CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
title
Pass the ordinance approving a major change to the Naper Settlement PUD with deviations and a Final PUD Plat for the property located at the southwest corner of Aurora Avenue and Webster Street (Naper Settlement) - PZC 20-1-078
body
DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Gabrielle Mattingly, Community Planner
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) conducted review of PZC 20-1-078 on January 6, 2021 and provided a positive recommendation on the request (approved 6,0). Staff concurs.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property consists of 12 acres located at the southwest corner of Aurora Avenue and Webster Street. The property is zoned R1A PUD and is improved with a history museum known as Naper Settlement. The petitioner, Harriet Pistorio (Naper Settlement) requests approval of a major change to the Naper Settlement PUD and a preliminary/final PUD plat in order to grant approval of three deviations for construction of new on-site facilities.
The new facilities include the Innovation Gateway, the Agricultural Interpretive Center, and Thresher Pavilion. Construction of these facilities requires a deviation to the corner side yard setback, a deviation to the foundation landscaping requirements, and deviation to install fencing along the perimeter of the property.
In 2008, the petitioner conducted a future historic buildings assessment to determine how and where buildings could be configured on the campus. The assessment proposed ten new buildings on site which were approved as a major change to the PUD. The current request is for provision of three new facilities, the location of which are inconsistent with the location of the future buildings identified in 2008.
The petitioner has indicated they will no longer be pursuing the conceptual site plan identified in 2008. The current proposal will serve as the updated site plan for the campus.
DISCUSSION:
The new facilities will be located at the southwest corner of Webster Street and Aurora Avenue and generally towards the southern end of the site. The Innovation Gateway is intended to serve as the new entryway into the campus. The Agricultural Center will be dedicated to showcase agricultural history and the Thresher Pavilion will exhibit a historic thresher machine from the Naper Settlement Collection. In total, the three new facilities will add just over 16,690 square feet of interior space to Naper Settlement.
Setback Deviation
The petitioner requests a deviation from Section 6-6A-7 (R1A: Yard Requirements) of the Municipal Code to reduce the required 30’ corner side yard setback to 16.1’ for the building and 7’ for the canopy of the Innovation Gateway along Webster Street. The proposed building will be constructed as an extension of the existing Pre-Emption house (located at the southwest corner of Webster Street and Aurora Avenue). The existing Pre-Emption house encroaches into the corner side yard setback at a similar distance as the proposed building (approximately 16’ with a canopy that is located approximately 9’ from the property line). Additionally, several other existing Naper Settlement facilities along the west side of Webster Street also encroach within the corner side yard setback.
The proposed Innovation Gateway will be one story in height (15’- 9”) with a lower level and will serve as a new entryway into the Naper Settlement campus. The overall massing of the building being at one story provides a less impactful encroachment within the setback. The petitioner has submitted a response to the standards for granting a deviation.
Staff is in support of the requested corner side yard setback deviation finding the encroachment is consistent with existing facilities on Naper Settlement campus and the location is logical given its purpose to serve as an entryway into the property.
Fence Deviation
The petitioner requests approval of a deviation to allow a 6’ fence along the property line adjacent to Webster Street and Porter Avenue. The intent is to remove the existing wood and chain link fences along Webster Street and Porter Avenue and replace this fencing with new 6’ high decorative metal fencing. Installation of the new fencing will create a consistent fence height, color and material and will match the existing fence along Aurora Avenue and the northwest corner of Webster Street and Porter Avenue.
Per Section 6-2-12:1 of the Municipal Code fencing installed within the corner side yard must be no greater than 3’ in height if installing a privacy fence or 4’ in height if it is an open style fence. An open style fence is defined as having 30% of the surface area open. The proposed fencing is in compliance with the required 30% openings. A deviation to Section 6-2-12:1 (Fences: Residence Districts), is required given the proposed 6’ height of the fencing. The petitioner has submitted a response to the standards for granting a deviation.
Staff is supportive of the requested deviation finding it will create consistency and the proposed fence material is of higher quality than the existing fence.
Landscape Deviation
The petitioner is requesting a deviation from Section 5-10-3:4.2.1 (Landscaping and Screening: Foundation Landscaping) to eliminate the required foundation plantings. The code requires foundation plantings to be located adjacent to all sides of buildings which face a public right of way or internal street access drive in a planting bed a minimum of two feet in width. Naper Settlement is requesting this deviation finding the provision does not allow for period appropriate landscapes for the architecture of the buildings on site. Similar requests have previously been granted for the site.
The proposed landscaping plan provides foundation landscaping along the southern and western facades of the Innovation Gateway. Landscaping is not provided along the northern façade given the building’s connection to the Pre-Emption house nor along the eastern façade given the location of the sidewalk providing access to the building. Landscaping beds are proposed around the entrances to the Thresher Pavilion and the Agricultural Center.
The petitioner has submitted a response to the standards for granting a deviation to the foundation landscaping requirements.
Staff is supportive of the request finding significant landscaping exists on site and the approval is consistent with prior requests to allow for period appropriate landscapes.
Building Design Selection
The Innovation Gateway design is one story with a flat roof that reflects a modern style. The exterior of the building will consist of stone, architectural exposed structural steel and an aluminum curtain wall system. The Agricultural Center has similar exterior materials such as the aluminum curtain wall system and stone veneer, but with a seam metal roof. The Thresher Pavilion will be constructed of lap siding and asphalt shingles and is designed to complement the existing farmhouse, school and red-barn maintenance buildings. A detailed letter describing the proposed building design selection has been provided by the petitioner and is included within the attachments.
Parking
The petitioner has indicated the existing parking locations and parking spaces will not be impacted with the new facilities. No parking spaces will be removed and the proposed improvements will not increase current visitor or staff demand for parking. Staff requested details regarding existing parking conditions and the potential impacts from the proposal. The petitioner provided a detailed response which is included in the attachments. With the provision of the Water Street Parking deck and the agreement from the petitioner to pursue shared parking opportunities as necessary to address demands, staff does not have a concern with the existing parking onsite.
Planning and Zoning Commission Review
The PZC conducted a public hearing for PZC 20-1-078 on January 6, 2021. Leanne Meyer-Smith, Wight & Company, Shawn Benson, Wight & Company, and Rena Tamayo-Calabrese (Naper Settlement) spoke providing an overview of the request. Mary Lou Wehrli spoke during public testimony expanding on her submitted questions (included in the public comment attachment) raising concerns with the location of the agricultural interpretive center requesting the building be constructed in the original location and also requested revisions be made to the proposed landscaping plan. No further public testimony was received.
The PZC moved to approve PZC 20-1-078 (approved 6,0). Staff concurs with the positive recommendation.
Key Takeaways
• The petitioner requests approval of a major change to the Naper Settlement PUD to grant a deviation to Section 6-2-12:1, a deviation to Section 6-6A-7, and a deviation to Section 5-10-3:4.2.1 in order to construct three new facilities on site.
• Staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission are supportive of the major change to the Naper Settlement PUD Plat as it complies with the mission of the Naper Settlement and the Statement of Intent for the Naper Settlement PUD.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A