calling Bartlett and saying, "Can we get your help?" Like, "Let's work together. Let's not have this going through a residential neighborhood. Let's stop it at Neapville Road or better yet detour at 59, right? Major thoroughares instead of people seeking ways around these accidents. We are taxpayers. I would hope that this commission would be representing your taxpayers first. This is a nonforprofit organization that's coming in here. I'm not a tax expert, but I would encourage you to think about what kind of tax revenue, if any, would be coming in from this organization. So, I ask you to please support your taxpayers. Think about your residents. These are residential communities and this intersection simply cannot support this. It is going to be very dangerous. when the construction is going on. I'm not sure how the emergency responders are going to get to us on the

east side of the community, right? My parents live in Oakridge, so I'm doubly vested in this because I moved my 84 year old parents to be there. All I have to do is make the light to get to them if they have a safety emergency. When things happen like that horrible accident happened on Thanksgiving, you're not going anywhere. It's a parking lot. So, please think about the safety. This is only our only concern is about safety and this is just simply not the place to build this. It's not that we don't support this. It is just not the fit. There needs to be a place where they have their own exit right and entrance just like BAPS. Okay? So, please support your residents and your taxpayers and think about our safety. Think about if if this was an intersection that you were dealing with, would you want this going into your neighborhood? Another thing that I want to end on, I read I read staff's notes. It says um as specified in the city's comprehensive plan, quote, "The neighborhood commercial land uses provide goods and services to local residents and serve day-to-day needs. Uses may include grocery stores, professional offices, retail shops, and local service providers. Development within neighborhood commercial areas should be compatible with and reflect the scale and character of the surrounding neighborhood. Mixeduse development should be encouraged within neighborhood commercial areas. End quote. So that is what is written in the comprehensive plan. Pause and think about that. I do not think this proposed development provides

goods and services or serves the day-to-day needs of our local residents. Therefore, it should be rejected based on the city's comprehensive plan. And this certainly certainly does not reflect the scale and character of the surrounding neighborhood which this is adjacent to. So for that reason alone it should be rejected. So I urge you to please oppose this and thank you for supporting your residents and taxpayers of the city of Elgen. Thank you for your time. Thank you

Suzanne Keller 320 Green Feather Lane Elgen. Uh, I have something entirely different and I want what I wanted to focus on is actually the size of this facility. I don't know about you, but it's very hard for me to visualize 84,000 square feet. I mean, whatever. So, I did some comparisons, particularly in light of what the gentleman said about integrating churches and religious facilities into into different communities. And the first one that I want to mention is West Minister Abby. Everybody knows that one in London. Clearly well defined, very well integrated. Biggest difference, it's only 32,000 square feet. The footprint is so small you could get two of them into this facility. Then there's another one, Notre Dame, Paris. 600 years ago, of course, there wasn't anything there but a big field, too, just like here. But they've got a big cathedral there now and it is only with a footprint of 64,000. Considerably smaller than this one. What does somebody need that much space for? It does not fit with the character. I have to really agree it doesn't fit with the character. And even though I don't live in that neighborhood, I walk by there every day. I see the open field because I walk my dogs in in the back and I look back and there's a big open field and I can see it. I don't know what I would do if I suddenly turn around and I see a 86,000 square foot building sitting there with a huge tower. I mean, it just doesn't fit. It doesn't seem right. And thank God I don't have to drive over there. But um that is my big concern. What? This is huge. And I really have to emphasize what other people are saying,

too. The attendance estimates here for that large a building, they seem grossly under underrated, underestimated. It doesn't seem correct to me that such a large building would have so few people come to it. Thank you. Yes. I um what was the last name? Oh, I see it. Okay. Uh yeah, go ahead. Okay. Um I'm not gonna go over the traffic issue because everybody's talked about Could you state your name for the court reporter? Sorry.

