CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Receive the staff report for southeast corner of IL Route 59 and 103rd Street (South 40 Lots 4, 5, & 6 Resub) (Life Time) - PZC 23-1-091 (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 23-1-091 on May 1, 2024, and voted to recommend approval of the petitioner’s requests (approved 7-0). Staff concurs with the PZC’s recommendation.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property, commonly known as the South Forty Lots, consists of approximately 22.19 acres of vacant land located at the southeast corner of IL Route 59 and 103rd Street. It is zoned B2 (Community Shopping Center District) and is owned by the City of Naperville. The petitioner seeks to re-subdivide the property into four lots. Following this resubdivision, the petitioner intends to rezone Lot 1 from B2 to OCI (Office, Commercial and Institutional District) and develop a Life Time Athletic Resort (Life Time) on the property. Approval of a sign variance is also requested to allow Life Time to install a wall sign on the south building façade.
The subject property is adjacent to a mix of uses including Compass Church to the north, an unincorporated residential subdivision to the south, institutional uses including a fire station and the Wheatland Township Assessor to the east, and commercial development to the west. The City’s Land Use Master Plan designates the future place type of the property as Neighborhood Center, which accommodates the OCI zoning district and the fitness facility proposed on Lot 1.
DISCUSSION:
The petitioner seeks to develop Lot 1 of the proposed resubdivision with a Life Time Athletic Resort that provides a fitness, health, and lifestyle destination for local residents. The proposed development will convert the subject property from a vacant site to an active commercial corner. The elevations will be comprised of quality building materials for compliance with the Citywide Building Design Guidelines, and the site will exceed code required landscaping and parking.
Preliminary Plat of Subdivision
As part of the request, the petitioner plans to re-subdivide the 22.19-acre subject property into four lots, including one outlot (Outlot A) to be used for stormwater management. Lot 1 of the resubdivision will be approximately 10.55 acres in size and is planned for the development of the Life Time Athletic Resort. Lot 2 will consist of approximately 4.46 acres, and Lot 3 will consist of approximately 4 acres. The petitioner’s request does not include any development plans for Lots 2 or 3, and future development of these properties will be considered separately. The Preliminary Plat of Subdivision also plats and dedicates Tower Court as public right-of-way.
Staff finds the proposed preliminary plat of subdivision meets the technical requirements for approval.
Rezoning Lot 1 from B2 to OCI
The subject property has remained vacant and underutilized with its current B2 zoning designation, despite its location at a signalized intersection along IL Route 59. It is owned by the City of Naperville, and the petitioner is the contract purchaser for Lot 1 of the resubdivision. The petitioner proposes rezoning Lot 1 of the subject property from B2 (Community Shopping Center District) to OCI (Office, Commercial and Institutional District) to complement the property zoned OCI on the north side of 103rd Street and better position the South Forty Lots for future rezoning requests.
The general area around the subject property and proximate to the IL Route 59 and 103rd Street intersection has been in transition over the last several years. Saddlewood Center at the southwest corner of Route 59 and 103rd Street is zoned B2 and has many vacancies, and the properties on the north side of 103rd Street are zoned OCI and are developed with Thomas C. Scullen Middle School, Wheatland Academy, and Compass Church. The Compass Church property (located at the northeast corner of IL Route 59 and 103rd Street, and across from Lot 1) was rezoned to OCI in 2019 to accommodate construction of the religious facility while reserving any future development on the northeast corner of Route 59 and 103rd Street for nonresidential uses.
Staff finds the petitioner’s proposal to be consistent with the 2019 Compass Church approvals and the trend of development in the area. The OCI zoning district will provide an appropriate transition between the Route 59 business corridor and the residential neighborhoods in the vicinity.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Map Amendment can be found in the attachments. Upon review, the PZC and staff agree with the petitioner’s Findings and recommend their adoption by City Council.
Sign Variance
The petitioner proposes a wall sign on the south façade of Life Time to ensure that the fitness center is properly identified for northbound travelers along IL Route 59; however, Section 6-16-5:2.1 (Wall Signs) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH16SI_6-16-5SICOINPR> of the Municipal Code restricts wall signs to facades with street frontage or adjacent to off-street parking areas, and Life Time’s south façade does not meet these requirements. As such, the petitioner requests a variance from Section 6-16-5:2.1 to allow a wall sign to be installed on Life Time’s south façade.
The proposed wall sign is intended to provide adequate site identification for passersby along Route 59. It will measure approximately 148 square feet in size and be consistent with the signage proposed on the north elevation. Although the building is visible from Route 59 and 103rd Street, Life Time will be set back approximately 340 feet from the west property line, making it more difficult to adequately identify the use to northbound traffic along IL Route 59.
One of the goals of the City’s Sign Ordinance is to advance the economy of the City by recognizing the need for adequate site identification through promoting the reasonable and objective display of signage, and to encourage effective communication between signs and the public. Staff has reviewed the proposed site plan and sign design, and believes the sign proposed on the south elevation achieves this goal. Staff is supportive of the requested variance due to the building’s 340-foot setback from Route 59, the sign’s orientation towards commercially zoned properties, and the aesthetic of the sign.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Zoning Variance can be found in the attachments. Upon review, the PZC and staff agree with the petitioner’s Findings and recommend their adoption by City Council.
Planning and Zoning Commission
The Planning and Zoning Commission considered this matter at their meeting on May 1, 2024. No members of the public provided testimony. Commissioner Athanikar confirmed there would be minimal noise impacts resulting from the outdoor amenities on the nearby neighborhood. Following limited discussion, the PZC closed the public hearing and recommended approval of the petitioner’s requests (approved 7-0). Staff concurs with the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation.