Amended Preliminary Subdivision Plan Case #: 10-02-02-PC Applicant: Trails on Sunset Lake LLC Location: Southeast Corner of Airport Road and Shepard Road Date: February 4, 2010 Brief Description: Amended preliminary subdivision plan to incorporate two areas of R-2 attached housing to the north end of the Trails on Sunset Lake Subdivision Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions BACKGROUND The Trails on Sunset Lake is an 83 +/- acre development located at the southeast corner of Airport Road and Shepard Road, just south of the Vineyards Subdivision. The Town approved an annexation agreement for the Trails on Sunset Lake in March 2007 (Res. No. 4006) and a preliminary subdivision plan for the Trails on Sunset Lake in May 2007 (Res. No. 4039). The conceptual plan approved with the Trails annexation agreement included 120 large lots zoned R- 1A Single Family Residential, two areas of R-2 Mixed Density Residential development (one in the northeast corner of the site and one on the south side of the site), a large detention basin, and a 6.53 +/- acre area in the northwest corner with a choice of B-1 General Business, R-2 Mixed Residence, R- 1B Single Family, or some combination of zoning thereof. For discussion purposes, the northwest portion of the Trails Subdivision is labeled A and the northeast portion is labeled B on the attached plan labeled Exhibit E Sketch. At the time of the annexation agreement approval, it was unclear whether or not the developer would be able to acquire the small piece of land between area A and Shepard Road for development with area A. This land was part of the Vineyards acquisition to the north, but the Shepard Road extension cut it off from the rest of the Vineyards subdivision. The Trails developer has not been able to acquire this small piece of land and is proceeding with the R-2 cul-de-sac plan for area A as shown. Although the annexation agreement permits the developer to develop areas A and B as R-2 Mixed Residential, it is still necessary for an amended preliminary subdivision plan be approved through the public process. PROPOSED AMENDED PRELIMINARY PLAN As shown on the large set of plans, the Trails developer proposes to develop areas A and B into attached single family housing on cul-de-sacs. Combined, the area to be developed encompasses approximately 11.97 acres and will be subdivided into 60 lots and 5 outlots. Lot 182 will contain a
single family detached home. Lots 137 through 139 will contain a 3-unit attached single family home. All other homes will be attached duplex single family homes. Outlots 197 through 200 are reserved for project identification signs. No specific sign plans are available at this time. A mid-block sidewalk is provided between Lots 186 and 187 as called for in the approved concept plan. The following waivers are required for the amended preliminary subdivision plan: 1. Street widths will be 28 feet rather than the 30 feet. Parking will be restricted on one side. This substandard street width was approved in the annexation agreement. 2. No transitional yards are required between B-1 and R-2 and R-1B. This was included in the annexation agreement. 3. The cul-de-sacs will have 27 and 33 lots where code permits a maximum of 8. 4. The cul-de-sac length is 690 feet where code permits a maximum of 400 feet. ZONING & GENERAL LAND USE Zoning District Land Use Subject Properties A-Agriculture Undeveloped Adjacent North B-1 General Business R-3A Multiple Family Residential Undeveloped Undeveloped Adjacent East A-Agriculture (County) Agriculture Adjacent South A-Agriculture Undeveloped Adjacent West A-Agriculture (County) Agriculture STAFF ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION The proposed amended preliminary subdivision plan complies with the terms of the existing annexation agreement between the Town and the developer of the Trails on Sunset Lake. The waivers required for street widths and transitional yards were specifically approved as part of the original agreement. Although a plan was not available for Area A at the time the annexation agreement was approved, Town staff anticipated that the development of the area would include a long cul-de-sac. It is not desirable for the area to directly take access from Airport Road to the west. Furthermore, the awkward shape of the property directly north of Area A makes a stub street to the north impractical. Thus, Town staff is supportive of the cul-de-sac waivers. The Planning Commission may also review the comments contained in the Consistency Review evaluation completed by the intergovernmental regional planning committee. This evaluation resulted in the grade of a D because the project fails to meet two of the minimal features in support of the comprehensive plan. You may recall that the overall Trails project received a D grade for the same reasons when it was originally evaluated by the regional committee. The Comments section of the evaluation notes with favor the mid-block sidewalk connection provided at the west end of the cul-desac to Airport Road, where the developer will eventually build a sidewalk. The Comments further note that an additional mid-block sidewalk to the south would help facilitate pedestrian traffic as well. 2
