PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Conduct the public hearing for Beyond Self Storage (PZC 19-1-088) located at 2403 W. Diehl Road (Item 1 of 3)
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Scott Williams, AICP
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Official notice for the public hearing for PZC 19-1-088 was published in the Daily Herald on December 30, 2019.
BACKGROUND:
The property is located on Lot 1 in the Diehl Road 41 Acre Site Subdivision, which is located at W. Diehl Road between Alderleaf Lane and Fisher Drive, and is zoned I (Industrial) District. The property is approximately 14.78 acres and is currently the site of the Naperville Korean Methodist Church. The proposed triangularly-shaped lot is located south of I-88, south and south-east of the Illinois Prairie Path, north of the existing church, and west of an industrial building zoned I (Industrial) District. The property to the south of the church across Diehl Road is zoned R1A/PUD (Low Density Single-Family Residence) District Planned Unit Development and is improved with townhomes.
The Northwest Sector Comprehensive Plan identifies the future land use of the subject property as Business Park. The existing Industrial zoning classification and proposed use are consistent with the Northwest Sector Plan future land use designation and complimentary with the existing land uses. The proposed storage facility is permitted by right in the I district.
In 2011, Ordinance # 11-027 granted a conditional use in the I (Industrial) District for the construction and operation of a religious institution that is located on the subject property.
DISCUSSION:
The petitioner, NorthPoint Development LLC, requests approval of a parking variance and a plat of subdivision with a deviation to reduce width between the right-of-way and the building line in order to allow construction of a 3-story, 138,855 square-foot self-storage facility on the subject property. The petitioner is subdividing the existing lot into 2 in order to locate the storage facility on a dedicated lot that is behind the existing church while utilizing the existing Diehl Road access points. The proposed FAR of 0.697, in compliance with the maximum permitted FAR of 0.70 in the I district.
Elevations
Staff reviews all architectural elevations for compliance with the Citywide Building Design Guidelines. The guidelines were developed in 2011 with the goal of (1) conveying community design values and preferences; (2) clearly guiding the design and appearance of non-residential structures; and (3) identifying the appropriate design criteria by which building design may be evaluated and enhanced through the review process. Staff has reviewed the proposed elevations with respect to the Design Guidelines and offers the following comments:
C5.1 Primary Materials - The dominant material of a building’s exterior walls. A primary material will typically comprise 75% to 90% of each exterior building face excluding windows and doors; however, architectural style and detailing of the building should dictate the appropriate composition of primary material.
Staff Comments: The exterior building materials consist of masonry (brick and CMU), metal panels, and window and overhead door glazing. After staff review, the petitioner increased the amount of masonry on the south and west facades facing the street and the Illinois Prairie path. However, the façade material on the north, east, and west elevations do not meet C5.1 with the proposed amount of metal paneling. Staff recommends amending the elevations to comply with C5.1; however, the petitioner is appealing this standard based on the adjacent properties. Per the Naperville Municipal Code, the Planning and Zoning Commission is the body to review such appeal. PZC determinations are considered final, unless appealed to the City Council.
Parking Variance
The proposed self-storage facility includes 138,855 square feet of building area. Per Municipal Code Section 6-9-3 (Schedule of Off Street Parking Requirements) <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE_CH9OFSTPA_6-9-3SCOFSTPARE> self-storage facilities require 0.4 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area; therefore the proposed use is required to have 56 parking spaces. The proposed site plan includes 11 exterior and 6 interior parking spaces on the south side of the building. The petitioner requests a variance from Section 6-9-3 to allow a reduction in the number of required parking spaces from 56 to 17.
