CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Receive the staff report for the Market Meadows Shopping Center located at 1225-1309 S. Naper Blvd.- PZC 20-1-081 (Item 1 of 3)
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Allison Laff, AICP, Deputy Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) conducted the public hearing regarding PZC 20-1-081 on January 20, 2021. Three written comments in opposition were read into the record and two speakers provided testimony in opposition of the proposal. Following discussion, the PZC recommended approval of PZC 20-1-081 subject to the conditions included in the staff report (Approved, 7-0). Staff concurs.
BACKGROUND:
The property is located on Lot 1, 2, and 3 in the Market Meadows Assessment Plat which is part of the Market Meadows Planned Unit Development (PUD). Market Meadows is located on the northwest corner of Naper Blvd. and 75th Street and is zoned B2 (Community Shopping Center District) PUD. The property is approximately 18.9 acres and is currently the site of a multi-tenant commercial shopping center with approximately 155,859 square feet of commercial space:
1. Lot 1 includes Jewel, US Bank, and a variety of retail and commercial tenants. Lot 1 contains a courtyard layout with two smaller commercial buildings detached from the rest of the building and surrounded by a plaza.
2. Lot 2 includes a variety of retail and commercial tenants in a strip style building.
3. Lot 3 includes McDonald’s building and associated parking.
An ingress and egress easement serving the three existing lots is in place over the main drive-aisle leading from the signalized intersection at Naper Blvd.
DISCUSSION:
The petitioner, Shorewood Development Group, LLC, requests approval of a major change and Final PUD Plat for Market Meadows, a preliminary/final subdivision plat, and deviations to accommodate the proposed main shopping center redevelopment including a new self-storage facility and a new multi-tenant commercial building on a newly created Lot 4 as further described below.
Preliminary/Final Plat of Subdivision
The petitioner is seeking to resubdivide the subject property from three lots into six.
1. Lot 1 - Jewel Lot
2. Lot 2 - Multi-tenant shopping center
3. Lot 3 - Proposed Self-storage facility
4. Lot 4 - Outlot, new multi-tenant commercial building
5. Lot 5 - US Bank Lot
6. Lot 6 - McDonald’s Lot (unchanging)
The proposed preliminary/final plat of subdivision meets all technical code requirements and staff recommends approval.
Final PUD Plat
The petitioner requests approval of the Final PUD for Market Meadows Resubdivision No. 1 to redevelop the subject property with a two-story self-storage facility (27’ in height as measured to the top of the parapet) on a newly created Lot 3 and a new outlot building on a newly created Lot 4. The storage facility building will replace the existing commercial buildings located in the courtyard area.
Self-Storage
The footprint of the self-storage facility is approximately 42,770 sf; however, the facility will have only a 35’ wide front elevation, with the remainder of the frontage occupied by retail spaces. Access to the interior loading/unloading areas for the storage facility is provided through the rear of the building and separates the site circulation from retail and pedestrian traffic. All loading and unloading activities must occur entirely within the building, and trucks longer than 26’ are prohibited.
The height and design of the self-storage facility is consistent with the rest of the proposed retail redevelopment. The façade utilizes modern architectural design with glass, metal canopies, stone, ACM panels, and decorative lighting. The new building area will consist of primarily masonry materials. Parapet walls and cornices screen new RTUs serving this new building area. The proposed color and architectural elements are also consistent with the rest of the development receiving façade improvements.
New Outlot Building
The 6,978 sf multi-tenant building proposed on Lot 4 is of similar design with the use of ACM panels and metal canopies along with mostly brick exterior cognizant of four-sided architecture at a prominent location. Variations in color, texture, and massing are present. Color and material differentiation is used to delineate the three tenant entrances for this building. The outlot will also include 48 parking spaces to serve what is anticipated to be a restaurant, bank, and an available tenant space. A drive-through is also proposed for the new outlot building.
Other
The parking lot will be rebuilt and reconfigured with interior landscape islands meeting modern code requirements. The site reconfiguration also accounts for the inclusion of a bank drive-through and associated by-pass lane where there is a currently a large expanse of concrete walkway at the southeast corner of the main center.
Foundation landscape is proposed along the new outlot building, the new building area in the main center, and around the new drive-through areas. There is also an existing 6’ wood fence along with mature trees exists along the rear property line which abuts the townhomes in the Hobson Oaks subdivision.
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 agreement with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends approval.
Requested Deviations
PUD Deviation and Text Amendment
The petitioner is seeking a use deviation to permit a self-storage facility at the subject property. A Use Deviation is required because self-storage facilities are not permitted in the property’s underlying B2 zoning district. The petitioner’s responses to the standards for PUD Use Deviations are attached.