Because the proposed amended preliminary subdivision plan complies with the terms of the annexation agreement, Town staff recommends the Planning Commission send a positive recommendation to the Town Council with the following condition: 1. Project identification signs must meet sight distance requirements as determined by the Town Engineer. When this item proceeds to the Town Council for a final vote, Town staff will also submit a zoning map amendment for both R-2 areas. The terms of the annexation agreement permit this zoning map amendment without further public process. 3
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ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT Case #: 10-02-03-PC Applicant: Town of Normal Date: February 4, 2010 Brief Description: Proposed zoning text amendment permitting 8-foot tall fences on utility company sites regardless of zoning classification. Staff Recommendation: Approval SUMMARY OF PROPOSED ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT: In recent weeks Town staff members were approached by representatives of Nicor interested in installing an 8-foot fence around the three gas well head sites within the community. Two of the sites are zoned residential, and one is zoned S-2 Public Lands & Institutions. All three sites are near residential properties. Nicor would like to install 8-foot-tall security fences to secure the sites; however, code only permits fences in excess of 6 feet tall on sites zoned M-1 or M-2. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Town staff supports the following amendment to Section 15.4-5 of the zoning code to permit such fences on well head sites as well as sites with similar utility uses: C. Permitted Obstructions in Required Yards. No obstructions shall be allowed in any yard required by this Code. However, the following shall not be considered to be obstructions when located in required yards specified subject to the requirements to maintain visibility at intersections contained in SEC. 15-4-5(A)(6) of this Code. 1. In All Required Yards. Sills, belt cornices, and other architectural features extending eighteen (18) inches or less into the yard; free-standing night lights of not more than one-half (1/2) foot candle power; awnings or canopies projecting into a yard not more than twenty-five (25) percent of the required yard depth; steps, lamps, and fire escapes necessary for access to buildings or lots; chimneys projecting two (2) feet or less into the yard; arbors and trellises; flag poles; trees and shrubs; in the Agriculture District, any agricultural use other than buildings or structures; black vinyl-coated chain-link fences up to 8 feet in height on properties utilized for gas well heads, electric power stations or sub-stations, telephone switching stations and other similar utility uses.
The proposed zoning code text amendment is required to permit Nicor gas to protect its well head sites with an 8-foot fence. Such a fence will both protect the utility company s equipment and minimize a public safety issue. Furthermore, the black coating on the chain link will soften the appearance of the fence. For these reasons, Town staff recommends in favor of the proposed code amendment. 2
MEMORANDUM To: Planning Commission From: Mercy Davison Date: February 4, 2010 Re: Zoning Text Amendments At its January 19, 2010 meeting, the Town Council referred several potential zoning code amendment concepts to the Planning Commission for further study. The expectation is that the Commission will discuss and refine the proposed changes, generate additional amendments, and ask the Town Council to initiate specific zoning code amendments. This process is expected to occur over the next 2-3 meetings. The potential code amendment concepts explained below fall into two general categories Planned Unit Developments within the Parking Impact Zone and the Community Design Standards. Parking Impact Zone PUD Planned Unit Developments are an alternative to following the subdivision code. PUDs permit a certain amount of negotiation between the Town and the developer. In exchange for smaller lots, for example, the developer may be required to build with higher quality building materials or install more generous neighborhood amenities. The zoning code permits the establishment of PUDs throughout the community. PUDs have specific baseline development requirements depending on the underlying zoning classification. Student-oriented residential complexes typically occur only in R-2 Mixed Density, R-3A Medium Density Multiple Family, and R-3B High Density Multiple Family districts. The following PUD requirements currently apply to these districts:
There are currently no PUD requirements tied specifically to properties within the Parking Impact Zone, which was created in 2000 to address the increasing parking problems occurring near the Illinois State University campus. A map of the PIZ is attached for reference. As you will see, the PIZ encompasses a wide range of zoning classifications. In order for a developer to construct multiple buildings on one lot (in any district other than B-1), a PUD is required. Thus, the largest student residential developments near the ISU campus are typically PUDs. The most recent example is the Willow Trails PUD at the southeast corner of Willow and the Constitution Trail. It is very difficult for these developments to meet the PUD requirements given the small size of the sites and the strict parking requirements. For Willow Trails, the Town granted the following PUD waivers: 1. Where code permits a density of 23.00 units/acre, Willow Trails has 24.41 units/acre. 2. Where the maximum floor area per code is 52.8% of land area, Willow Trails has 93.7% floor area per land area. (Note that this percentage includes a total of floor area on all floors of the building. The buildings themselves do not cover 93.7% of the site.) 3. Where the minimum open space per code is 140% of floor area, Willow Trails has 72.44%. (Again, this percentage includes a total of floor area on all floors of the buildings.) 