My name is Susan Moore, MHR. I live at 972 Oakidge Boulevard in the town houses Elgen 6012. Um I'm not going to state again what the traffic is going to do and how dangerous it is. I'm going to talk about the safety of the people and the residents using this property. Um, in my eight plus decades, it has been my duty as a grandmother, a mother, and a good friend to warn people of the dangers and disasters that could happen in many hard learned lessons in my life. Um, this issue is about the safety of all Castle Creek, Oakidge, and Sherwood Oak residents as well as the attendees and members of the temple, which are all bordered by the railroad tracks that cannot be crossed at any time and especially during emergencies. God forbid that a derailment would occur as it did on 12525 in Chicago, Illinois, where five tanker cars tilted for no reason that they have determined yet and they had to get the people out and make sure there wasn't a hazmat issue or or a fumes issue. What would we do if we had to take this small road funneling out of the area and get 700 people out of the temple or out of the all the residents out of the town homes, Castle Creek, all these properties and all these townships are bordered on the one side by the railroad track. If that railroad train tilts over or something happens, how are they going to get 700 plus people quickly out of this area? They can't cross the tracks. They can't go anywhere. Please. And and another thing I have heard and I don't know if it's true that there are a lot of fireworks

displayed during the holy days and during the the different um celebrations that the temple has. What is going to happen if you take down all the trees to all those embers and ashes that will land on people's decks and roofs? Is there is the temple going to have some kind of fire insurance provision if they burn down my house or the house next door or set a deck on fire? That's that's really all I have to say. We want names. We love the city of Elgen with its racial, political, and religious diversity. This is not about any of those things. This is about safety of the residents. And please consider what the town is today and what was planned by the people of the past and continue with that. Thank you very much.

Thank you. We're going to take a fivem minute break. Do you want me to give her this? [music]

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Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

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Yeah, [music] heat.

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Um, those are our next three. So, let's go ahead and get started. Welcome back.

Oh, one second. You want us to I want to make sure your mic's on. That's off. Go ahead. Sorry. I think it's I think we're good. Okay. Um, oh, she's not there. Sorry, we don't have a court reporter. We don't have to be here in I guess we're missing a lot of people. So, we better wait. One track mine. If city staff is

sorry, [snorts] I do the same thing at home. I clear plates before they're done eating. [laughter] on. No. Okay. All right. We can go ahead. Sorry about that.

No problem. Uh, my name is Bob Strama, 621 Versail Drive, Bartlett, Illinois. And last name is ST R A. All right. Um I don't want to repeat a lot of things that everybody else has said and I kind of gone over of you know talking about the safety and everything else. Although I am going to talk about it a little bit. I one of the things is is that I think that you know all of you that are sitting here and that are listening to the information that's being provided by everybody probably have a lot of questions. One of them is how do you go from a 240,000t facility down to 89,000 square feet square foot facility? What happens? Where where where where is everybody then? If it takes Think of the number of people that would have to attend a 240,000 foot facility, you have 25 to 45,000 members to support it. You cut that by a third. You go down to 12 to 15,000 people. Where did the rest of them go? Are they really not going to show up? And even the 12 to 15,000 to square that. And by the way, some of these numbers and things that I'm throwing out here, you it's pretty readily available on research for fundraising and everything else for for facilities like this. So you take that and you go, where did everybody go if they're not going to show up? So is this like a it's like a health club that everyone pays memberships to but nobody ever shows up for on a weekend or they never show up during the week because there's going to be a lot more traffic. I know everyone has said it, everybody's talked about it in the dangers of Lake Street, you know, and one of the things is is that while a self-funded study, you know, they're inherently biased, right? You guys didn't do the study, right? The city doesn't do the study. The state did a study and the state says it's bad. It says it's critical on the list, right? But a self-funded study, they come back and we take the numbers that are given for there's going to be 400 cars. We look at it and we go, "Hey, you know

what? It's not going to be that bad. Traffic won't be bad at all. No problem at all." But when the reality of it is, the reality is there's going to be a lot more people going in and out of there. The reality is that there's a lot more members that are going to be attending there. The reality is of all of this is that maybe that the people that are making the decisions on some of these things and that are putting the studies together are basing it off the information that they're given but not off of real numbers. So, you know, I don't want to belabor all this stuff and I want to keep it really short because there's quite some long ones. You know, one a couple of things that you really have to look at or think about is that what are going to be the what's the real membership numbers and how many people are really going to be attending. You look at what has been said, but the numbers don't jive with what it's going to take to operate a facility of that size and that square footage. And what's going to happen is is once the door is opened and somebody gets it approved and they start construction, they're going to be back. It's going to be we need to increase the size. We want to add another building. We want to do this. When that starts to happen, that's where those numbers and where all those people are going to be able to come in. Lake Street cannot support traffic going east or west entering that. There is no right turn lane you can put in going westbound. You cannot extend that. They're not going to be able to widen the road there. coming from the west, that left turn lane, they're not going to be able to extend that a mile to like let traffic back up to be able to enter, let alone leaving that area. So, you know, again, not to belabor the safety point, but you know, the one thing that we have to think about is that there's lives at stake. There's real people's lives at stake

