PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Conduct the public hearing for 1159 E Ogden Avenue (Chick-fil-a) - PZC 23-1-110
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Brad Iwicki, Assistant Planner
ENTITLEMENTS REQUESTED:
1. A major change to the Iroquois Center Planned Unit Development (“PUD”) and Final PUD Plat;
2. A deviation to Section 6-9-6:2.2 of the Code granting relief from the bypass lane requirement; and
3. A deviation to Section 6-16-5:2.2.1 of the Code to allow two monument signs closer together than 200 feet.
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Official notice for the public hearing for PZC 23-1-110 was published in the Naperville Sun on Sunday, March 3, 2024.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property consists of a 1.697-acre site with frontage along E Ogden Avenue. The site is located within the boundary of a 12.23-acre parcel generally described as the Iroquois Center Planned Unit Development (Iroquois Center) with a common address of 1163 E Ogden Avenue. The Iroquois Center is located north of E Ogden Avenue and west of Iroquois Avenue. It is zoned B3 (General Commercial District) and improved with a shopping center. The southeast portion of the existing shopping center building will be demolished in order to construct a standalone Chick-fil-a restaurant.
The petitioner proposes constructing a 5,025 sq. ft. Chick-fil-a restaurant at the subject property to be addressed 1159 E Ogden Avenue. To do so, the petitioner requests approval of a major change to the Iroquois Center PUD and a Final PUD Plat; a deviation to the City’s bypass lane requirements; and, a deviation to the City’s monument sign separation requirements.
Single-family and multi-family residential subdivisions are located to the west and commercial properties surround the Iroquois Center PUD to the north, south, and east. The City’s Land Use Master Plan identifies the future place type of the subject property to be Urban Center. Staff finds the petitioner’s proposal to be compatible with this designation as restaurants are listed as a primary use in this classification.
DISCUSSION:
Major Change to Amend a Planned Unit Development and Final PUD Plat
The petitioner requests approval of a major change to the Iroquois Center Planned Unit Development in order to construct a Chick-fil-a restaurant on the subject property. Per the Naperville Municipal Code Section 6-4-6:1 (Changes to a Planned Unit Development: Major Change), a major change to the existing PUD is required to permit a change in the designation of land use, and significant changes to the parking location and access plan.
The Iroquois Shopping Center has approximately 123,931 square feet of gross floor area. The scope of this project includes removing approximately 29,000 square feet of floor area from the shopping center to accommodate the Chick-fil-a restaurant and associated parking facilities.
Staff considers the proposed Chick-fil-a design and location to be complementary to adjacent properties. Commercial land-uses are located on lots directly to the north, south, and east, all of which have a frontage along E Ogden Avenue. The Chick-fil-a restaurant is a permitted use in the B3 zoning district and there are eating establishments operating nearby such as, Joy Yee, Happy Lamb Hot Pot, and Panda Express, among others. The Chick-fil-a will be oriented towards and accessed primarily from E Ogden Avenue at the Iroquois Center access drive intersection. Changes include parking location and access to the Chick-fil-a site within the PUD. The improvements impact parking configuration, although the proposal results in excess parking throughout the PUD. Based on the existing tenant mix in the Iroquois Center, 516 parking spaces are required to be provided within the PUD. Following the petitioner’s proposed improvements, 560 parking spaces will be provided in the shopping center, including 56 on the Chick-fil-a site.
The proposed building’s exterior features earth-tone colors. The primary wall material is a light brown brick veneer with dark brown veneer at the base of the building. Dark bronze and midnight bronze will be used on the drive-through canopies and additional accent materials, such as window trim and metal coping. Landscaping is provided per the Code and includes shade trees and ornamental plantings.
Staff believes the requested major change to the PUD is appropriate and the proposed design and location of the project complements the surrounding properties. Concurrent with the major change, the petitioner requests approval of a Final PUD plat to reflect the proposed Chick-fil-a restaurant. No subdivision of the parcel will occur with this project, ensuring future connectivity is maintained between the site and the larger shopping center property. Staff find the proposed Final PUD plat meets the technical requirements for approval and are supportive of the Final PUD plat.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting or Amending a Planned Unit Development can be found in the attachments. Upon review, staff agree with the petitioner’s Findings and recommend their adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Requested Deviations
The petitioner requests approval of two deviations from the Municipal Code to allow for the Chick-fil-a restaurant to be constructed per the submitted plans.
The petitioner’s development proposal includes a deviation to Section 6-9-6:2.2 (Supplemental Standards for Drive-Through Stacking Lanes) of the Municipal Code to grant relief from the bypass lane requirement for drive-through service facilities. The Code requires that a bypass lane, 10 feet wide, shall span the full distance of the stacking lane. The petitioner’s proposed site design maintains two stacking lanes for the first 350 feet of the drive through and splits into three lanes after customer’s orders are taken, the third lane functions as a bypass lane extending approximately 200 feet before merging back with the two stacking lanes upon drive through exit. Staff finds the reduced bypass lane to be sufficient given the dual lane design of the facility and notes that the petitioner has exceeded the required stacking for the eating establishment. For these reasons, staff finds the petitioner’s request reasonable and is supportive of the bypass lane deviation.
The petitioner’s development proposal includes a deviation to Section 6-16-5:2.2.1 (Signs on Commercial and Institutional Property) of the Code which states that each property with a minimum of five hundred (500) linear feet along the frontage may have two (2) monument signs placed no closer together than two hundred (200) feet. The petitioner’s proposal includes constructing one new, single-tenant monument sign for Chick-fil-a near the west corner of the property. The sign will display an illuminated Chick-fil-a logo and be in conformance with the East Ogden Avenue Monument Sign Standards. The new ground sign is planned to be located approximately 35 feet from the existing Iroquois Center multi-tenant monument sign, thus requiring approval of a deviation, Staff notes that Chick-fil-a is also proposing a panel to be installed on the shopping center’s existing multi-tenant monument sign, resulting in two ground signs advertising Chick-fil-a along the E Ogden Avenue frontage.
Staff finds the proposed panel on the multi-tenant sign to provide sufficient site identification for Chick-fil-a since the proposed building will be set back approximately 90 feet from the right-of-way and will be visible from the roadway. Adding a second ground sign along this frontage may result in a cluttered appearance as there is also an existing utility box in this location. The utility box may impact visibility of the Chick-fil-a ground sign to passersby. Staff recommends the petitioner only pursue installation of a sign panel on the shopping center’s multi-tenant sign due to the close proximity of the new sign proposed, visual obstruction from the existing utility box, and visibility of the building from the roadway. Staff do not believe the proposed monument sign will significantly improve the visibility of the business due to other signage options available for the site.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Deviation can be found in the attachments. Upon review, staff disagrees with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends their denial by the Planning and Zoning Commission for the reasons noted above.
Key Takeaways
§ The petitioner requests approval of major changes to the PUD for a change in the designation of land use, and parking location and access plan. Staff are supportive of the major change and find the proposed design and location of the project complements the surrounding properties.
§ Concurrent with the major change requested, the petitioner requests approval of a final PUD plat. Staff find the PUD plat meets all technical requirements for approval.
§ The petitioner requests approval of a bypass lane deviation. Staff are supportive of the deviation and find the proposed bypass lane alternative to be sufficient.
§ The petitioner requests approval of a deviation to the monument sign separation requirements. Staff are not in agreement with the deviation request and do not believe the proposed monument sign will significantly improve visibility of the business due to the location of the building and other signage proposed for the site.
RELATED FILES
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