The petitioner provided a parking study which includes daily/hourly parking counts at similarly sized, recently opened facilities. Including employee occupied spaces, the maximum number of spaces occupied is 4. A summary on the total building square footage and number of parking spaces for 14 facilities is also included in the study. Given the information provided by the petitioner and the nature of the proposed business with customers utilizing the proposed internal loading/unloading areas, staff expects the 17 parking spaces to be adequate for the proposed business. A condition will be included in the ordinance requiring the petitioner 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 Variation are included in the Development Petition. Staff is in general agreement with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Preliminary/Final Plat of Subdivision Variance
The Petitioner is proposing to subdivide the property with the storage facility located on the proposed 4.57 acre Lot 1 behind the church. Per Municipal Code Section7-4-4 (Design Standards: Land Use) <https://cityofnaperville.sharepoint.com/sites/TED/staff/PND/New%20Development/Beyond%20Self%20Storage%20-%20PZC%2019-1-088/PZC/Municpal%20Code%20Section7-4-4%20(Subdivision%20Land%20Use)> I districts shall not be less than sixty-six (66) feet in width from the right-of-way line to the building line. The petitioner requests a deviation from 7-4-4 because the lot will not have any frontage on Diehl road. Per Section 7-1-8, a request to waive or modify any requirement in Section 7-4-4 is processed as a variance and reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Practical difficulties include a significantly-sized conservation easement west of the church (and what would be considered the western portion of the proposed Lot 2 containing the church) and blocks any construction or grading activity in this area. Also, the triangular-like shape of the existing lot is unusual and is a result of the right-of-way layout and subdivision platting.
The storage facility will use the current eastern access point which has a cross-access easement shared with the industrial building located to the east. This platted easement anticipated future development and covers the private drive from Diehl Road to the south-east corner of the proposed Lot 1. Additionally, an emergency access easement is platted between the western conservation easement area and the church thus providing a secondary means of access for emergency vehicles. Staff finds that the impact on the existing church parking will be minimal with the loss of only 3 spaces leaving a total of 107 spaces where 95 are required (per PZC 10-1-139). 10’ public utility and drainage easements are shown north and south of the newly created property line dividing Lot 1 and Lot 2.
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Variance are included in the Development Petition. Staff is in general agreement with the petitioner’s Findings and recommends adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Landscaping
Landscaping is provided around the building, parking lot, and outdoor storage area. A mix of evergreen trees and shrubs, and several shade trees, will be planted along the 3-sides of the property. Along the southern property line bordering the outdoor storage and parking area, 100% continuous screening is provided and would meet the screening requirement if located across a right-of-way from property zoned for residential use.
Recommended Condition of Approval
Staff recommends approval of the requested parking variance subject to the following condition (to be included in the ordinance):
1. If the City’s Zoning Administrator determines that the current and proposed tenant parking needs cannot be accommodated within the parking on the Subject Property, the owner of the Subject Property (or Owner’s successors, transferees, and assigns) shall promptly take adequate measures to meet the parking needs of said tenant, including but not limited to formally assigning/reserving parking spaces for each unit, restricting the number of leasable units, or establishing an overflow parking location off-site, as necessary, which measures shall be subject to the review and approval of the Zoning Administrator. Failure to timely take adequate measures to adequately accommodate tenant parking needs on the Subject Property to the satisfaction of the City’s Zoning Administrator may result in the City’s revocation of one or more of the variances approved herein.
Key Takeaways
§ The petitioner is appealing the Building Design Standards to the Planning and Zoning Commission in order to permit the use of metal panels as a primary material on 3 elevations. Staff does not support the requested appeal.
§ The petitioner requests approval of parking and lot width variances. Staff is in support of these requests based on the findings included in this report; subject to the condition noted above.
Related Items
The following agenda items are related to PZC 19-1-088:
§ Consider an appeal of the Building Design Guidelines for Primary Material on 3 elevations for the property located at 2403 W. Diehl Road (Beyond Self Storage) - PZC 19-1-088 (Item 2 of 3);
§ Consider variances to: reduce the lot width to 0’ from the right-of-way line to the building line; and, reduce the number of parking spaces from 56 to 17 for the property located at 2403 W. Diehl Road. (Beyond Self Storage) - PZC 19-1-088 (Item 3 of 3)