that are driving. Every day I enter an exit off of Lake Street. Dump trucks, semi trucks, they're running that light every single day. Whether it's Saturdays, whether it's Monday, whether it's Wednesday, it doesn't matter what day it is, they're all running that light. You know, one of the things like that uh you know, you think about is while it sounds great that we're going to put a fac that you want to put a facility where there's some open land and you want to use that land for something good. The problem is is that you're also endangering the people that currently live, that play, that drive, that raise their children in that area by adding more traffic to that intersection. And there's nothing that can be done. We're that that intersection intersection is already at capacity during rush hour. It's at 80 to 90% capacity according to ID do during a regular day. It's not going to change. Nothing's going to it's not going to get better. And even even a gas station that you're talking about putting in there would be a disaster in that intersection. It's not going to get better. So whatever that tries to go in right there, that is not conducive. Lake Street's not straight. It's got curves to it. both coming both coming both ways. It's dangerous and you just you're not going to be able to resolve that issue. So I thank you for your time and you know take that into consideration that the reality is is that there's going to be a lot more people and a lot more cars than I think that what's being talked about.

Thank you. Um next up is Jack and Burchia. Okay. All right. appreciate. Thank you. Okay. Thank you.

Uh we're we're going to go through the list first and then we will um if there's any other public comment, we'll go through those. Um so next uh Karen is the same. Okay. Uh next up, uh we have Barbara um Conno. Yep, that's right. And then after that is Sylvia Young. Uh, my name is Barbara Conouro, C O N T U R N O, and I live at 971 Oakidge Boulevard in Elgen. Um, I wasn't going to get up and talk again because everything's been said so eloquently by everybody, but um, I just wanted to remind that we um, that what we're about is they're asking for a lot of zoning variances and even though everything was downsized, instead of now putting 10 lb potatoes in a 5B bag, they've got it down to eight pounds of potatoes. And you can do studies, everything else. But again, that that safety thing, driving out and seeing those crosses and the trucks, you can make only one. I wait sometimes to make a left to go into Lambert and you can't go, "Oh, there's a yellow light. It's safe." Trucks are barreling through on the red lights. I'm tired of leaving there and going, "Do I have to um drive around grass? Oh, glass because there's another accident." So, my understanding with zoning variances is that um a hardship must consist of the property's unique conditions, but it can't negatively impact the public safety. It has to maintain the general intent and spirits of the zoning ordinance, and this isn't even zoned for residential there. And it should not harm the surrounding property values. Um, and well, that's to be determined, but that could be in effect, too. So, I I hope you guys um vote against this. Thank

you. Thank you. Um next up, Sylvia Young. Okay. All right. Thank you. Um and then, uh next up is Katherine Katherine Thompson. Uh 981 Oakidge.

Okay. Uh and then the next person is also at 981 Oakidge. Okay. Um and then uh let's see the next person on the list. Um believe uh first name starts with an R, last name maybe hey 992 Oakidge. Okay. Uh, Greg Winer and then after that is Joanne uh, Herdrich.

Yep.

I'm Greg Winer. Um, I live at 875 Oakidge Boulevard. Um, obviously in the Oakidge community. I'm also, for uh, to be clear, I'm also the board president of the Community Homeowners Association. Um, and uh, I'm representing myself in this in this conversation, just to be clear, not not the board. And overall, you know, I'd like to say that um, I don't want to get into the traffic studies. We've already talked about all that. I think I think the point to keep in mind here is that, you know, there's a lot of concerned people here that are coming in to you for what they believe is going to help us, right, and help our community. You know, those are paid consultants, right? They're going to give you all the things exactly as that you need to see them in the way that they want you to see it, right? And we're just here, right? We live here in this community and it's we don't really have all the the the all the resources and money and time, but the reality is that we are Elgen, right? We have lived most of us. I've been in I'm I'm an original homeowner. I think I'm the Winers and I live next to the Kleiners, you know, which is really annoying, by the way. Um, but just take it from the perspective that, you know, we're here to to to really give you and show us show you our concerns as a community, right? And I know that's hard. Sitting here for hours listening to this is that's tough. And I've I've done this kind of work before, but I would just say that, you know, please take into account that, you know, there there's this isn't a battle or a fight. It's about a community concern. Uh there's never, you know, we have board meetings. I can't get these people all to come to those board meetings. You've done far better than I ever have. [laughter] But but this has energized this community. There's a lot of concern here. Believe me, they would not be here if they

