CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Receive the staff report to consider rezoning 2012 Corporate Lane, 2019 and 2043 Corporate Lane, and 2235 Corporate Lane from ORI (Office, Research, Light Industrial District) to I (Industrial District) (Item 1 of 4)
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Sara Kopinski, AICP
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Planning and Zoning Commission considered PZC 23-1-065, PZC 23-1-071, and PZC 23-1-072 on September 6, 2023, and recommended approval of the requests (approved 7-0). Staff concurs.
BACKGROUND:
In response to the ORI amendments approved by City Council in June of 2023, the petitioners for PZC 23-1-065, PZC 23-1-071, and PZC 23-1-072 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Corporate Lane Rezonings”) are seeking to rezone 2012 Corporate Lane (PZC 23-1-072), 2019 and 2043 Corporate Lane (PZC 23-1-071), and 2235 Corporate Lane (PZC 23-1-065) (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Subject Properties”) from ORI (Office, Research, Light Industrial District) to I (Industrial District) to preserve the character of an existing industrial/business park commonly known as Prairie Point Corporate Park. The Subject Properties are developed with a mix of uses, including industrial warehouse facilities, building materials and products sales and storage, and more.
Related files:
23-1095
2012 Corporate Lane - PZC 23-1-072 (Item 2 of 4)
23-1113
2019 and 2043 Corporate Lane - PZC 23-1-071 (Item 3 of 4)
23-1114
2235 Corporate Lane - PZC 23-1-065 (Item 4 of 4)
DISCUSSION:
ORI Text Amendment
In June of 2023, the City Council approved a text amendment to the Zoning Code that provided the City with greater ability to control warehouse, manufacturing and distribution facilities in the ORI zoning district. The text amendment refined the intent of the ORI district to provide for a mix of uses directed toward research and development activities, engineering and testing activities, and office uses while accommodating accessory warehouse and storage facilities and manufacturing uses. (Warehouse and storage facilities and manufacturing uses remain permitted uses in the City’s Industrial Zoning District, along with other more intense uses as set forth in Section 6-8C-2 (Industrial District/Permitted Uses) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH8INDI_ARTCIINDI> of the Municipal Code.)
During the ORI text amendment’s public hearing process, staff noted that there are some existing ORI properties, such as Prairie Point Corporate Park, that function and are improved in a manner which more closely aligns with the Industrial (I) zoning district. For these properties, staff noted that property owners could seek rezoning.
Text Amendment Impact on Prairie Point Corporate Park
Properties zoned ORI in the City of Naperville are largely located along the I-88 corridor.
Prairie Point Corporate Park is unique in its ORI designation as it is an existing industrial/business park located north of Ferry Road - it does not have any frontage along I-88 or contribute to the character of the I-88 corridor. Prairie Point Corporate Park is already developed with industrial warehouse facilities and other more intense land uses.
As a result of the ORI amendments approved in June of 2023, many businesses currently operating in Prairie Point Corporate Park have been classified as nonconforming uses as set forth in Chapter 10 (Nonconforming Uses) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH10NOUS_6-10-2AUCONOUS> of Title 6 (Zoning Ordinance) of the Naperville Municipal Code.
Corporate Lane Rezonings
The petitioners for the Corporate Lane Rezonings seek to rezone the Subject Properties from ORI (Office, Research, Light Industrial District) to I (Industrial District), in order to reclassify their existing and desired land uses from nonconforming uses in the ORI zoning district to permitted uses in the I zoning district, as well as to maintain the industrial character of Prairie Point Corporate Park.
The intent of the I (Industrial) district is to accommodate industrial activities which are more intensive than light industrial uses. The Subject Properties, along with most other properties along Corporate Lane, are and have been used for industrial purposes since Corporate Lane was developed. Consequently, staff finds the trend of development to be consistent with the intent of the I zoning district and is supportive of the Corporate Lane Rezonings.
Furthermore, the Corporate Lane Rezonings reflect a combined effort to rezone Prairie Point Corporate Park to an industrial district. Staff finds the proposed rezonings do not alter the essential character of the area and instead reinforce the existing and intended character of the area. Staff anticipates additional properties within Prairie Point Corporate Park to come forward with similar requests in the future.
Relationship to the Land Use Master Plan
The City’s Land Use Master Plan identifies the Subject Properties’ future place type as Employment Center, which hosts some of the most intense uses in the City and accommodates the I (Industrial) zoning district. Business and industrial parks, such as Prairie Point Corporate Park, are one of the primary land uses identified for the Employment Center place type.
Response to Standards
The petitioners’ responses to the Standards for Granting a Map Amendment can be found in the attachments for each of the Subject Properties. Upon review, the PZC and staff agree with the petitioners’ findings for the Corporate Lane Rezonings and recommend their adoption by City Council.
Planning and Zoning Commission Action
The Planning and Zoning Commission conducted the public hearings to consider PZC 23-1-065, PZC 23-1-071, and PZC 23-1-072 on September 6, 2023. Representatives for each subject property spoke in support of the request. Chris Landis, Vice President at Calamos Real Estate, spoke in opposition to the rezonings but identified no concerns with the current land uses/tenants within Prairie Point Corporate Park. Following limited discussion, the Planning and Zoning Commission closed the public hearing and voted to recommend approval of the petitioners’ requests (approved 7-0). Staff concurs with the PZC’s recommendation.
Key Takeaways
• As a result of the recently approved ORI amendments, the petitioners for the Corporate Lane Rezonings seek approval of rezoning certain properties within the Prairie Point Corporate Park to the City’s I (Industrial) zoning district. The PZC and staff are supportive of this zoning designation due to the established industrial character of the area and the combined effort to rezone Prairie Point Corporate Park.