McHenry Times

City of Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission met May 15

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

The meeting was called to order by Mr. Greenman at 7:00 p.m.  

CALL TO ORDER 

On roll call, members, Greenman, Gronow, Mason, Repholz, Skluzacek, and Teetsov were present. Member Smith was absent. 

Elizabeth Maxwell, City Planner, was present from Staff. 

Mr. Greenman said this meeting is being recorded for broadcast and future playback on the City’s cable  channel. He led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. 

APPROVE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 17, 2024 PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING 

On voice vote, members Gronow, Mason, Repholz, Skluzacek, and Teetsov voted aye to approve the minutes from the April 17, 2024 regular Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Mr. Greenman abstained. Motion passed. 

2024-35 – 5220 NORTHWEST HIGHWAY – MARTIN CHEVROLET – SPECIAL USE PERMIT  AMENDMENT – PUBLIC HEARING 

Mr. Simon Yu, architect with Simon Design Group, was present to represent the request. He presented  the plan illustrating the two additions. He showed images of the existing building and the renderings of the new portions. The building additions will match. The expansion will create 15 new jobs. 

Mr. Greenman opened the public hearing. There being no one to speak, he closed the public hearing. Staff presented an overview of the request. 

Ms. Repholz asked about the signage. The petitioner said they will work within the ordinance or request an additional variation if necessary. 

Many of the members had no questions and wished the petitioner luck with the expansion and glad business is doing well.  

Mr. Greenman stated the request meets the findings of fact and he supports it. 

Mr. Gronow made a motion to approve the Special Use Permit Amendment for Martin Chevrolet subject to the following conditions:

1. Approved plans, reflecting staff and advisory board recommendations, as approved by the City Council: 

A. Application (Martin Chevrolet, received 04/05/24)

B. Site Plan (Unnamed, received 05/01/24) 

C. Architecture Plans (Martin Chevrolet, undated, received 04/24/24) 

D. Plat of Survey (VSSI, undated, received 04/24/24)

2. Replace any dead or dying landscape.  

3. The petitioner shall address all of the review comments and requirements of the City Departments of Public Works, Fire Rescue, Engineering, and Community Development Department.  

Ms. Teetsov seconded the motion. On roll call, Members Greenman, Gronow, Mason, Repholz, and Teetsov voted yes. The voted resulted in a 6-0 vote to approve the Special Use Permit Amendment.  

2023-244 – 439 E. TERRA COTTA AVENUE – STORAGE OF AMERICA – FINAL PLANNED  UNIT DEVELOPMENT – PUBLIC MEETING  

Final Planned Unit Development for Self-Storage. 

Mr. Tom Fitzpatrick, with Storage of America was present to represent the petition. Mr. Fitzpatrick stated this is 55,000 square feet of storage. They meet all the requirements from the Preliminary PUD approval. They created a solid fence around the property connecting the buildings where they typically have an open  fence, they met the engineering requirements and increased the landscape. They will have security lighting on the property.  

Mr. Greenman opened the meeting to anyone in the public wanting to speak. There being no one to speak, he turned it over to staff. 

Staff presented an overview of the request. 

Mr. Gronow asked about the fence. Mr. Fitzpatrick explained the fence is in between the buildings. The buildings act as a fence and the gaps between would have a fence and landscape. 

Ms. Teetsov asked about the view from the funeral home. Mr. Fitzpatrick said there is existing Walnut trees along that property line and he will add in additional landscape to further screen it. They would be looked at a fence or stone back of a building. 

One member asked about signs. Mr. Fitzpatrick said the signs will meet the ordinance and they will not need a variation. There will be about 220 units here. 

Mr. Greenman stated the request meets the findings of fact and he supports it.

Ms. Repholz made a motion to approve the Final Planned Unit Development subject to the following  conditions: 

1. Approved plans, reflecting staff and advisory board recommendations, as approved by the City Council: 

A. Application (Fitzpatrick, received 05/10/24)

B. Final Plans (Gresham Smith, dated 03/28/24, received 04/24/24) 

C. Stormwater Calculations (Gresham Smith, dated 03/28/24, received 04/24/24)

D. Kiosk (Henderson Associates Arch, dated SY Design, dated 10/24/23, received 04/26/24)

2. Signage must comply with UDO Section 4-1000.  

3. The petitioner shall address all of the review comments and requirements of the City Departments of Public Works, Fire Rescue, Engineering, and Community Development and the City’s Stormwater  Consultant.  

Mr. Skluzacek seconded the motion. On roll call, Members Greenman, Gronow, Mason, Repholz, and Teetsov voted yes. The voted resulted in a 6-0 vote to approve the Final Planned Unit Development.  

2024-55 LAKESIDE LEGACY FOUNDATION – THE DOLE – 401 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD – TEXT AMENDMENT AND SPECIAL USE PERMIT – PUBLIC HEARING Text Amendment to Article 2 and Article 10 of the Unified Development Ordinance for a Community and  Art Center and a Special Use Permit for a Community and Art Center in the R-1 zoning district. 

Jay LeCoque, representative from The Dole and Lisa Waggoner, attorney were present to represent the petition. Also in attendance were members of the Board, Dennis Barszcz, Chip Whitman, and Ron Russell. Ms. Waggoner stated there are two Special Use that currently govern this property, the first from  2004 and the second in 2022.  

Mr. LeCoque gave the history of the property discussing its use as a country club, hosting events for over 100 years. The building fell into disrepair and was purchased in 2002 to be demolished. Activists started the Save the Dole and raised funds to purchase back the historic mansion and restore it. Today, the Lakeside Legacy Foundation is tasked for maintaining that history. They have made updates to the lakeside portion of the building including fixing the windows, replacing glass and interior repairs. He  explained that this is not an event hour, they do not do weddings or baby showers. They host events that  support the local community. They have the farmer’s market, they get donations for the food pantry, they  hold events for the schools, music concerts for the community. They work with other 501C3 groups on  their events to help raise money. The events are needed to raise money to provide care of the mansion and to other nonprofits in their missions for the community. They have also planted back Oaks where  many have died, these are trees that only the next generation is going to enjoy. 

They have heard the concerns and reduced the number of vendors for the farmers market. It was over 100 and now back to approximately 80. They have created a green grass buffer around the perimeter of the parking area to reduce any dust blowing toward the neighbors. They are adding volunteers to help organize the traffic circulation and parking. They will be removing the ropes every Sunday. They have and will continue to work with the City on the parking plan. 

Ms. Waggoner noted the community support they received as evident by the over 200 emails and letter that were sent to the City supporting the market and activities at The Dole.  

Mr. Greenman opened the public hearing and noted there were members signed up that represented a larger group. He asked these representative to speak first. 

Kelly Akerberg, representing the Service League. The Service League provides direct outreach to the community in need. The Farmer’s Market has been a shining gem. The league provides staff to help the market. $50,000 in revenue has been given back to the neighbors. She noted that with progress comes growing pains. She noted many of the neighbors contacted her saying the opposing side made repeated stops at homes, used scare tactics and misinformation to get people to sign. She asked the commission to read the support letter and how many residents support this. The space had been dormant for too long, so to see activity at this place is great. The revenue is being put back into the mansion to save it.  

Paul Leech, 567 Ringling, said he represents the business community where we need to save these types of buildings. The Dole should be applauded for what they are doing. He and his family walk to the farmer’s market and it is a great outing. They meet people, socialize and enjoy the day. 

Joe Wanda, represents the farmer’s and his grandmother that lives at 641 Oak Street. This has been great  for the farmers. They have a place to sell their products and get exposure for farming.  

Corey Landry, 490 Edgebrook, represents 25 households in the area. He had a presentation, which staff noted is in the electronic packet material, but cannot be displayed due to the technical difficulties. He cited the intensity, frequency and traffic at the Dole has affected the neighbors. There are issues with parking and parking circulation around the site. The farmer’s market started as quaint. It is now a flea market and he read a definition. He went through the findings of fact. This is too much now, the live music, more people and it is every weekend. He has been voicing his concerns for eight (8) months that  they are exceeding the plan boundary. 

No more people were representing groups and so individuals spoke. 

Debbie Goodale, 1252 Walnut Glen, is in support of the use. It makes the area more desirable. She is a realtor and presented information about the values in this neighborhood. This use and their events support  local town economy. You can make true social connections at these events. 

Rachel Winterling, 241 Dole Avenue, she is a business owner and this farmer’s market gives an avenue for market place in the community. Everyone knows that in the summer the traffic for the Main Beach is crazy, it is to be expected. This market is one day a week in the morning and offers so much and that is more than the impact of traffic. Kids meet their friends there, they can ride their bikes. In the winter these  things slow down so it is for a short period.

Peter and Elizabeth Grubbe, 10107 Alden Road, are farmers. They were invited by Illinois Organic Vegetation group to be vendors back in 2021. It was extremely important for them to get their foot in the  door to secure their livelihood. One-third of their produce is being sold through the market. 

Alyson and Ryan Gadon, 661 Broadway Ave, stated they enjoy the festivities that The Dole puts on. They  need more staff and safety to keep up with the size. There is a lot of trash around and vehicles parked in  front of the homes. 

Debra Ander, represents her parents at 611 Golf Road, and said she has lived in Crystal Lake her whole life and went to The Dole for classes. Her parents helped out at The Dole, gave money and time to support their mission of preservation. They do not want the activities to stop. They have concerns of the  frequency, size and intensity. It just needs to be managed better. They just stated doing these things then asked for the change. They should have the full traffic study completed before asking for this. There was a kid struck by a drunk driver. They don’t want to shut the whole thing down, they just need rules. She is disappointed they are moving away from the arts program. 

Jay and Carol Fayer, 603 Golf Road, they live on the south side and they want to save The Dole. There is a problem with traffic and wants everyone to work together.  

Douglas Kananen, 664 Country Club Road, questioned why they want to change the UDO when there are already uses they could fall under. He wants them to show them how they will handle the traffic. He has a special needs son and he cannot go outside to walk the dog with the traffic. 