weren't. I can't get them to come to the board for anything. I could give free food. It doesn't make any difference. But please, if you would at least consider what what they're what they're asking you to do. And that's all I have to say. Thank you. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Um, next we've got uh Joanne Herdrick, 842 Oakidge. You pass. Okay. Okay.

Um, and then next, uh, Dave Swanson. Uh Dave Swanson, S WSO N like the TV dinners. Um and I live at 243 King Arthur Court and I've been there for almost 40 years. Um and I just want to reiterate a couple points. I read recently that the city of Elgen is considering a 25% increase in the TA property tax levy for homeowners. I would suggest that that might be a consideration as to whether this property gets pushed aside with a religious exemption or it stays on the tax roles even as undeveloped. They're still paying taxes. Uh, number two, I would ask you to look at this plan as the foot in the door plan. They're going to say, "Oh, yeah, we only want this." But as other people have said, they're going to come back somewhere and say, "Oh, we've got to have another building. We got to get rid of all that outdoor green space. We don't need that. We need more more worship area. We need a bigger temple." And we'll build it there and then tear the old one down. something like that. And thirdly, one discrepancy I kind of noticed, they talk about how they're going to control the traffic with their volunteers and by working with the police for for the high traffic for high traffic, but then they say, but we don't have a set time like most churches where there's going to be high traffic. It's spread out over the whole day. They gonna have a policeman there all day long? I don't think so. Thank you very much.

Um, next up is uh Michael Prey 94 946 Oakidge. Okay. And then um we've got Lauren Iverson. Okay. Well, well, first of all, Lauren Iverson, uh 1714 Bell Court Lane in Elgen. Uh we're in the Castle Creek subdivision on the other side of 20. Um, last time when I was here, I mentioned that I take a common sense approach to just about everything or I try to. I don't have degrees. I don't have experience. I'm not a educated man in this stuff. I'm trained in business. Um, so I don't know traffic studies. I don't know all these things. But what was interesting in the conversation today, which hasn't been addressed yet, so this is new stuff. So exciting is that the study officially degraded the intersection of Lambert and 20 from critical to now as a medium or high or whatever it was from 2024 to 2025 when this study was redone. I didn't see any change. I live right there. My backyard looks out at that intersection. Nothing was changed. So, I had to ask myself, why did it change? What caused it to go from a critical to less critical? What changed was the construction further down on 20 that reduced the flow of traffic. That's what caused it to get better was reduced traffic. Now, we're talking today, the

construction's gone. It's going to come back up again to where it was before because that's what people do. path of least resistance. We've also talked a lot earlier today about new additional traffic coming into the intersection, whether it's coming directly in or turning around and coming back through because the people live east and they're going west to get out of there. Either which way, it's more people through the intersection. So, the it's going to go back to critical and then jacked up even higher. That's a problem. Um, I also wanted to talk about a little bit about the fact that we're talking about how they're going to try to prevent it with repainting lines, increasing left-hand turn lanes, changing to to a left hand only on the light. That's not going to stop trucks come from flying through the intersection. Repainting, restructuring the existing space is not going to fix the problem. The whole thing's got to get redone. That's not being addressed. They're just trying to put lipstick on a pig and make it work. And that's not the fix. The fix is to redo it. One last thing just to kind of talk about a little bit is during this time I've been speaking equivalency probably what three or four more cars would have turned on to Lambert or turned on to Lake during this time I've spoken based on the traffic increase from this project. Consider that. Thank you very much.

Thank you. All right. Um I've gone through the list now. Um so if there is um anyone uh anyone out there I I'm I'm looking right at you, sir. Um so uh if you want to come forward and uh state your name for the uh court reporter. Paul Brown. I live at 820 Beach Drive. I I do like temples. They're rather beautiful. I have a lot of people visit me from out of town and we always take them to the temple. The problem, gentlemen, this temple that doesn't belong there. You will simply decimate our home value.

