PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Conduct the public hearing for 1108 E Ogden Ave (G&G Dentistry) - PZC 22-1-039
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Sara Kopinski, AICP
ENTITLEMENTS REQUESTED:
1. A variance to Section 6-9-2:4.3.2 to locate parking facilities less than 5 ft. from the west property line; and,
2. A variance to Section 6-9-3:6 to reduce the number of required off-street parking spaces from 24 spaces to 16 spaces.
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Official notice for the public hearing for PZC 22-1-039 was published in the Naperville Sun on Sunday, October 16, 2022.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is zoned B3 (General Commercial District) and is developed with a commercial building that was previously occupied by Dog Patch Pet and Feed. The property is approximately 0.45 acres in size and is currently a vacant and underperforming use along the Ogden corridor. Existing site constraints (including narrow lot width and lacking parking availability) limit the potential for reinvestment on the site to comply with current zoning regulations.
The petitioner plans to renovate the existing, 4,835 square foot building for G&G Dental, a pediatric dental office. Renovations will include exterior façade improvements, an interior build-out, additional site and foundation landscaping, removal of the existing pylon sign, and expansion of the parking lot around the perimeter of the building. The petitioner’s proposal requires approval of variances to the City’s required parking lot setbacks and off-street parking spaces.
DISCUSSION:
Parking Lot Setback Variance
Section 6-9-2:4.3.2 (Off Street Parking Facilities) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH9OFSTPA_6-9-2OFSTPAFA> of the Naperville Municipal Code states that parking facilities where permitted shall not be located within five feet of any property line except in the case of combined parking facilities. The petitioner seeks approval of a variance to reduce the required parking lot setback from five feet to one foot along the west property line.
As part of the proposed improvements, the petitioner intends to improve site circulation and provide additional parking by extending the parking lot around the existing building. Due to the location of the existing building and the subject property’s narrow lot width, the petitioner is not able to maintain a five-foot setback along the subject property’s west property line as well as meet required drive aisle and parking space dimensions.
Staff finds that the petitioner’s proposed parking lot expansion will improve site circulation and provide a necessary increase in the number of parking spaces on the site, thus enhancing its commercial viability. The improvements are consistent with adjacent properties as many of these properties were developed with reduced setbacks as well. Staff is supportive of the petitioner’s requested parking lot setback variance due to existing site constraints and cross access being maintained between the subject property and the property to the west.
Parking Variance
Section 6-9-3:6 (Schedule of Off-Street Parking) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH9OFSTPA_6-9-3SCOFSTPARE> of the Naperville Municipal Code requires dental offices to provide 5 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that adequate parking is provided to meet demand. At approximately 4,835 square feet in size, G&G Dental is required to have 24 parking spaces on-site. The petitioner seeks approval of a parking variance to reduce required parking on-site from 24 parking spaces to 16 parking spaces.
To support the requested variance, the petitioner submitted a parking study that compares the City’s parking requirements to ITE’s (Institute of Transportation Engineers) data and four similar dental facilities in the Chicago suburbs. Below is a brief summary of findings:
• For a medical office, a review of ITE’s Parking Generation Manual identified an average parking ratio of 3.23 parking spaces per 1,000 sq. ft., yielding a demand of 16 parking spaces for the proposed G&G Dental facility.
• Parking counts conducted at similar Chicago suburb locations (Clarendon Hills, Arlington Heights, Park Ridge, and Elmhurst) revealed that during peak hours, parking ratios ranging from 3.3 to 4 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet were utilized. Applying these ratios to the proposed G&G Dental facility would result in a need for 16 to 19 parking spaces to be provided at peak times.
Based on the data provided, staff believes applying a reduced parking ratio of approximately 3.3 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet to the proposed project is appropriate, and that 16 parking spaces will be sufficient on the site. Staff notes that G&G Dental is a single tenant building, and the business will have control over the scheduling of staff and patients. Staff recommends approval of the petitioner’s requested parking variance subject to the condition that should parking become problematic in the future, the business will be required to take measures such as reducing the number of employees on-site at any given time, reducing the number of patients that can be seen at a time, or establishing an overflow parking location off-site to meet the parking demands (subject to review and approval by the Zoning Administrator).
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Variance for both requests can be found in the attachments. Staff concurs with the petitioner’s responses and recommends their adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Building Elevations
The petitioner proposes several enhancements to the existing building elevations, including updated exterior finishes, a new building entrance, and installation of foundation landscaping. Upon review, staff finds the proposed elevations to be a significant improvement over existing conditions.
Key Takeaways
§ The petitioner requests approval of variances to the City’s required parking lot setbacks and off-street parking spaces to redevelop the site with a pediatric dentist office.
§ Staff is supportive of the requests noting existing site constraints result in practical difficulties and make it very difficult for current zoning regulations to be met. The proposed improvements improve site circulation, aesthetics, and commercial viability of the site.
RELATED FILES
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