Staff is supportive of the proposed PUD Use Deviation based on the petitioner’s responses which indicate that the shopping center is experiencing a high vacancy rate with deferred site maintenance, that the proposed storage facility will be incidental and beneficial to the principal retail and commercial uses within the shopping center, and that the proposed storage facility will have no adverse impacts greater than any B2 permitted or conditional use. Staff recommends approval of the requested deviation subject to the following conditions:
1. The building foot-print of the self-storage facility shall not exceed 10% of the total acreage of the Market Meadows PUD;
2. Excluding signage, no outside display or outside storage of equipment, materials, or motor vehicles shall be permitted in relation to the storage facility;
3. All exterior sides of the proposed storage facility that are visible shall contain architectural detail and masonry materials to fit harmoniously with the character, use and zoning of the surrounding properties as set forth on Exhibit F;
4. The self-storage facility shall be limited to a maximum of two stories in height above grade, excluding the basement;
5. All self-storage operations, including loading and unloading activities, must take place within the self-storage facility;
6. Trucks greater than 26’ in length shall be prohibited on Lot 3; and
7. Truck and trailer rental shall be prohibited at the self-storage facility.
In response to neighbor concerns regarding customers accessing the storage facility overnight, the petitioner has also recommended the inclusion of a condition limiting the hours of operation for the proposed storage facility to 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. This condition has also been added to the ordinance.
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 approval.
Self-Storage Facility Floor Area Ratio Deviation
The maximum floor-area-ratio (FAR) is 0.325 in the B-2 District per Section 6-7B-8: (Height Limitations/Bulk Regulations) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH7BUDI_ARTBB2COSHCEDI_6-7B-8HELIBURE%20>. As proposed, the FAR for Lot 3 (proposed self-storage facility) is 1.9306. Because FAR is divided by the area of land the buildings are located on, this variance arises due to the proposed platting of the self-storage facility on a separate lot (Lot 3) for ownership purposes.
In support of the proposed FAR deviation, the petitioner provided a total site summary and FAR analysis. While the FAR on Lot 3 exceeds the maximum allowed, the FAR of the overall shopping center (i.e., total square footage of all buildings divided by the total area of all lots) will be at the maximum of 0.325. Staff would note that this FAR calculation includes all areas of the self-storage facility even though the loading, enclosed parking areas, and basement (when used only for business-related storage) are excluded by definition.
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Deviation can be found in the attachments. Upon review, staff agrees with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends their approval.
Parking Deviation
Per Section 6-9-3: (Schedule of Offstreet Parking Requirements) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH9OFSTPA_6-9-3SCOFSTPARE>, a total of 1,098 parking spaces are required for the subject development based on a required parking ratio of 4.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, plus additional code required parking for fast food and eating and drinking establishments. The petitioner is proposing to provide a total of 926 spaces following site redevelopment.
The petitioner provided a parking study demonstrating that the proposed parking is sufficient. The analysis assumed a maximum cap of 23,500 square feet total for all types of restaurants factoring in existing and proposed. Staff would note that this study accounted for a more parking-intensive, single-story retail use on Lot 3 in the event the self-storage facility is not approved. Cross-access easements will be extended to cover all major drive-aisles to allow for shared parking amongst the different lots.
Specific to the self-storage use, after renting a storage unit, customers would pull inside the building and park in an interior area to load and/or unload the items they are storing at the facility. The petitioner estimates this area could provide approximately 10-20 parking spaces dependent on factors like size and configuration. These internal parking spaces were not included in the proposed parking supply, but speak to the minimal impact of the proposed use compared to general retail.
A condition will be included in the ordinance requiring the petitioner to take appropriate action, such as altering business operations as necessary, in the event the parking needs cannot be accommodated by the proposed parking. 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 approval.
Loading Deviation
Per Municipal Code Section 6-9-5 (Schedule of Off Street Loading Requirements) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH9OFSTPA_6-9-5SCOFSTLORE> buildings containing 40,000 to 100,000 square feet of gross floor area are required to provide two exterior loading berths. Based on Section 6-7B-4 (B2 Required Conditions) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH7BUDI_ARTBB2COSHCEDI_6-7B-4RECO%20>, all business activities except for off street parking and loading shall be conducted within the interior of the building. The petitioner requests a deviation from Section 6-9-3 to reduce the loading berth requirement for the proposed self-storage facility. All loading activities must take place within the building. As proposed, the storage facility will provide an interior loading area inside the building for customer loading and unloading activities. There will be no exterior loading area on the property.
