City of Yorkville Unified Development Ordinance Advisory Committee met July 20.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
Meeting Called to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:35pm by Chairman Chris Funkhouser and a quorum was established.
Roll Call & Establishment of Quorum
Committee Members:
Chris Funkhouser-Chairman/Alderman, Deborah Horaz-PZC Member, Dan Transier-Alderman, David Schultz-HR Green
Absent: Jeff Olson
Others Present:
Krysti Barksdale-Noble, Community Development Director, Lynn Dubajic Kellogg, City Consultant, Mike Krempski, Molly Krempski, Brynn Krempski, David Guss
Previous Meeting Minutes February 23, 2022
The minutes were approved as presented.
Citizens Comments None
1. INRODUCTION:
Ms. Noble gave an overview of the UDO process. It started over 3 years ago, but due to the pandemic, the meetings took a 1-year pause. Tonight's meeting is a culmination of all the proposed revisions. She compiled a Power Point presentation and drafted a memo that covers all the issues discussed including chapters/topics discussed at each meeting, comments from the committee members, consultant's response to the comments and staff comments.
2. REVIEW OF MATERIALS
a. Second Review of Revised Chapters 1-9
Ms. Noble began the discussion of each slide of the Power Point presentation.
Purpose of UDO Process
The purpose of the UDO is to have all the development codes in one document and increase the ease of use. Visuals and smart codes were added and common complaints/issues were addressed.
Process
The consultant, Houseal Lavigne, started in 2019 and along with staff, they revised previous drafts of the code. The committee and consultant reviewed individual chapters and revisions were made. Another meeting will be held in August, an open house at the end of August and a Public Hearing/adoption process in September.
Layout
There are 9 chapters in the code addressing general provisions, definitions, all standards and review/approval procedures and non-conforming buildings. In addition, there are appendices of the downtown overlay district.
Chapter 1: General Provisions
This chapter addresses authority, interpretation and scope of regulations. The committee discussed an effective date for the revised code and it was decided it should be January 1, 2024.
Chapter 2: Definitions
All definitions are now in one section and by hovering over a definition, the meaning will appear via SmartCode. There is a request for additional industrial uses, for definitions for refrigerated warehouse and battery uses. A text amendment is being drafted and is scheduled for these meetings: EDC, PZC and City Council and if approved, it will be effective prior to January 1.
Chapter 3: District Standards
New zoning districts added are R-2-A, P-I. Consolidated districts are O-S and B-2 and removed were E-1 and B-4. Bulk regulations were updated along with permitted and special use tables. New uses were added to the code also. The committee also discussed R-2-A for age-restricted developments and suggested square footage and setbacks for these facilities. Density for all zoning districts was considered and the committee was OK with updated density and square footage for R-1 and R-2.
Chapter 4: Use Standards
This establishes standards for specific uses. Topics discussed were Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), driveways and entrances for them along with building materials and development standards. Accessory commercial uses must go through a special use process
Chapter 5: Development Standards
This chapter contains standards for off-street parking, landscaping, screening, outdoor lighting. Discussed were curbside pick-up/rideshare spots, electric vehicle charging station, “fee in lieu of” regulations (regarding tree replacement), “off-street parking in lieu of,” parking pads and landscaping regulations.
Discussion Point: Should landscaping regulations prohibit new commercial developments from using sod in order to address water conservation? It was decided that language would say the city “encourages” minimal sod in new development.
Chapter 6: Sign Standards
Ms. Noble noted that due to a court case, the city cannot regulate sign content, only the type of sign and size. Size of murals was considered as well as a possible permit process for them.
Discussion points: “Should murals be regulated similar to wall signs” and are murals wall signs or art? Ms. Noble asked if the committee wants to confine the mural regulations to the downtown overlay or to other businesses. It was decided to add language for “structures”. Ms. Kellogg said some businesses not in the downtown wish to have a mural.