If you could address the commission, sir, please. Oh, sorry. So, by putting this here, you will simply destroy our subdivision. I look at this earlier. this house. No one will buy this. No one will buy this house. Do you understand? No one will buy this. This does not belong there. Simply put.

Thank you. Um any other uh any other comments from public? If if so, please come forward, state your name and share your thoughts. My name is Nau Patel. Uh I'm a community leader and also represent the Hindu community in United State. uh it take us uh 528 year to build our own Ram band in our own land and this is only one and a half year we are battling uh with this community who has already decided for last 20 years not to have anyone come in this piece of land not anyone today we are maybe tomorrow somebody else they will be here the same way environmental issue traffic issue uh somebody is losing their sunlight, somebody losing their star, somebody is missing those coyote and someone is missing those deer. So this is not this is not one time that what Hindu community is facing this kind of issue. Uh this is a deep deep uh hate narrative against us and uh I think uh

okay everyone let's stay uh stay calm let's I think their issue is a genuine too sir just please please comment on the petition strictly the petition

talking on that this this issue is a very genuine look like because they've been keep complaining about the traffic even this temple will not come there if some other business come or uh there will be nobody still the issue is very common and I think city has to think about some alternate way for these people as well not only for us I think uh we decrease the the the the size of the temple the size of the total building because we choose that we're going to keep our existing one what we supposed to be sell it and move it over here and that is the reason this the size has been uh smaller. Uh some of the studies they have bring it on it and it shows that uh our our festivals are double the size the double the the the days. Uh I think they they need to refine this and at this point you guys we are thinking you guys as our judge and uh take a wise decision. this been happen uh not just only us maybe some other might have tried before too and they might try in a in a future too so find some solution that this won't happen again thank you very much is there any other members of the public which wish to speak okay um with that um I've got a few things listed um that came up. I think

that Yeah, I'm going to close the public comment uh portion of the hearing right now and then I'm going to look um if there's anything maybe staff if if you want to go through anything that came up for you and or Well, the only thing I'll mention is that there was questions about fireworks. Yeah.

Um I think that's something that the applicant should be u addressing. Um, other than that, there's been a lot of conversations about uh general traffic study. I think uh u this staff is comfortable with the traffic study as it is and the data that was provided, the counts that were conducted and how it all reflects in there. Um I if I'm missing something, please uh I I had uh some some com and this might be more for the applicant, but um comments about trash removal and um the water infiltration and saturation. So might want to best be pointed towards the applicant.

At the end of the day, the the development will have to comply with the storm water ordinance requirements. So that will be addressed at the time of final uh submittal when they propose final engineering and final plat subdivision. And if I may just clarify um there were inquiries about if this site was slated for the phase three of Oakidge residential subdivision. We have heard that in the past. I was not able to confirm that during the meeting, but it is reasonable to assume that uh the land for this site was annexed in 1966. Uh the land to the east where the Oakidge subdivisions are currently there, that was annexed in 1990. And then the subdivisions uh the Oakidge phase one and phase two were then platted in early 2000s. And I believe at that time there were considerations for this site to be some type of phase three. But um I have not been able to confirm exact layout and number of units and all that.

And I guess one one more item and then I will defer to applicant. But question about the gate um locked for emergency vehicles. I vaguely remember that coming up at the June meeting. Um but just want to clarify that.

Well, yeah. So the the normally you you would provide connectivity and connections uh in this case this being a private development and consider and concerns that that public would spill into the residential neighborhood and we want to prevent that uh that access would be then gated. What that means is that it is provided uh as a second exit in case of emergencies. So when there's a gate there's also what's called a lock box that the fire department has access to. So and carries keys to

and carries keys to so so fire department can't access through that gate by by opening the lock box and only the fire department. Um fairly standard practice with any gate that crosses a fire access into any property, any site anywhere. Uh so that that is a proposal to address neighborhood concerns.

All right. Um, and now I want to give the chance to the applicant if if there wasn't anything that you addressed in your earlier remarks. Um, you know, feel free to to to come forward and address those, but want to make sure, you know, we don't need to enter anything new, but just if if there's anything that wasn't previously mentioned in your um comments that you want to uh speak to, I want to give you the chance to do that.

