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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-09-07 PZC MINUTES., • CITY OF ENGLEWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION September 7, 1983 I. CALL TO ORDER. The regular meeting of the City Planning and Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 P. M. by Chairman Becker. Members present: McBrayer, Stoel, Tanguma, Venard and Becker Romans, Ex-officio Members absent: Barbre, Carson, Allen II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. August 2, 1983 Chairman Becker stated that the Minutes of August 2, 1983, were to be considered for approval. Tanguma moved: Stoel seconded: The Minutes of August 2, 1983, be approved with "Members Present" changed to "Members Absent" on page one. AYES: NAYS: ABSENT: McBrayer, Stoel, Tanguma, Venard and Becker None Barbre, Carson, Allen The motion carried. III. ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN. Chairman Becker stated that with her advance into the Chair upon Mr. Senti's resignation from the Commission, it would be necessary to fill the Vice-Chairman's position. Stoel moved: Tanguma seconded: Nomination of Mr. McBrayer for Vice Chairman. AYES: NAYS: ABSENT: McBrayer, Stoel, Tanguma, Venard and Becker None Barbre, Carson, Allen The motion carried. Tanguma moved: Stoel sec onded: Mr. McBrayer be elected unanimously. AYES: McBrayer, Stoel, Tanguma, Venard and Becker NAYS: None ABSENT: Barbre, Carson, Allen The motion carried. Mr. McBrayer stated that he would give his full support to Mrs. Becker. -2- IV. COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE. Mrs. Romans said that Sheryl Rousses would act as secretary to the Planning Commission for meetings concerned with the Zoning Ordinance. She introduced Sharon Seivers of Keene, Munsinger and Stuckey, who was substituting for Mr. Stuckey, and would advise the Board on any legal questions. Also present was Susan King, Senior Planner. Mrs. Romans suggested that the meetings be a very informal discussion of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, Sections R-1-A, R-1-B, and R-1-C. She stated that the staff had gone through the Ordinance and had made recommendations based on problems which have arisen in dealing with the public and administering the present Ordinance. The purpose of these meetings is to refine the proposed amend- ments, clear up difficult areas, and tighten the rules which are being circumvented. Legal assistance will be needed, most particularly in the Administrative and Non- conforming Use sections, the Definitions and Legal Status. She said that the courts sometimes render an adverse decision because of a technicality, and she would like to avoid that happening with the new Ordinance. Mrs. Romans stated that at the present time, they would not make any changes in the Flood Plain Ordinance because that conforms with FEMA standards. The Con- ditional Use section was recently done and won't be changed extensively. The City Council will hold a Public Hearing on the Condominium Ordinance on October • 3, 1983. Mrs. Romans, Susan Powers, Susan King and the City Council met on September 6 for a two hour session on the Landscaping Ordinance. Councilman Higday is strongly supporting the Landscaping Ordinance. Mrs. Romans asked that the members turn to page four of R-1-A and mark out "1. LANDSCAPING •..•. OPEN SPACE." and redesignate subsection "m" as "l"; "n" on Page 9 would become "m". R-1-B and R-1-C would have the same changes made. The principal permitted uses in the residential zones: single-family dwellings, religious institutions, educational institutions and public facilities were dis- cussed. Mrs. Romans said that public facilities are permitted, but the require- ments on lot area, etc. do not apply to sewer lines, fire hydrants, etc. The lot area has not been changed for the single-family dwelling from the present 9,000 square feet. For churches and schools, the minimum lot area is 15,000 square feet. The staff would like that to be changed to 24,000 square feet. If private schools were to locate in Englewood, it is necessary for them to be on a lot large enough to accommodate the problems they may create. Mr. Stoel, Mr. McBrayer and Mrs. Becker agreed that it seemed that 24,000 square feet would be a bare minimum for a school. Mr. Tanguma referred to the last part of the first paragraph on page one, saying that limiting the development to only facilities serving the residents of the district seemed too limiting. The Commission agreed to strike out "which serve the residents of the District." Mrs. Romans stated that State Law would require that up to eight people who are developmentally disabled can live in group homes in any residential area. She asked that they add to the first paragraph on page one, "and those Uses which are required to be located in a residential district by State Law." A group home which is located at 5001 South Hooker Street was discussed. Mr. Stoel asked if churches would be required to have 24,000 square feet. Mrs. Romans said that they would under the proposed regulation. Mr. McBrayer stated that the 24,000 square feet would provide a good