CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
title
Pass the ordinance approving a minor change to the conditional use for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 1310 Shepherd Drive - DEV-0116-2025
body
DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Anna Franco, AICP, Community Planner
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Review by the Planning and Zoning Commission is not required for this request. The petitioner provided the required notice (mailed written notice; sign posted on the property) in accordance with Section 6-3-5 (Procedures for Processing Petitions) of the Naperville Municipal Code.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is located at the southeast corner of 75th Street and Shepherd Drive and comprises approximately 8.7 acres. The property is zoned R3 (Medium Density Multi-Family District) and is improved with the church building for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and a surface parking lot containing 416 spaces.
In 1985, the City Council passed Ordinance No. 85-188 approving a conditional use for a religious institution in the R3 District for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church as part of an annexation agreement.
In 2000, the City Council passed Ordinance No. 00-050 approving a major change to the conditional use to construct additions to the existing church building and parking lot improvements, to be completed in two phases. The church completed Phase I improvements, including a 24,305 square-foot building expansion and 106 parking spaces (51 permanent, 55 temporary) and a portion of Phase II improvements, including 400 permanent on-site parking spaces.
In 2009, the City Council passed Ordinance No. 09-015 approving a second major change to the conditional use to increase the size of the Phase II building additions from 26,300 square feet (approved in 2000) to 33,123 square feet and a parking variance to reduce the required number of parking stalls from 445 spaces to 413 spaces.
DISCUSSION:
The petitioner and property owner, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, has submitted a petition for approval of a minor change to the existing conditional use, pursuant to Section 6-6E-3 (R3 District: Conditional Uses) and Section 6-3-8 (Conditional Uses: Minor Changes) of the Naperville Municipal Code, to modify the existing parking area and the exterior building façade to improve accessibility for people with limited mobility and modernize the existing building façade.
Site plan changes include the relocation of existing parking islands and the existing ADA parking spaces to provide more direct access to the west building entrance for patrons using the ADA spaces. A wide concrete pathway across the parking lot and front drive aisle will connect the ADA spaces to a new at-grade landing area and vestibule that will replace the existing entrance stairs and provide increase space for drop-offs. The drive aisle in front of the building will be decreased in width and modified to one-way access, and the area in front of the building will be widened to accommodate the new landing area and a 1,135 square foot patio with outdoor seating, a stone knee wall, and planters.
The new at-grade vestibule will provide a canopy over the landing space in front of the entrance building and will be composed of stone columns and a wood-look soffit. The existing EIFS in this location, along with the EIFS along the gabled window feature on the west façade will be painted “caviar” to be consistent with the color of the metal coping of the vestibule canopy. A portion of the existing brick on the west side of the building will be stained “espresso” to cover imperfections in the existing brick.
The proposed improvements create a net increase of two parking spaces on the property, including one additional ADA space, bringing the total parking spaces to 418 spaces. The number of proposed parking spaces exceeds the minimum 413 spaces required by Ordinance No. 09-015. In addition to the ADA spaces, the petitioner also proposes to preserve five parking spaces on Sundays for people with limited mobility.
The church is also proposing interior building modifications to the existing worship spaces, which do not require entitlement approval. The interior modifications will not change the number of seats in the church and will therefore not change the number of parking spaces required for the property.
Findings of Fact
Staff is supportive of the minor change to the conditional use as the proposed changes improve accessibility for church patrons, improve the appearance of the west façade of the building, and add outdoor amenity space to the property. Staff finds that the proposed improvements do not alter the concept or intent of the previously approved conditional use. The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting or Amending a Conditional Use can be found in the attachments. Upon review, staff agrees with the petitioner’s findings and recommends their adoption by the City Council.
Key Takeaways
• The petitioner requests a minor change to the existing conditional use to modify the existing parking area and the exterior building façade.
• Staff supports the requested minor change to the conditional use as the proposed changes improve accessibility for people with limited mobility and modernize the existing building façade.
FISCAL IMPACT
N/A