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DES PLAINES PLAN COMMISSION
October 29, 2012
MINUTES
The Des Plaines Plan Commission held its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, October 29, 2012, at 7:00 P.M.,
in Room 102, City Council Chambers, of the Des Plaines Civic Center.
PLAN COMMISSION
PRESENT: Bar, Lane, Niemotka, Yi
ABSENT: Perez
Also present was Senior Planner, Scott Mangum, Department of Community and Economic Development.
Chairman Niemotka called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.
NEW BUSINESS
Chairman Niemotka read a summary of the matter on the Agenda:
Case Number 12-059-MAP
Address: 1177 Howard Avenue
Request: The petitioner is requesting an Amendment to the Official Des Plaines Zoning Map, as amended,
to reclassify the property from the R-1 Single Family Residential Zoning District to the I-1
Institutional Zoning District.
Petitioner:
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Lee Henson — Chairperson
1177 Howard Avenue, 60018
The following individuals were sworn in:
Lee Henson, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1177 Howard Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60018
Petitioner Henson introduced himself and explained his request to the Board. He explained that the church property
was surrounded by the Park District on three sides and by residences that backed onto Howard Avenue on the other
side. The main reason for the request was to put up an electronic message board sign.
Commissioner Lane asked if there was currently a permanent sign for the church.
Petitioner said there is a small one that will be replaced by the proposed sign. Petitioner thought the sign would be
beneficial as an advertisement for the church so members of the community don't confuse it with Park District
property.
Chairman Niemotka asked Mr. Mangum to read the applicable staffreport into record, as follows:
Issue: The petitioner is requesting an Amendment to the Official Des Plaines Zoning Map, as amended, to reclassify
the property from the R-1 Single Family Residential Zoning District to the I-1 Institutional Zoning District.
Case #12-059-MAP
Page 2
Analysis: In analyzing this request, the staff considered the following information:
Owner
Petitioner
General Information
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Lee Henson — Chairperson
1177 Howard Avenue, 60018
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Lee Henson — Chairperson
1177 Howard Avenue, 60018
Case Number 12-059-MAP
Address 1177 Howard Avenue
Real Estate Index 09-29-301-003-0000
Numbers
Existing Zoning R-1, Single Family Residential
Existing Land Use Place of Worship (Good Shepherd Lutheran Church)
Surrounding Zoning North: R-1, Single Family Residential
South: R-1, Single Family Residential
East: R-1, Single Family Residential
West: R-1, Single Family Residential
Surrounding Land Use North: Single Family Residential
South: Park (Lake Park/ Lake Opeka)
East: Park (Lake Park/ Lake Opeka)
West: Park (Lake Park/ Lake Opeka)
Street Classification
Comprehensive Plan
Howard Avenue is identified as a two lane collector street in the 2007
Comprehensive Plan.
Institutional is the recommended use of the property.
The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church has requested that the subject property, located on a greater than 3-acre parcel
at 1177 Howard Avenue, be reclassified from the R-1, Single Family Residential Zoning District to the I-1
Institutional District. The site includes the one-story brick church structure which is set back approximately 270-feet
from the front property line on Howard Avenue. The property has approximately 372-feet of frontage on Howard
Avenue with four curb cuts accessing approximately 123 parking spaces in front of the church structure.
The block face across Howard Avenue is developed with twelve single-family residential through -lots, where the
houses generally face Stockton Avenue with fencing and landscaping along the Howard Avenue frontage. The intent
of the Church is to rezone the property so that a monument sign with an electronic message board component would
be allowed in the Institutional District, where it would not be allowed in the R-1 District. However, the Church has
not submitted for a sign permit at this time.
If the property were to be rezoned to the Institutional District, a monument sign is limited to 5' in height, with
additional setback allowing height up to 10' (1 additional foot of height for each 3 feet of setback behind the
minimum 5' setback line). While an Electronic Message Board is a permitted use in the Institutional District, the
Electronic Message Board portion of a sign is limited to not greater than 32 Square Feet and not greater than 30% of
the total sign area. Additionally, the brightness, and frequency of changeable copy of a sign is limited.
Case #12-059-MAP
Page 3
According to Section 7.5-1 of the Zoning Ordinance, the purpose of the I-1 Institutional District is to recognize the
public or semipublic nature of the Institutional District and to provide guidelines for its continued use and future
development. The I-1 Institutional District shall provide protection for existing institutional facilities by prohibiting
the encroachment of non -compatible uses. A Place of Worship is a permitted use in the Institutional Zoning District
and the property meets the minimum lot size of 2 acres.
Standards for a Zoning Map Amendment
To analyze this map amendment request, the standards for amendments contained in Section 3.7-5 of the Zoning
Ordinance are used. Following is a discussion of those standards:
A. Whether the proposed amendment is consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies contained in the
Comprehensive Plan.
The 2007 City of Des Plaines Comprehensive Plan recommends an Institutional use for this site. The I-1
Institutional zoning district permits Places of Worship by right.
B. Whether the proposed amendment is compatible with the current conditions and the overall character of
existing developments in the immediate area.
The current conditions around the facilities include residential and open space uses. The Place of Worship use is
compatible with and serves the surrounding neighborhood.
C. Whether the proposed amendment is appropriate considering the adequacy of public facilities and services
available to the property.
The public facilities and the public services provided by the City of Des Plaines are adequate. If the zoning
amendment is approved, no expansion of public facilities or services will be necessary.
D. Whether the proposed amendment will have an adverse effect on the value of properties throughout the
jurisdiction.
The proposed use of the site would remain unchanged; therefore no adverse impact on the value of properties is
anticipated.
E. Whether the proposed amendment reflects responsible standards for development and growth.
Yes, the proposed map amendment to reclassify the properties to I-1, Institutional would reflect responsible
standards for development and growth based on conformance with the Comprehensive Plan.
Recommendation:
Based on the above analysis, the Community Development Department recommends approval of the requested
zoning map amendment to change the zoning classification to I-1, Institutional.
Planning Commission Procedure
Under Section 3.7-4-C of the Zoning Ordinance (Amendments) the Planning Commission has the authority to make
a recommendation for approval, approval with modification, or disapproval of the above -mentioned map
amendment. The City Council has the final authority on the proposal.
Chairman Niemotka asked if the Commissioners had any questions; there were none.
Chairman Niemotka asked if there was anyone in the audience that had any questions or comments; there were none.
A motion was made by Commissioner Yi seconded by Commissioner Bar to recommend that the City Council
approve an Amendment to the Official Des Plaines Zoning Map, as amended, to reclassify the property from
the R-1 Single Family Residential Zoning District to the I-1 Institutional Zoning District.
Case #12-059-MAP
Page 4
AYES: Bar, Lane, Niemotka, Yi
NAYS: None
MOTION CARRIED
The meeting was adjourned at 7:13p.m. by unanimous voice vote.
Sincerely,
RobertNiemotka, Chairman
Des Plaines Plan Commission
cc: City Officials
Aldermen
Plan Commission
Petitioner