4. Where code requires a minimum common recreational space of 12% of floor area, Willow Trails has no common recreational space. Willow Trails was also given setback waivers, Community Design Standards waivers, and reduced fees for parkland and school land. Based on the Willow Trails experience and subsequent experience with the potential redevelopment of the University Theater site at 1010 S. Main, Town staff generated several potential zoning code amendments that would permit increased student residential density in the area of the community where it is most appropriate: Eliminating the requirement for common recreational space Permitting a higher maximum net density of dwellings Increasing the permitted floor area ratio Requiring higher quality building materials and design, potentially including a minimum masonry or concrete board siding requirement and enhanced energy efficiency or sustainable design to ensure that structures last longer and that environmental impact is minimized. Eliminating transitional height and setback requirements for properties adjacent to roadways classified as minor arterials or greater Reducing the school land and park land fees required for each unit. These standards could be tied to the existing PIZ area for ease of application, or a new overlay district could be created. Community Design Standards In 2003, the Community Design Standards replaced the former Appearance Review standards with much more specific requirements for building appearance, landscaping, and outdoor lighting (Ord. No. 4914). Minor code amendments were adopted shortly thereafter in 2004 (Ord. No. 2
4926). Based on several years experience in applying the code, Town staff has generated the following list of potential amendments to the code: Clarifying how the code applies to already-developed sites Reducing the number of trees and shrubs required on small sites Clarifying which trees trigger significant tree replacement Reducing the number of replacement trees required Reducing the amount of overall green space required on a site located within the Parking Impact Zone Permitting an owner to buy out of planting up to 25% of the required trees Clarifying how to calculate interior parking lot landscaping DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS The proposed amendments to the PUD provisions are meant to encourage denser residential development close to the ISU campus. The properties in this area tend to be small and subject to complex ownership arrangements, and the existing structures, although often in marginal condition, produce enough income that redevelopment is financially very difficult to justify. The proposed code amendments will allow for higher density development, which may make projects more economically feasible. There may be other development incentives you may want to consider along with the ones identified by Town staff. A recent example is the Willow Trails PUD, in which the Town Council waived the common recreational space requirement and reduced the parkland and school land fees. The resulting development has 144 residents where the property formerly held only 67 residents. Regarding the Community Design Standards, Town staff believes that implementation has gone well since the adoption of the code. Sites developed after December 2003 have better looking buildings, more generous landscaping, and more tasteful outdoor lighting. The development community is familiar with the code and generally submits code-compliant plans. However, there are several amendments that may be in order. In particular, Town staff wants to revisit the number of trees and shrubs required on the smallest sites because it is often difficult to fit them onto the site in an appropriate manner. 3
MAIN UNIVERSITY FRANKLIN SCHOOL BROADWAY LINDEN OAK FLORA MAPLE Town of Normal Parking Impact Zone ADELAIDE REYNOLDS GREGORY SCHOOL FELL NORWOOD µ PINE MAPLE Streets Legend NORMAL SYCAMORE SYCAMORE KNOLLCREST Railroad Town of Normal Zoning A - Agriculture B-1 - General Business District B-2 - Central Business District GREGORY C-1 - Office District C-2 - Neighborhood Shopping District C-3 - Community / Regional Shopping District COTTAGE BOWLES UNIVERSITY POPLAR CYPRESS POPLAR OAK CYPRESS M-1 - Restricted Manufacturing District M-2 - General Manufacturing District R-1A - Single Family Residence District WILLOW R-1B - Single Family Residence District R-2 - Mixed Residence District LOCUST WALNUT R-3A - Medium Density Multi-Family Residence District R-3B - High Density Multi-Family Residence District S-1 - University District S-2 - Public Lands and Institutions District CHERRY CHERRY EASTVIEW 0 150 300 600 900 1,200 Feet MULBERRY COLLEGE CARMAE SUDDUTH MAIN Parking Impact Zone NORTH CONSTITUTION CONSTITUTION BEAUFORT WALNUT DEWEY WILMETTE DRY GROVE DRY GROVE PARKINSON TAYLOR BRYAN DELAINE PHOENIX PHOENIX HALE IRVING IRVING DALE KINGSLEY HESTER STEWART STEWART OSAGE VERNON OSAGE LIVINGSTON MORGAN SAMANTHA WILSON HESTER Overview Map BEAUFORT HOVEY PAYNE FLORENCE LINDELL HOVEY HOVEY STRIEGEL KINGSLEY WOODROW CHURCH KERN ARCHIE MARKET WEST HOWARD MARKET SAMANTHA CENTER CULLOM HARRIS GLENN