Submitted By
David Mann, Plan Commission Chair thru Tammie Grossman, Development Customer Services Director
Reviewed By
LKS
Agenda Item Title
Title
Concur with the Plan Commission and Adopt an Ordinance Granting a Special Use Permit to Operate an Educational Facility - Primary or Secondary in the RR - Roosevelt Road Zoning District located at 6300 Roosevelt Road
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Overview
Overview
The Applicant, Oak Park Friends School, currently located at 1192 South Cuyler Avenue is requesting the approval of a Special Use permit to expand their school use into an abutting building located at 6300 Roosevelt Road. This is a companion agenda item to ORD 19-65.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Support the Plan Commission’s recommendation to allow this as a special use within the RR - Roosevelt Road zoning district.
Body
Staff Recommendation
Staff supports the Plan Commission’s recommendation
Fiscal Impact
N/A.
Background
The Applicant is requesting approval of a special use permit for an educational facility use at 6300 Roosevelt Road. This vacant property was formerly a doctor office and is directly abutting the existing Oak Park Friends School building. The proposed reuse includes interior alterations of the building at 6300 Roosevelt Road into four (4) new classrooms, office and storage space and a reception area. The renovation will also include the construction of a hallway connection between the building at 6300 Roosevelt Road and their existing building at 1192 South Cuyler Avenue. The applicants have provided information relative to the planned renovations, site design, drop off / pick up plans within their application packet. Their traffic pattern information was gathered in April and May of this year. There will be two separate traffic patterns relative to drop-off / pick-up routes associated with the entire school. The current plan in place for 1192 South Cuyler Avenue will remain as is. The 6300 Roosevelt Road site will utilize a new and separate traffic pattern dispersing more evenly any vehicles in the area. This will help ease or prevent any potential traffic congestion concerns with the school pick-up and drop-off. Village engineering and traffic safety staffs have reviewed these plans and found no concerns regarding the dual traffic pattern / pick-up and drop-off plan. A support letter from Bill McKenna, Village Engineer is attached. Also available are several on-street parking spaces abutting the property between Cuyler Avenue and Highland Avenue along Roosevelt Road.
The current land uses within this area include single-family residential directly across the alley to the north and multiple family at the NEC of the subject property facing Highland Avenue with accessory parking along its south edge, a parking lot for a grocery store is located across Highland Avenue to the east, a mixed use building (commercial and residential) is located across Roosevelt Road to the south in Berwyn, and on the far side of 1192 South Cuyler Avenue is a medical office use across Cuyler Avenue to the west. Of note, Washington Irving Elementary School, located on South Cuyler Avenue, is about a block and a half northwest of the subject property.
Alternatives
Deny the Application
Modify the Application
Previous Board Action
N/A.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
The Plan Commission reviewed this application at their meeting of August 1, 2019 and has indicated their unanimous support for the Special Use Permit. The only condition the Plan Commission has recommended is that the Applicant installs a “Right-Turn-Only” sign on private property at their Roosevelt Road driveway. The applicants at the public hearing agreed to this condition. The Plan Commission mainly discussed the drop-off and pick-up times and patterns. The Applicant indicated that the pick-up and drop-off times vary throughout the day. The start and end times are not standard as you would find with a public school. The Plan Commission indicated their satisfaction with this response. The Plan Commission was concerned with full access onto Roosevelt Road; especially during peak traffic hours, hence the request to install the above mentioned signage. The Applicants indicated they would also speak to their parents to reaffirm this concern.
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
N/A.
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
Zoning and land use matters are unique to Village government within the corporate limits of Oak Park and therefore, intergovernmental cooperation opportunities do not exist.