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’s Recommendation and Adopt an Ordinance Amending Article 4 (“Residential Districts”), Section 4.4 (“General Standards of Applicability”) and Article 7 (“Design Standards”) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance Regarding Design Standards for Detached Single Family Residential Dwellings
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Overview
Overview
This matter was remanded by the Village Board to the Plan Commission for further consideration at the time of adoption of the Zoning Ordinance in September 2017. After several months of review, discussion and drafting, the Plan Commission held three public hearings from September through November 2018 ending with their vote of unanimous support for the amendment.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Plan Commission recommended approval of modifications to the Zoning Ordinance, as proposed in the attached Ordinance and Finding of Fact report, by a unanimous vote.
Body
Staff Recommendation
Staff supports the Plan Commission’s Recommendation.
Fiscal Impact
N/A.
Background
After a two and half year process to update and revise the Village’s Zoning Ordinance, the Village Board reviewed and approved the recommended document in September 2017, with several items that were remanded to the Plan Commission for further consideration. One of those items was the Single Family Design Standards - subject of this agenda item. The current Zoning Ordinance contains standards for non-residential and multi-family development. However, after review, the direction from the Village Board to the Plan Commission was to look at possible design standards for single-family homes and additions.
Alternatives
1.) Send this matter back to the Plan Commission with specific direction for reconsideration.
2.) Approve the modifications, as recommended by the Plan Commission.
3.) Deny the recommended modifications.
4.) Modify the Zoning Ordinance text.
Previous Board Action
September 18, 2017 - Remanded specific items to the Plan Commission for reconsideration.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
The Plan Commission began their discussion and started gathering information on single-family design standards in January 2018. For several months, the Commission reviewed other community’s standards, Village of Oak Park historic preservation regulations and other supporting documentation. The Plan Commission included this topic in and among their regular agenda items in the months of January, March, May, July, August and September. These tasks included research, review, drafting and refining of the proposed recommendation. At a special meeting in late September, the Plan Commission began the public hearing process which continued to October and ended in November 2018, with findings of fact approval.
The Plan Commission solicited public comment during the early months of this review process in order to hear and better understand public concerns that would help to shape their draft standards and recommendations. These comments are contained in the attached Plan Commission minutes.
The Plan Commission also solicited comments from the real estate community. The realtors provided some cautions on any harsh restrictions, but in the end,supported what the Plan Commission is recommending. Please see the attached public comments.
The Plan Commission also reached out to secure the Community Design Commission’s thoughts on design standards for single-family homes and additions, as they are the body responsible for hearing appeals to staff’s design standard reviews. In general, they too support what the Plan Commission is proposing. The Community Design Commission’s memorandum, to the Plan Commission, is attached. The Plan Commission sought help from the Village’s architectural design consultant, Wight and Co., for review of the document and help in preparing graphic representations of the proposed regulations.
The Plan Commission created a list of “shall” standards and a list of standards for consideration, in the same manner as current regulations within the Zoning Ordinance. Attached is the Plan Commission’s Findings of Fact, draft regulations and recommendations.
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 is Land Use Regulations.