buffer in a residential zone. ·> • -3- Mrs. Romans said that in the R-1-A district, it is proposed that the lot frontage remain 75 feet. Churches and schools would be required to have 200 feet of front- age, and asked that the change be made on Page 2 from 125 to 200 feet. There were no changes proposed in floor area. Mr. McBrayer asked about basement houses. Mrs. Romans said that they are not per- mitted. Mr. McBrayer said that solar or earth homes should be considered. Ms. King said that they would be permitted if they met the Building Codes. "c (2)" should read "All other permitted principal uses." Mrs. Romans said that the height requirements are proposed to remain the same. Mr. McBrayer said that the Building and Planning Divisions have given him two dif- ferent permissible heights. Mrs. Romans said that the Planning Division will be conforming to the standards of the Uniform Building Code. Mrs. Romans said that the minimum front yard would be 25 feet as it was before; the side yard would remain the same, a total of 18 feet, with neither side less than 7 feet. Public Building side yards would remain the same. The Commission suggested that it be raised to 25 feet because the minimum lot size has been increased. Mrs. Romans said that the rear yard would remain 25 feet. There would be two off- street parking spaces required for single-family and churches, schools and public buildings would have to comply with the parking standards in the Supplementary Regulations. Mr. Tanguma and Mr. McBrayer suggested that hard surfaces should be required for the parking areas. Mr. Stoel agreed. Mrs. Romans said that the sur- face would be covered in the Supplementary Regulations, and she would make a note of this for the discussion of those regulations. Mr. Tanguma questioned the need for off-street parking. Mrs. Romans said the purpose of streets are, in order of importance: 1) to carry traffic; 2) to provide access to property; and 3) for parking if the first two purposes are adequately met and there is still space within the right-of-way for parking. Usable open space will be 30 % of the lot. Under Accessory Buildings and Permitted Accessory Uses, Mrs. Romans asked that the maximum area of garages and carports shall not exceed 1,000 square feet, to avoid commercial garages. The Building Code puts the same maximum on garages. The staff would also like to require alternate off-street parking if a garage is converted to living space. Mr. Tanguma asked that recreational vehicles be considered in the garage footage. Mrs. Romans said that they could be accommodated under the present ordinance with a higher door, and this is the reason that the staff has requested that the height requirement be increased to 18 feet. Mrs. Becker said that the ordinance requiring off-street parking for recreational vehicles should be strongly enforced. Mr. McBrayer stated that with the separate requirements for detached and attached garages, builders who build attached garages are penalized in that they are required to have a larger setback. This means that the currently more popular attached garage forces the builder to build a smaller house than he could build with a de- tached garage, The Commission recommended that (1) under section 1, ATTACHED GARAGES AND CARPORTS. "AN ATTACHED GARAGE OR .•• SETBACKS, ETC" be deleted. Under (2), the number should be changed to (1) and the words "DETACHED" be deleted. The Commission discussed setbacks for houses. Ms. King stated that the front set- -4- back cannot be more than 1/3 of the lot. Mr. McBrayer said that he objects to every house being exactly 25 feet from the street, and suggested that the absolute minimum front setback be 15 feet, with consideration being given to the setbacks ·- of the neighbors. If the setback is changed to 15 feet, there should be absolutely no porch encroaching on that setback. This would produce larger backyards. They suggested that the law firm which is assisting with the revision to the Zoning Ordinance work on wording for averaging with the neighbors. Under Sheds, the Commission discussed making the maximum height a lower number of feet, and finally agreed on 10 feet as a maximum height for the sheds. Mr. Tanguma and Mr. McBrayer stated that the setback requirements should be waived in the case of storage sheds, because they are largely ignored anyway . Mrs. Becker objected strongly to the idea of a neighbor placing a storage shed so close to her property line and asked that the staff check with the Fire Department. Mrs. Romans said the staff would like to limit the sheds to only one on each lot. It was decided that the new section (2) should read "STORAGE SHEDS. ONE STORAGE SHED NOT MORE THAN 100 SQUARE FEET IN AREA WITH A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 10 FEET." There were no suggested changes for section had been discussed recently section, although it was changed to side yard or rear yard. and there was no further (3). Shared Housing was The Home Occupation discussion of that changed to (4). In Section m, Other Provisions and Requirements, the staff would like to prohibit • large tractors and trucks in residential