Thank you. This is not meant to be argumentative, just responsive to some some of the comments. Um, you've you've had you've heard a lot of comments that I think have been uh based on emotion and not uh on professional evidence. Both the staff report and our own professionals have testified as to traffic and and planning. Uh, one of the, uh, comments was that this doesn't fit in our neighborhood. Demir, could you put up the aerial that shows the railroad tracks to the west and the So, while he's getting that, so what what is the neighborhood? I mean, you're making a zoning decision and so is it consistent with the neighborhood, etc., etc. What is the neighborhood? Well, this is our site. Industrial safety clean. Just a recently improved industrial park right here and you know the Oakidge subdivision here and then uh the county subdivision here. Um what's our neighborhood? It's not just this, which is what you'd think it would. I mean, all we've heard is

Sorry. Can you please go back to the microphone? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. If you could come back to the microphone, please. We got to make sure that everyone can hear you and the people that are watching online um can hear you as well. Yeah. Can I

check check? So the neighborhood ladies and gentlemen is the neighborhood and this is a transitional zoning plan with an institution i.e. the temple adjacent to tracks and industrial and with town homes adjacent to town homes and with this you know our site plan but 6 acres and probably 6 or 700 ft between the temple and the uh south line of Sherwood Oak. So it's transition. You've heard it a million times. And the neighborhood is not just Oak Ridge. It's what I just said. Um, it's ironic that Oak Ridge was developed as a town home community and Route 20 was there and those roads were there. Um, how come uh how come Castle, what's it called? Castle Creek across the street in Elgen, the same thing. Those are relatively new subdivisions. They all connected to Lake Street. Um, how come they they think that was okay and this wouldn't be okay? Uh there's discussion about deer and raccoons. Um that's not a zoning consideration.

Well, I appreciate it. Let's let's just go and let's Yeah. Well, I'm trying to make I'm trying to make the point. I I I understand, but if we could make the point without um Well, making a point out.

That's a rebuttal. Okay. I I Okay, I will. Um, there was a there was a picture that picture that was shown to you a minute ago with the house in the temple. I mean, if you'd like, uh, our land planner could tell you how distorted that is because that that home must be, I don't know, up there and the temple is here and there's hundreds of feet between it. So, it was not out of it was not in scale at all. Anyway, I'll conclude by saying we think we've met all the standards. this religious educ uh institution uh really is entitled to fair treatment here and uh thanks for mentioning at the beginning we really cut this project down trying to do our best. So thanks.

Thank you very much. All right. Um with with that um we will uh look to staff for any additional comments. Any closing comments? Nothing further to add to add. staff does re we believe that the standards have been satisfied and therefore staff recommends approval subject to the conditions outlined in the packet.

Is there a motion from the commission? Um, I move to approve petitions 42-25 and 43-25 subject to the terms and conditions outlined in our packet. Is there a second? Is there a second from the commission as a so can I clarify the point? So as as just clarification here, we need to make a a motion and then if we a seconded the motion, then we can go through, you can vote up or down on the motion.

There also could be an instance where there's no second and then the motion fails for lack of second and then we would wait for another motion. Yeah. All right. Uh seeing no second, is there Another motion. Is there another motion? I I second. You seconded the the original motion original. And just to clarify, Commissioner Jones, that that was the motion was to approve subject to the conditions in outlining the packet. Thank you. And then the second.

Commissioner Gazka had a second. Correct. I don't know if the chair wants to open up for any discussion prior to motion. Yeah, I do. Yeah, I have discussion. It is it's a beautiful project. I mean, it is definitely a great project. Just knowing the area. I think that's the biggest thing. That's what I have the issues with is when you said something else is going to go there and they're still going to worry about it. That's probably true. and maybe nothing should be there. That area in my opinion, just being very familiar with it is not good. So that's my discussion and I am going to vote against it.

I'll Commissioner Olsen, I'll echo that a little bit. Hold it. Hold it, please. We're having a discussion. Please.

I absolutely agree with um w with everyone here that you guys have done a great job on this petition scaling it back, making it more doable for our community. Um, but I think there's nothing wrong with the zoning or the the planning of that directly, but I think that until ID do makes some significant changes to that area that there shouldn't be any residential, religion, industrial development on that site at all. Um, I think that that area is just way too dangerous for any amount of additional traffic. uh we're seeing problems out west along Route 20 near Plank Road where we've added tons of development and now we're 10 years away from a realistic solution to um inc uh better the traffic flow that goes through there and I don't want to see something like that continue um on this side of town either. So that's my remarks. Thank you,

Commissioner Vubble.

