CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Direct staff to amend Section 5-2C-3 (Exterior Wall Construction) of the Naperville Municipal Code to permit composite siding as an acceptable masonry material
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Allison Laff, AICP, Deputy Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
Section 5-2C-3 (Exterior Wall Construction) of the Naperville Municipal Code states that a minimum of 50% of the exterior wall construction of all multi-family dwellings, townhomes, and duplexes shall be constructed of solid masonry, face brick, manufactured concrete stone veneer, or other masonry products as approved by the City Council. This section was added to the Code in 2002 and was intended to improve the appearance of multi-family developments and maintain long-term property values through the use of high-quality building materials.
In 2019, the Building Review Board (BRB) recommended that this code section be revisited to permit additional materials, such as fiber cement siding, to also meet the ordinance based on their durability and aesthetic qualities. The BRB recommended this code amendment following their review of three cases (2017-2019) in which variances to the 50% masonry requirement were sought and eventually approved by the City Council.
BRB’s recommended amendment was reviewed by the City Council on July 16, 2019 (see attached agenda item and minutes). At that meeting, the motion to initiate an amendment to Section 5-2C-3 failed (vote: 1 in favor; 8 opposed).
DISCUSSION:
Since 2019, certain new residential developments, including the Belvedere Apartments, West Street Executive Homes, 4th and Loomis, Chicago Commons, Mill & Bauer, and Charleston Row, have complied with the 50% masonry requirements.
However, requests for variances to the 50% masonry requirements have also been common and, when requested, have been consistently approved by the City Council. While some variance requests have been made based on the impact that masonry can have on affordability, many requests are related to current design preferences for siding vs. brick and stone, particularly in developments that also include single-family homes (which have no minimum masonry requirement).
Recent masonry variance approvals include:
• Polo Club -reduction of required masonry from 50% to 0%; resulting elevations were comprised of vinyl siding and masonry accents.
• Naperville Wheaton Townhomes - reduction of required masonry from 50% to 0%; resulting elevations were comprised of vinyl siding.
• Orion Prosperita - reduction of required masonry from 50% to 25%; remaining 75% comprised of composite siding.
• Naper Commons - reduction of required masonry from 50% to 0%; resulting elevations were comprised of composite siding.
• Tower Court - reduction of required masonry from 50% to 33%; remaining 66% comprised of composite siding.
When applying for a variance, applicants are required to provide written responses that demonstrate how the masonry requirement will “result in practical difficulties or impose exceptional hardships due to the special and unusual conditions” presented in that development. In the case of variances which are being sought to reduce the masonry requirements largely based on style preferences, it is difficult for an applicant to demonstrate that this standard has been met and then therefore difficult for staff to support the requested variance.
Recommended Amendment
However, because the masonry reductions have been consistently approved and because staff has not seen adverse impacts resulting from the use of composite siding in lieu of masonry, staff recommends that Section 5-2C-3 be amended to permit composite siding as an acceptable material. This amendment would allow for a product consistent with recent approvals and would eliminate time and cost related to processing a variance for the masonry reduction.
If Council concurs with this amendment, staff will continue to recommend that vinyl and aluminum siding not be counted towards satisfaction of the masonry requirement. If a masonry reduction is sought and the petitioner seeks to use vinyl or aluminum siding as a substitution, staff recommends that this request continue to require a variance.
Next Steps
If Council concurs with the amendment recommended by staff, staff will prepare an ordinance for approval at an upcoming meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A