areas. Mrs. Romans called the Commission's attention to the liquefied petroleum gas regulations submitted by the Fire Department. which has been inserted into the residential zones. Mr. Venard asked for an explanation of item (K) concerning the use of electric motors. Mrs. Romans stated that this was a provision for a Home Occupation only, not the home handyman; it protected the neighborhood from constantly running loud motors. Mr. Tanguma asked if the Sales on Premises regulations applied to Tupperware parties. Mrs. Romans stated that it did not for an occasional party, but could be a problem if it became frequent. Chairman Becker suggested beginning the R-1-B. Mrs. Romans said that the state- ment relative to group homes should be added, as in R-1-A; also the deletion of "the residents of the District." Mr. Tanguma asked if there could be these group homes for elderly. Mrs. Romans stated that the State Law did not apply to the elderly; however, there are dis- tricts where such units would be permissible. Mrs. Romans stated that they would be asking the Attorney's Office to change the definition of "family" for cases like that. Mrs. Romans said that on page 2, c. (2), the staff suggests changing the other permitted principal uses to 24,000 square feet . At the bottom of page, (2) wourd require 200 feet instead of 100 feet. The front yard on page 3 ALL PERMITTED PRINCIPAL USES, should be changed to 15 feet to correspond to R-1-A. The minimum side yard for all other permitted principal uses should be 25 feet for each side. 1. "Landscaping .•. open space" on page 4 should be deleted, and the letter "m" e changed to "l" to replace it; and on page 9, "n" should be changed to "m". The "Attached Garages and Carports" should be deleted, as in R-1-A, with the two "Deleted" words from "(2)", and those numbers should be changed correspondingly. "Storage sheds" should be changed as it was in R-1-A, with (B) changed to 10 feet. -5- Under Home Occupations, Mrs. Romans said that child care center of up to 12 children are permitted as a Conditional Use, which permits some supervision by the City. In Section o, Other Provisions and Requirements, the staff would again include prohibition of trailers and trucks in residential areas. Mrs. Becker and Mr. Tanguma asked if this couldn't be regulated by noise and pollution ordinances. Mrs. Romans said that there is no provision for this in the Zoning Ordinance, and that staff would like it included. In R-1-C, the same sections were changed to conform with R-1-A and R-1-B, with changes in the first section; that churches and schools have 24,000 square foot minimum lot area; 200 foot frontage for churches and schools, with 25 feet for each side; 15 foot setback requirements; landscaping section removed; storage shed amended; attached garages deleted, with "Detached" removed from Garages and Carports; and the prohibition of trucks and trailers from Section o. The Commission decided to continue with R-2 Medium Density Residence District at the next meeting on the Zoning Ordinance. Mrs. Romans called the Commissioner's attention to the provision permitting building on substandard lots (Page 11 (2)). She suggested that a meeting be devoted to the Zoning Ordinance every first Tuesday of each month. Mr. McBrayer and Mrs. Becker suggested that whenever there are no cases, they could work on the Zoning Ordinance. Mr. McBrayer asked for a definition of a religious institution. Mrs. Romans stated that the Board of Adjustment has been promised that they can have input in the Ordinance, and suggested a joint meeting with the Planning Com- mission. There was no public present; Ms. Seivers did not wish to speak, and the Director had nothing further to add. Mr. Stoel asked to whom he would apply to add a new loading zone. Mrs. Romans said Joe Pliza, extension 504. Mrs. Becker offered education notices concerning secretarial development, stress management skills and basic selling skills. There is a Third Annual Zoning In- stitute to be held in Chicago, Illinois October 2 -4. Mrs. Becker asked about the R-2-C SPS. Mrs. Romans said that this was the result of Northwest Englewood's suggestions, and the Board is now requiring developers to meet the requirements. Last month the Board tabled a request until such time as the developer met with the Committee. He has now done so, and the Committee will support the develop- ment. The Board also put a condition on a recent development that the grass had to be planted before a C.O. could be issued. Mrs. Becker asked if Swedish would be landscaping on Logan. Mrs. Romans said that Swedish is going to do it at the correct season. She said that they would be putting in some parking on Washington school property, and that, too, would be landscaped, but only after weed killer applied by the school has worn off. The plans which Swedish supplied today show a retaining wall, the parking and a space which has been left for the landscaping. Mrs. Becker announced that the Commission picnic would be held at her house on Sunday, September 11, 1983. -6- • There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:40 P. M. Sheryl R6USSes Recording Secretary Pro tern