I uh I do want to reiterate that um I do appreciate the redesign. Um, I thought it was really impressive. I like how you put the uh parking along the railroad. Um, I thought that was uh uh thoughtful. Um, I've spent the better part of today um, googling sizes of different things so that I could have a visual um, idea of what's going to actually be erected here. And even if I combine the square footage of all the things I Googled, this is still larger. And I I will echo um what my fellow commissioners have said that maybe maybe nothing should go here because I do think that that is a dangerous area. Um I go to Toyota to take my car. I hate it. I I hate traveling that road. I've actually switched to St. Charles and I go to Toyota and St. Charles um to avoid that area. So, um, that's all I have, but thank you for the redesign. I appreciate that. And, um, thank you,

Commissioner Jones. Yeah, I I do believe the petition meets um the standards that were set forth and and complies with it. Um, so I will be supporting it again on this one. I do appreciate the rework of the plan. Um, and I am a person of faith. I feel like anywhere we can add more faith into our community is not a bad spot. I realize it's tight over there, but I do believe that they meet the requirements of the petition. Thank you.

And I agree with Commissioner Jones, too. I do believe that they uh meet the requirements um and appreciate the thought and the conversation that went into the development of the application. And you know, at the end of the day, if nothing should go there, then the consent decree should stand. Um, and that's where I think the decision kind of ultimately lies is in the consent decree. Um, and so with that, I would be voting in favor of the application. Um, so we've had the discussion. Is there any more conversation from the members of the commission? And if not, um, I'll accept, uh, or we we still have the motion and the second on the table. Um, call the vote. So call a vote.

So a motion to approve with the conditions outlined in the packet. [snorts] Commissioner Jones. Yes. Commissioner Gaska. Yes. Commissioner Abuali. No. Commissioner Olsen? No. Commissioner Rubel, no. And Chairman Mildermouth, yes. So the motion fails for lack of majority. So, it's three votes in favor, three votes against. The project will move to city council without a recommendation.

All right. All right. Thank you, everyone. All right. Um, we still have a meeting to run. We still have other things on our agenda. So, if you uh unless you want to stay um we do have a public comment portion at the end of the um hearing, so please leave quietly so we can continue conducting our business. Um and with that, uh is there any other business before the commission? No, no other business. Are there any public comment? Not related to the petitions. Anything else? Okay. Thank you.

No, it's not. No, nothing on petition. Nothing on petitions. It's It's outside. Yeah. Sorry. everything else. Yeah, appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, sir. All right, I will go ahead and close the public comment. Um, just a reminder, we're still meeting. If you could please um take that take out conversations outside, please. Please. And thank you. And then a summary of uh pending development applications.

[clears throat]

So u there has been an an influx of new applications. It's quite overwhelming but we'll manage it. U but that's good. Okay. So with that um the city council will consider u the final ordinance approval for the improvements to the Kimble Middle School. the the text amendment that was presented last month and also the transitional housing facility. All those all three of those items received a favorable vote by the city council at the last meeting. They still have to uh uh take the vote on the final ordinances at the next council meeting on that. Um we have received some interesting applications. There's a new quick trip gas station proposal at the southeast corner of Fleetwood and South Mlan. There's a new light industrial building uh on the in the industrial park north of airport. Um there is some movement on the phases of the Waterford subdivision that should be coming in early next year. This there's a an application to for adaptive reuse of the Golden Corral restaurant on on Randall Road for a an event facility as well as a as a restaurant. Again, uh there's also another industrial building in the southeast industrial park off of St. Charles Road that will it's a fairly fairly small industrial building, but it's it's new development in that area that's not very common. So, we're kind of excited about that. Um and I think that's probably it. Uh the next meeting is on January 5th. Uh that's Monday right after the New Year's. Uh I'm sure we will have some applications there. So if there's any questions, I'm happy to answer them.

Any questions for staff? All right. Uh, next item is a adjournment. So there's a motion to adjurnn. Move to adjourn. Second. Second. Staff, please call the role. Commissioner Olsen, yes. Commissioner Awali, yes. Commissioner Gasca, yes. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Rubble, yes. and chairman Wilderworth. Yes, we are journ [music]