Dave Mazurk, 656 Broadway Ave., lives across the street. He is concerned with the enormity of the farmer’s market and why is there drinking and driving supported. 

Tom Gill, 395 Highland Ave., The Dole is all good, a good mission. The farmer’s market is the concern. 

Ron Russell, 820 Country Club Road, is a huge fan of what the Board has done to invest in the community. This is a rare site that supports small businesses and nonprofits. 

Nancy DePalma, 430 Country Club Road, said the New Year’s Eve event has been the best ever. There is traffic around The Dole. Last August her grandson ran into the street. She did sign the petition. Any concerns she has had, she has called Jay and within two days it was done. 

Connie Frerichs, 415 Highland Ave. She has lived here for 44 years and loves it. She is concerned with the proposed changes. She noticed the newspaper advertised a D47 play day, that school has over 7,000  students. What happens if they all show up with their parents. 

Joe Safin, 437 Highland Ave, liked the quiet street and garden space on The Dole property. There is a parking problem. There should be no parking on the streets. 

Bill Low, 441 Highland Ave, how can they ask for this without the full traffic study. There is traffic and with the water main construction project it will be worse.

Kelly Henssmann, 104 Oak St, the increased traffic for these events is for the greater good. It is like a church on Sunday. The people can park on the public street. She is in support of The Dole. People should walk and ride their bikes here to reduce the cars. The concerns she heard are mostly based on fear.  

There being no further public wishing to speak, Mr. Greenman closed the public hearing. Staff summarized the request regarding the text amendment and the special use. 

Ms. Waggoner said this new request is encapsulating the two existing special use permits into one, they are not expanding the use, there is more office than art users in the existing studio space. It will not be  more intense. If this was still a country club it would bring in lots of traffic and events. 

Mr. LeCoque, said the size of the market is nowhere near the size of the fest. He met with the neighbors and he listened. He increased the green space, they reduced the farmer’s vendors, they are getting more staff. He said they would do it and they have done it. They are working to be a good neighbor. 

Mike Magnuson, Director of Public Works, spoke about the traffic study. This is a unique situation. Typically traffic studies are done for vacant properties to speculate on what the traffic patterns would be. These are already known. The circulation and parking on site needs to be better managed. The traffic  study will look at how to manage the traffic. The conditions of approval will require then to comply with the recommendations. He suggests adding a condition until the traffic counts can be completed that they work with staff on a traffic management plan. 

Mr. Greenman turned it over to the Commission. 

Ms. Repholz asked how the language was created. Staff explained that The Dole suggested some language and then staff modified it to fit with the UDO. She wanted the language to be more specific to limit the number of properties that would be eligible. She suggested it be limited to historic properties and 501c3. 

Mr. Skluzacek had no questions right now. 

Ms. Mason thanked the public for attending and thanked the petitioner for clarifying the events that are taking place. She would like a condition added about a traffic management study. 

Ms. Teetsov thanked everyone for coming. She noted that the commission does their due diligence. She is not comfortable with the text amendment. She would like more information about the parking and would want them to collaborate with the neighbors. The definition is too broad that describes being an incubator. She asked the petitioner when they update their event calendar. She would like them to prioritize art uses. Mr. LeCoque noted they have lots of artists and local businesses in their spaces. They have some open suites, which each are about 400 square feet.  

Mr. Gronow said that from the comments, everyone enjoys what is taking place at The Dole and he applauds Lakeside for the work done on the property. He believes it is premature to discuss this. Staff will need to do more work on the text amendment then they can review the special use. This is a special  property and he does not want to see it changed.

Mr. Greenman summarized what he heard. He notes what The Dole does as an organization is supportive. The success of the programs and events has become a challenge to the residents. He asked the petitioner what they would do to address these concerns. Mr. LeCoque said they have already reduced the footprint and the number of food trucks bringing it back to the original layout. They are leaving a grass strip around the edge of the parking areas to reduce dust and keep green closest to the neighbors. They have requested more parking attendants so traffic will be better directed. He asked why this was not classified as a performing arts center. Ms. Waggoner said they worked with staff and they suggested the new use. Staff noted that performing arts center is for places like the Raue where they have stage actors and live shows, The Dole is not a performing arts center. Mr. Greenman said he would be comfortable moving forward  and believe The Dole is closer to meeting the neighbors’ concerns than they think. He has heard the  residents and thinks they can manage the site to address the concerns. 

Ms. Repholz said there is no urgency as they are not losing any events. She wants more time and to look  at other models. 

Mr. Gronow said this is premature. He wants them to promote the arts and limit the percentage of office uses.  

Ms. Waggoner said they can make some adjustments to the text amendment and suggested a continuation to the June 19th Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. 

Ms. Teetsov made a motion to continue the item to the June 19th Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Ms. Mason seconded the motion. On voice vote all members voted aye. Motion passed. 

REPORT FROM PLANNING 

Staff provided an update on recent petitions. 

COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION 

None. 

ADJOURNMENT  

Ms. Teetsov made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Gronow seconded the motion. On voice vote, all members voted aye. The meeting was adjourned at 10:44 p.m.

https://ecode360.com/CR2206/document/753056394.pdf