Kane County Reporter

City of Aurora Planning Commission met April 18.

Here is the minutes provided by the Commission:

Call To Order:

Chairman Truax called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Roll Call:

The following Commission members were present: Chairman Truax, Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Bergeron, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Chambers, Mrs. Cole, Mr. Divine, Mrs. Duncan, Mrs. Head, Mrs. Owusu-Safo, Mr. Pilmer and Mr. Reynolds.

Others Present:

The following staff members were present: Mr. Sieben, Mrs. Vacek and Mrs. Jackson.

Others Present: Douglas Kullan (239 S. Calumet Avenue), Elior Heli (303 Evanslawn), Bonnie Kunkle (1527 Prairie Street), Emmy Lou John (1541 Kenilworth Place), Sherry Pierce (545 Oak Avenue), John Voelker (231 S. Glenwood), Mary Landers (338 S. Buell Avenue), Mike Timm (258 Carriage Hill Drive), Tim Kane (1539 Prairie Street and 1221 Kenilworth Avenue), and Alderman Carl Franco.

Approval Of Minutes:

18-0311 Approval of the Minutes for the Planning Commission meeting of April 4, 2018.

A motion was made by Mr. Chambers, seconded by Mrs. Anderson, that the minutes be approved and filed. The motion carried.

Agenda:

17-00951 An Ordinance Establishing a Special Use Planned Development at 431 S Gladstone Avenue, 1419 Prairie Street and 1433 Prairie Street to be incorporated under the existing Aurora University Plan Description approved by Ordinance No. O12-007 on February 28, 2012 and Amending Ordinance Number 3100, being the Aurora Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning Map attached thereto, to an underlying zoning of R-1 One Family Dwelling District (Aurora University - 17-00951 / AU20/3-17.203-SU/PD - TV - Ward 4) (PUBLIC HEARING)

Mrs. Vacek said the property at 431 S. Gladstone is zoned R-2 and is within the Expansion Area #1 of the Aurora University Master Plan. The properties at 1419 Prairie and 1433 Prairie Street are zoned R-1 One Family Dwelling District and is in Expansion Area #2 under the Aurora University’s Master Plan. The Petitioner is requesting to rezone the property at 431 S. Gladstone from R-2 to R-1(S) and then the other two would just have the Special Use with the S on there from R-1 to R-1(S) to incorporate them into the 2012 Aurora University Special Use Planned Development that was approved in February of 2012. The University is allowed to use these homes in Expansion Area 1 and 2 for educational services, offices, non-traditional classrooms, studios, graduate student housing, faculty housing or rental housing. If you have any questions for me I’d be more than happy to answer them.

The Petitioners were sworn in.

Good evening. Bruce Goldsmith from the Dykema law firm representing Aurora University. With me is Carmella Moran, Vice President for Administration. Some of you have been through this odyssey for a long time. Aurora University started expansion in Expansion Area #1. The house on Gladstone is the last house left in Expansion Area #1. There were four houses in Expansion Area #2 that were left and the understanding under the original approval was the that the University would not seek to acquire those houses, but would be willing to buy those houses if the owners wanted to sell. So all of these have been voluntary purchases that were made at the instigation of the homeowner. So we acquired the two homes on Prairie in addition to the home on Gladstone. We are asking them to be incorporated into the Master Plan and when you get to Item 3, you’ll see the Master Plan and what we want to do moving forward. But for the purposes of this part of the public hearing, it is three houses that we already have acquired that we want to add to the Master Plan. Then we are going to have a second hearing on one house that’s one of the last two on Southlawn and then we’ll talk about the Master Plan. Unless you have questions, that would be it for now.

The public input portion of the public hearing was opened. No witnesses came forward. The public input portion of the public hearing was closed.

Mrs. Vacek said staff would recommend approval of the Ordinance establishing a Special Use Planned Development at 431 S. Gladstone Avenue, 1419 Prairie Street and 1433 Prairie Street to be incorporated under the existing Aurora University Plan Description approved by Ordinance No. O12-007 on February 28, 2012 and amending Ordinance Number 3100, being the Aurora Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning Map attached thereto, to an underlying zoning of R-1 One Family Dwelling District.

Motion Of Approval Was Made By: Mrs. Cole

Motion Seconded By: Mrs. Duncan

Ayes: Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Bergeron, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Chambers, Mrs. Cole, Mr. Divine, Mrs. Duncan, Mrs. Head, Mrs. Owusu-Safo, Mr. Pilmer, Mr. Reynolds

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?

Mrs. Cole said 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?

Mr. Reynolds said yes, this proposal represents the highest and best use of the property at this time.

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?

Mr. Reynolds said again, the proposal represents the highest and best use of the property at this time.

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. Owusu-Safo said there should be no adverse impact on traffic.

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?

Mr. Chambers said it should not have any adverse effect on the existing public services and facilities.

