Submitted By
Tammie Grossman, Development Customer Services Director
Reviewed By
LKS
Agenda Item Title
Title
Motion to Concur with the Plan Commission and Adopt an Ordinance Granting a Special Use Permit for a Major Planned Development for a Mixed Use Multiple Building Development with Residential, Commercial and Public Parking at the Property Located at 1123-1133 Lake Street, 1133-1145 Westgate Street, and 1100 North Boulevard
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Overview
Overview
After referral by the Village Board, the Plan Commission held public hearings on July 2, July 9, regarding the mixed use planned development referenced above and adopted Findings of Fact and Recommendations on July 16, 2015. A related item is Ordinance 15-136 regarding the vacations of two alleys for the development.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the Ordinance. This action concurs with the Plan Commission’s Recommendations as modified in the attached Ordinance. Modifications are explained below under “Staff Recommendations”.
Body
Staff Recommendation
Staff supports the Plan Commission’s Findings of Fact and Recommendations with the exception of the second sentences of numbered paragraphs 11 and 14 on pages 27-28 of the Findings of Fact’s “Conditions for Approval of the Planned Development” due to time concerns related to the schedule setforth in the Redevelopment Agreement.
Staff recommends these paragraphs be modified to require approval by the Village Planner after consultation with the Village’s design consultant rather than by the Plan Commission as stated in the Findings of Fact in paragraphs 11 and 14 of the “Conditions for Approval of the Plannne Development” as written below:
(11) That design work for the parking garage screen design, pedestrian bridge design, element connections, cornices on the North Building, and the North Boulevard and Maple Street corner be revised to reflect the various concerns regarding same expressed by members of the Plan Commission, which shall be subject to the approval of the Village Planner after consultation with the Village’s design consultant.
(14) That the design of the north façade of the sough building be revised to better integrate it into the overall streetscape of Westgate from a material and design standpoint, which shall be subject to the approval of the Village Planner after consultation with the Village’s design consultant.
Fiscal Impact
N/A.
Background
After approval of a Redevelopment Agreement with the Village of Oak Park, Clark Street Development submitted a planned development application for approval for their proposed mixed use project. Their application requests approval for two multi-story buildings connected by a private pedestrian walkway over Westgate Street with 271 rental residential units, approximately 26,000 square feet of commercial/retail space, 428 shared public parking spaces, the vacation of portions of two alleys and the dedication of a new public street (Maple Avenue). The applicant has requested allowances from the Zoning Ordinance for density and height.
More specifically, the development proposal consists of a five-story brick and stone building along Lake Street at a height of 63 feet with 80 residential rental units above 23,139 square feet of retail/commercial space. The southernmost building is a twenty-story synthetic stucco/brick/metal and glass building located between Westgate Street and North Boulevard at a height of 208.26 feet with 191 residential rental units over 2,000 square feet of retail/commercial space and 428 shared public parking spaces. The development will be constructed on village owned property currently consisting of two surface parking lots and one office building at 1133 Westgate (to be razed).
Alternatives
1. Approve the planned development application as recommended and conditioned by the Plan Commission.
2. Overturn the Plan Commission’s recommendation and deny the planned development application.
3. Accept the Plan Commission’s recommendation with additional conditions or modifications.
Previous Board Action
May 18, 2015 - The Village Board referred the application to the Plan Commission for public hearing including the partial alley vacations application to the Plan Commission for public hearing.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
The Plan Commission has recommended approval of the proposed development with conditions as referenced in the Findings of Fact report attached as Attachment A. The Plan Commissioners indicated their concern with the architectural design and have recommended conditions of approval by the Village Board which states that the revised designs be reviewed at a subsequent special plan commission meeting. The Plan Commission was very adamant that the revised design be returned to them for review and approval.
There were three letters of support for this project from Downtown Oak Park, The Oak Park Economic Development Corporation, and the Heitman Group, who oversees management for the owner of the Shops of Downtown. There were only three individuals who testified. Each was in opposition to parts of the project (mainly height and design) and offered some constructive criticism. There were only two individuals who cross-examined the applicant. Please see the draft hearing minutes for details.
Mr. Floyd Anderson, an Oak Park resident and a principal with Lohan Anderson, an architectural firm based in Chicago, was hired by the Village of Oak Park as a design consultant to review the proposed project and provided the Plan Commission with suggestions relative to the proposed architectural design. The Plan Commission accepted Mr. Anderson’s comments and incorporated some additional comments of their own into the discussion. Mr. Frank Heitzman, as President of Downtown Oak Park, provided the Plan Commission with a design critique of the proposed project. Some of Mr. Heitzman’s comments were incorporated into the Plan Commission’s recommendations.
The applicant has met with the Public Art Advisory Commission (PAAC) on two occasions who has issued a memorandum to the Plan Commission. The Plan Commission has recommended the applicant meet with the PAAC to finalize their public art program for the proposed development.
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.
Performance Management (MAP) Alignment
A Governance Priority established for the Development Customer Services Department - Community Planning Division is Land Use Regulations.