CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Receive the staff report for Metro West (PZC 17-1-092) located at 1911 Continental Avenue (Item 1 of 3).
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Kasey Evans, AICP
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Planning and Zoning Commission considered PZC 17-1-092 on November 1, 2017 and voted to recommend approval of the case (approved 7-0). Staff concurs.
BACKGROUND:
The property is located on Lot 1 of the Railway Plaza Commercial Planned Unit Development (PUD), which is located at the southeast corner of North Aurora Road and Fairway Drive, and is zoned R3 (Medium Density Multiple-family Residence District) PUD. The property is approximately 1.72 acres and is currently improved with a surface parking lot.
DISCUSSION:
The petitioner, M/I Homes of Chicago LLC, requests approval of a major change to the Railway Plaza Commercial PUD to approve a final PUD, a deviation to the minimum lot area, and a preliminary/final subdivision plat, to construct 19 townhomes on the subject property (Lot 1). In 1997, Ordinance #97-122 approved the Preliminary PUD for Railway Plaza, with the intent of developing the property as a mixed-use transit oriented development in the R3 district. The Final PUD for Railway Plaza Commercial was subsequently approved by Ordinance #98-117. The Railway Plaza PUD listed the permitted uses of the subject property as retail, restaurant, office and/or bank. Since 1998, all the other lots in the PUD have developed with a mix of retail, service, and residential uses; the subject property is the only undeveloped lot remaining.
Final PUD
The petitioner requests approval of the Final PUD for Railway Plaza Commercial Resubdivision of Lot 1, to develop the subject property with 19 townhomes located in 2, 6-unit buildings and 1, 7-unit building. Two points of vehicular access to the site will remain including a right-in/right-out from North Aurora Road, and a full access drive from Continental Avenue. All 19 townhomes will have rear loaded two-car garages accessed from internal private driveways. Each home will have 2 garage parking spaces, plus room for 2 vehicles to park in each driveway, for a total of 4 parking spaces per unit. Additional overflow guest parking is possible in the nearby commuter parking lots during evenings and weekends.
The townhomes will be 3-stories and constructed of brick, stone and vinyl siding. With a peak height of 38’ 4” (as viewed from the rear), the buildings comply with the maximum height in the R3 district of 43’. Staff finds the building height, architectural style, and building materials to be compatible with the adjacent Railway Plaza Apartments and the Railway Plaza commercial center. The site will be landscaped with foundation plantings around each building as well as perimeter landscaping along each property line. The existing multi-tenant monument sign at the northwest corner of the site will be removed, and a new subdivision sign column will be constructed in the northeast corner near the right-in/right-out.
While the Railway Plaza Commercial PUD called for commercial uses on the subject property, it is evident from the prolonged vacancy of the property that commercial may not be the best use of the property. The proposed townhomes are consistent with the underlying R3 district, and the intent of the Railway Plaza PUD to create a mixed-use transit oriented development. The development complies with all R3 district regulations, except minimum lot area as further described below. The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Major Change to the PUD for a final PUD are included in the Development Petition. Staff is in general agreement with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Lot Area per Dwelling Unit Deviation
The proposed development includes 19 single-family attached homes. Per Municipal Code Section 6-6E-5 (R3: Area Requirements) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH6REDI_ARTER3MEDEMUMIREDI_6-6E-5ARRE> the sum of the area of the lots on which a structure consisting of 3 or more single-family attached dwellings is located shall not be less than the number of dwellings times 4,000 square feet. The subject property, at 74,791 square feet, is 1,029 square feet smaller than the 76,000 square feet minimum required for 19 dwellings. The petitioner requests a deviation to allow the 19 proposed dwellings on the subject property.
Staff finds the number of dwelling units proposed is compatible with intent of the R3 district and the surrounding area, and does not anticipate issues with the proposed number of units on the subject property. The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Deviation are included in the Development Petition. Staff is in general agreement with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Subdivision
The petitioner requests approval of a preliminary/final plat of subdivision for Railway Plaza Commercial Resubdivision of Lot 1. The subdivision establishes 19 individual lots for each townhome unit, with a single common outlot (Outlot A) to accommodate the driveways and common landscaped area. Staff finds the proposed preliminary/final plat of subdivision meets all technical requirements for approval.
School/Park Deviation
The petitioner also seeks City Council consideration of a deviation from Section 7-3-5 of the Naperville Municipal Code with respect to the timing of payment for required school and park donations. The petitioner requests payment of said donations prior to issuance of each building permit, rather than a lump sum payment which would be due to the City prior to recording of the subdivision plat for the development (as currently required by code). The petitioner’s deviation request is consistent with the City’s pending text amendment (PZC 16-1-032) and is therefore supported by staff.
Planning and Zoning Commission
The Planning and Zoning Commission conducted the public hearing to consider PZC 17-1-092 on November 1, 2017. No members of the public provided testimony on the project. The Planning and Zoning Commission closed the public hearing and voted to recommend approval of PZC 17-1-092 (approved 7-0). Staff concurs with the Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendation.
Key Takeaways
§ The petitioner requests a Final PUD for Railway Plaza Commercial Resubdivision of Lot 1, and a deviation to reduce the minimum lot area per dwelling unit in order to develop 19 townhomes at 1911 Continental Avenue.
§ The petitioner also requests a Preliminary/Final Subdivision Plat and deviations to allow payment of the required school/park donations prior to permit issuance.
§ Staff supports the petitioner’s requests as the development is compatible with the character of the area.
Related Items
The following agenda items are related to PZC 17-1-092:
§ Major change to the PUD for approval of the Final PUD and lot area deviation (Item 2 of 3); and
§ Preliminary/Final Subdivision Plat, and school and park donation deviations (Item 3 of 3).
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A