City of Aurora Planning Commission met Nov. 20.
Here is the minutes provided by the commission:
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Pilmer called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
The following Commission members were present: Chairman Pilmer, Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Divine, Mrs. Duncan, Mr. Elsbree, Mr. Gonzales, Mrs. Head, Mr. Hull, Mrs. Owusu-Safo and Ms. Tidwell. Mr. Reynolds was absent.
OTHERS PRESENT
The following staff members were present: Mr. Sieben, Mr. Sodaro and Mrs. Jackson.
Others Present: Andy Barbosa (Re/Max Suburban) and Diane Gonzalez (Renew Salon and Spa).
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
19-1017 Approval of the Minutes for the Planning Commission meeting on November 6, 2019.
A motion was made by Ms. Tidwell, seconded by Mrs. Anderson, that the minutes be approved and filed. The motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Chairman Pilmer said if you are here for an item that does not appear on the agenda as a public hearing and you wish to speak to the Commission, we can give you 3 minutes to do so.
No one came forward.
AGENDA
19-0993 An Ordinance approving a Revision to the River Street Plaza Plan Description on 0.25 acres for property located at 160 S. River Street, Unit #106 (RE/MAX Suburban Kammes Commercial - 19-0993 / AU21/4-19.194-Su/R - JS - Ward 4) (PUBLIC HEARING)
Mr. Sodaro said the subject property is currently mixed use commercial/multi-family zoned in the Downtown Fringe District with Special Use zoning. It is part of the River Street Plaza Special Use Planned Development. The Petitioner is requesting a Plan Description Revision to the River Street Plaza Special Use Planned Development to allow for a salon and spa use on the property located at 160 S. River Street, Unit 106. They are currently located in Oswego and are looking to relocate into a space in Aurora that would allow for a larger amount of retail. If you have any questions for staff, I’m free to answer. I believe we have representatives from the Petitioner who are here as well.
Mr. Sieben said if I could just add one thing because this is a little bit of a unique deal. When the developer came in back in 2005 or 2006 for this development, the first floor was, obviously, zoned for commercial uses. However, instead of having a broad list of typically B-2 uses, what the developer chose to do was actually limit the permitted uses that were allowed here. A lot of it was restaurant and retail and little grocery stores and office and things like that. A personal service use like a salon and spa like this is was actually not a permitted use because it was very limited. What we are essentially doing here is through the Special Use we are revising the Plan Description to add this as an additional permitted use, so just to clarify that.
Ms. Tidwell said I’m just curious. What was the reason for not allowing this kind of use?
Mr. Sieben said I don’t know the full reason why the developer was very particular. The thought back pre-recession was that this may be full of restaurants in these lower units, so that was the preference. That, obviously, hasn’t happened. We do have a couple of small restaurants and we’re dealing with a couple of other users who may be coming in for some other restaurants in some of the units, but obviously, not 100% will be all restaurants. I think that was the reason.
Mrs. Anderson said and just a comment on the actual interior buildout plan, it says message room. I’m sure that should be massage room, right?
Mr. Sieben said yes.
The Petitioners were sworn in.
My name is Andy Barbosa with Re/Max Suburban. I’m with Kammes Commercial. I’m representing the owner. This is Diane.
My name is Diane Gonzalez, owner of Renew Salon and Spa in Oswego. Chairman Pilmer said is there anything you want to add?
Mrs. Gonzalez said I think it is pretty clear what I’m trying to do. I’ve been in Oswego for 17 years and I’m just looking to move the business to Aurora. I was brought up here and looking to finish out my second half of my career here.
The public input portion of the public hearing was opened. No witnesses came forward. The public input portion of the public hearing was closed.
Mr. Sodaro said staff would recommend approval of an Ordinance approving a Revision to the River Street Plaza Plan Description on.25 acres for property located at 160 S. River Street, Unit 106.
MOTION OF APPROVAL WAS MADE BY: Mr. Chambers
MOTION SECONDED BY: Mrs. Head
AYES: Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Divine, Mrs. Duncan, Mr. Elsbree, Mr. Gonzales, Mrs. Head, Mr. Hull, Mrs. Owusu-Safo, Ms. Tidwell NAYS: None
FINDINGS OF FACT
1. Is the proposal in accordance with all applicable official physical development policies and other related official plans and policies of the City of Aurora?
Mr. Chambers said yes and these are listed in the staff report.
2. Does the proposal represent the logical establishment and/or consistent extension of the requested classification in consideration of the existing land uses, existing zoning classifications, and essential character of the general area of the property in question?
Chairman Pilmer said this is a consistent extension. It is a retail based use in the general area.
3. Is the proposal consistent with a desirable trend of development in the general area of the property in question, occurring since the property in question was placed in its present zoning classification, desirability being defined as the trend’s consistency with applicable official physical development policies and other related official plans and policies of the City of Aurora?
Mrs. Owusu-Safo said I believe the proposal is consistent with the desirable trend of development in the general area.
4. Will the proposal maintain a compatible relationship with the traffic pattern and traffic volume of adjacent streets and not have an adverse effect upon traffic or pedestrian movement and safety in the general area of the property in question?
Mrs. Head said there should be no adverse effect.
5. Will the proposal allow for the provision of adequate public services and facilities to the property in question and have no adverse effect upon existing public services and facilities?
Mrs. Anderson said these should all be in place.
6. Does the proposal take adequate measures or will they be taken to provide ingress and egress so designed as to maximize pedestrian and vehicular circulation ease and safety, minimize traffic congestion, and not substantially increase the congestion in the public streets?
Mrs. Owusu-Safo said increase in additional traffic should not be expected with this proposal.
9a. Will the special use not preclude the normal and orderly development of improvement of surrounding properties due to the saturation or concentration of similar uses in the general area?
Mrs. Head said there is no saturation in the area.
9b. Is the special use in all other respects in conformance to the applicable regulations in the district in which it is located, except as such regulations may in each instance be modified by the City Council pursuant to the recommendations of the Plan Commission?
Mrs. Anderson said yes.
Mr. Sodaro said this will next be heard at the Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday, November 27, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. on the fifth floor of this building.
A motion was made by Mr. Chambers, seconded by Mrs. Head, that this agenda item be Forwarded to the Building, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee, on the agenda for 11/27/2019. The motion carried.
PENDING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mr. Sieben said I don’t know for sure if we are going to have a meeting on December 4th. We will likely know by tomorrow or Friday. I was prepared to say we weren’t going to meet the 4th and then we got a resubmittal right after 4:00 o’clock. We have to double check with Engineering whether this is going to be ready. It is just a Final
Plan. So we may have a meeting on the 4th. There is also a slight chance we might have a special meeting on the 11th. That I will also know by tomorrow or Friday due to some notices that have to go out. We can try to let you know by the end of the week whether we would meet the 4th and the 11th or one or the other or neither. It could be all of the above. The Annual Dinner is Wednesday, December 18th. We are upgrading it to the Roundhouse this year and we are keeping costs the same.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Ms. Tidwell, seconded by Mr. Hull, that this the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried by voice vote. Chairman Pilmer adjourned the meeting at 7:13 p.m.
https://www.aurora-il.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11202019-2097
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