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 again, traffic patterns should remain the same and there should not be any adverse effect.

9a. Will the Special Use not preclude the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding properties due to the saturation or concentration of similar uses in the general area?

Mr. Cameron said it is filling out a continuation of an existing use and was planned for on its original agreement that it is being added to.

9b. Is the Special Use in all other respects in conformance to the applicable regulations of 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. Cole said it is.

Chairman Truax said I believe it is in conformance.

A motion was made by Mrs. Cole, seconded by Mrs. Duncan, that this agenda item be Forwarded to the Planning & Development Committee, on the agenda for 6/14/2018. The motion carried.

18-0241 An Ordinance Ordinance Establishing a Special Use Planned Development at 1424 Southlawn Place, to be incorporated under the existing Aurora University Plan Description approved by Ordinance No. O12-007 on February 28, 2012 (Aurora University - 18-0241 / AU20/3-18.032-Su/PD - TV - Ward 4) (Public Hearing)

Mrs. Vacek said the subject property is zoned R-1 One Family Dwelling District zoning and was recently purchased by Aurora University. The property is included in the Expansion Area #2 of the Aurora University Master Plan. The University now owns all the properties except one property in Expansion Area #2. The Petitioner is requesting a Special Use to incorporate the property at 1424 Southlawn Place into the existing Aurora University Special Use Planned Development, which again was approved in 2012. The University is allowed to use the homes in the Expansion Area #2 for educational services, non-traditional classrooms, studios, graduate student housing, faculty housing and rental housing. With that I will turn it over to the Petitioner.

Good evening, Bruce Goldsmith again, from the Dykema law firm representing Aurora University. With me is Carmella Moran, Vice President of Administration. The one thing I should add to the comment on both of these matters is that the University, with rare exception, is allowed to actually demolish homes and to put them into redevelopment, which is part of the Master Plan that was approved in 2012. This is one of two homes on Southlawn, the remaining homes in Expansion Area #2 that you didn’t already deal with previously. The one home left is to the west of this home, as you’ll see on the overhead. As was anticipated when we had these two expansion areas approved, as houses became available for sale we purchased those houses and we are incorporating them into the overall plan for the University’s expansion. I’d be happy to answer any questions.

The public input portion of the public hearing was opened. No witnesses came forward. The public input portion of the public hearing was closed.

Mrs. Vacek said staff would recommend approval of the Ordinance establishing a Special Use Planned Development at 1424 Southlawn Place to be incorporated under the existing Aurora University Plan Description approved by Ordinance O12-007 on February 28, 2012.

Motion Of Conditional Approval Was Made By: Mr. Chambers

Motion Seconded By: Mrs. Anderson

Ayes: Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Bergeron, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Chambers, Mrs. Cole, Mr. Divine, Mrs. Duncan, Mrs. Head, Mrs. Owusu-Safo, Mr. Pilmer, Mr. Reynolds

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?

Mrs. Cole said these are found 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?

Mr. Reynolds said yes. The proposal does represent the highest and best use of the property.

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?

Mr. Reynolds said again, the proposal represents the highest and best use for the property.

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. Anderson said there should be no change in the pattern and have no adverse effect upon the traffic pattern and volume.

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?

Mr. Chambers said this should have no adverse effect upon existing public service facilities.

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 these measures are already in place and there should be no impact due to the Special Use request.

9a. Will the Special Use not preclude the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding properties due to the saturation or concentration of similar uses in the general area?

Mr. Cameron said there should be no change.

9b. Is the Special Use in all other respects in conformance to the applicable regulations of 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?

Chairman Truax said I believe it is on conformance in all other respects.

A motion was made by Mr. Chambers, seconded by Mrs. Anderson, that this agenda item be Forwarded to the Planning & Development Committee, on the agenda for 6/14/2018. The motion carried.

17-00950 An Ordinance Approving a Revision to the Aurora University Plan Description and Master Plan for 45.7 acres on Property located west of Gladstone Avenue, east of and along the west frontage of Evanslawn Avenue between Marseillaise Place and Prairie Street, south of and along the north side of Marseillaise Place between Calumet Avenue and Gladstone, and north side of Prairie Street (Aurora University - 17-00950 / AU20/4-15.172-SU/PD/R - TV - Ward 4) (PUBLIC HEARING)

See Attachment for Item 17-00950.

A motion was made by Mrs. Cole, seconded by Mr. Chambers, that this agenda item be continued until the June 6, 2018 Planning Commission meeting. The motion carried.

Pending

Committee Reports:

A) Amendments

B) Grant and Award Research

C) Comprehensive Plan

Announcements:

Mr. Sieben said we will have the next regular meeting May 2nd.

Adjournment:

A motion was made by Mrs. Cole, seconded by Mrs. Duncan, that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried by voice vote. Chairman Truax adjourned the meeting at 8:48 p.m.

https://www.aurora-il.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04182018-1436