The petitioner states the proposed loading area in the building will be sufficient to accommodate all loading and unloading activities. Given the petitioner’s statements, the restriction on trucks over 26’ in length, and the requirement that all loading activities take place inside the building, staff anticipates the loading area will be appropriate to service the facility. 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 approval.
Signage Area, Height, and Off-Premise Deviations
Excluding McDonalds and US Bank which have dedicated monument signage, the Market Meadows shopping center has nonconforming monument signage at the corner of 75th St. and Naper Blvd., and the corner of Market Meadows and Naper Blvd. The petitioner wishes to replace this signage with larger, modern signage in order to increase visibility for the tenants. The following is proposed:
Sign 1: Market & Naper (Lot 1)
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Area |
Height |
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Proposed |
100 sf |
13’ (includes 1’ for cornice) |
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Code Allowances |
45 sf |
10’ (plus 2’ for architectural features) |
Sign 2: 75th and Naper (Lot 4)
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AreaHeight |
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Proposed |
180 sf |
13’ (includes 1’ for cornice) |
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Code Allowances |
90 sf |
10’ (plus 2’ for architectural features) |
Section 6-16-3 (Prohibited Signs) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH16SI_6-16-3PRSI> prohibits off-premises signs displaying commercial speech to reduce the potentially distracting influence of signs, and to enable fair and consistent enforcement of signs. The petitioner also requests a deviation to permit the proposed signs to include off-premise signage for the uses on Lots 1, 2, and 4. With consideration given to the subdivision layout dividing up a larger shopping center and a lack of visibility for the retail tenants, staff finds all of the requested signage deviations reasonable. Sign 2’s setback is much greater than the minimum requirements (and greater compared to the existing sign’s setback) to account for the City’s future ROW acquisition plan for this major intersection thus reducing the visual impact of the sign. Sign 2 will be the only monument sign placed along 75th street and is essentially taking the place of two signs of 90 sf each with a larger, 180 sf sign. In some cases, tenant spaces are located 650’ away from Naper Blvd., and the increased height and area will provide clear identification and wayfinding. The design of the monument signs is an improvement with the incorporation of a stone base and column, with a 1’ cornice at the top.
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting sign Deviations can be found in the attachments. Upon review, staff is in general agreement with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends approval.
Planning and Zoning Commission
The PZC opened the public hearing to consider PZC 20-1-081 on January 20, 2021. Vince Rosanova, attorney for the petitioner, and Rick Hielscher, a representative of The LOCKUP Self Storage, presented and answered questions on behalf of the petitioner.
Three written public comments in opposition were read into the record by staff. Two speakers also expressed opposition to the proposal based on concerns with the impact on adjacent residential and questioning the complimentary nature of a self-storage facility within an existing B2 zoned shopping center.
In response to a question from Chairman Hanson, the petitioner stated that a fence fund will be held in escrow for the Hobson Oak Townhomes in case additional fencing was required in the future. The petitioner also provided detail on operations and the use of the loading areas. Staff confirmed that there was no height requirement in the B-2 district, and the 27’ height dimension was taken to the top of the parapet wall to meet the RTU screening requirement. The height was confirmed as being consistent with the adjacent Jewel and existing conditions were noted.
Commissioner Bansal asked about limiting hours of operation, and staff confirmed this was not under consideration and not a condition of approval, but performance standards in the code could address any negative impacts associated with operations.
Commissioner Habel clarified that the light impact was minimal with the photometric plan indicating 0.1 footcandle at the rear property line behind the proposed self-storage facility. Following discussion on these items, the PZC closed the public hearing with many of the members expressing support for the proposal and finding that the design fits in with the rest of the shopping center.
The PZC recommended approval of PZC 20-1-081 (Approved, 7-0). Staff concurs.
Related Files
The following agenda items are related to PZC 20-1-081:
1. Pass the ordinance approving a Preliminary/Final Plat of Subdivision for the Market Meadows Resubdivision No. 1 located at 1225-1309 S. Naper Blvd - PZC 20-1-081 (Item 2 of 3)
2. Pass the ordinance approving a Major Change to the Market Meadows PUD and Final PUD Plat, and to grant deviations approving a non-permitted use in a PUD, reduce the parking requirement, reduce the loading requirement, to permit off-premise signage, and to permit sign height and area increases for two monument signs for the Market Meadows Resubdivision No. 1 located at 1225-1309 S. Naper Blvd - PZC 20-1-081 (Item 3 of 3)
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A