Sandwich board signs are allowed again in the downtown area and committee members discussed placement, regulations and number of signs allowed. Language was also added that cold air inflatables should not be located near electrical wires.
Chapter 7: Subdivision Standards
This chapter covers how developments are planned, more graphics were added, includes bike paths, walking paths, etc. Other items in this chapter are: private alleys would be permitted which allows entrances in the back,
a density bonus for cluster developments if the development can show a benefit or conservation feature, anti monotony standards, street connectivity between cul-de-sacs (which was rejected by the committee) and block length. Language will be added saying “shorter blocks will be encouraged” for more connectivity.
Discussion point: If density is changed, we need to consider density for cluster developments.
Chapter 8: Review & Approval Procedures:
An option to have the developer schedule a meeting with the public prior to Public Hearings was considered. This could help resolve issues before the matter is moved further along. These meetings could be recommended by staff, but staff would not be involved in any aspect of the meetings. Staff sees benefits of the meetings for PUD's, rezonings and special uses and should be held a minimum of 15 days prior to the Public Hearing. This chapter also delineates who has the responsibilities, especially for permitting and authority.
Chapter 9 Non-Conforming Building Structures and Uses
This chapter did not change from the original document.
Next Steps
The final steering meeting will be held August 24th, public open house on August 31st, PZC on September 13 and done by September 26. Public outreach will start soon via a wide range of media. .
This concluded the review of the PowerPoint presentation.
3. COMMITTEE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS:
1. Ms. Dubajic Kellogg made the following suggestions: use the term “professional services offices” as a catch-all and add another category called “personal care services” and define them both. Also define medical clinic better, such as dentist, chiropractor, etc. She sees a need for a new category of self-storage facilities since many are now climate-controlled and enclosed in a single building that looks like office buildings, but keep the self-storage garage-like structures as Special Use in Manufacturing Districts. The climate control single building could be in the Business districts B-2 or B-3 and be outright permitted, said Ms. Noble. Storage facilities are not desired in the downtown area. Ms. Dubajic also requested a definition for commercial laboratories—those not connected with hospitals or a university.
2. Chairman Funkhouser does not favor the removal of the word “family” to be replaced by “dwelling” throughout the document.
3. Ms. Horaz does not favor the small lot sizes.
4. Regarding roof height measurements: Mr. Funkhouser said that by measuring from the mid-point of hip/gable/gambrel roofs, it restricts ability to have higher pitch, higher quality roofs.
5. Discussion on front yard setbacks, open porches: a covered porch shall be designated as non-enclosed. It was decided on a 5' front yard setback for a non-enclosed porch.
6. Labels are not matched with images on the solar farms category, consultant will rectify.
7. Alternative energy: Mr. Funkhouser would like to remove rotary blade from residential, replace with vertical helix.
8. Stacking car wash: Mr. Funkhouser asked if 5 stackings per stall entrance are necessary. Ms. Noble said there should not be a line into the public way. Committee OK with 5 stacking.
9. Parking Stall dimensions: Mr. Funkhouser said the code now calls for 18' of depth, but should have 20 feet as vehicles are getting bigger. Ms. Horaz commented that in condo parking lots, there are more complaints about the close parking/dents, resulting in disagreements among people. Those spots are proposed to be 9 foot wide in the revised UDO. Any new development would have the wider spots unless a PUD forced otherwise. Mr. Funkhouser is OK with 7.5 feet for compact cars, but parallel spots should be 9 feet.
10. Window signage: Anyone with current window signage will be grandfathered. Decals do not require permits.
11. On-street parking illustrations: some dimensions disconnect 20-23 feet; chart and graphic not aligned. 12. Population Projection Charts: Need source for chart and who created report.
13. Yard Signs: Proposing maximum area of 4 sq. ft., and unlimited number, signs allowed 60 days in advance, but not more than 15 days past any elections. Campaign signs not always 4 sq. ft. , reservations about more than 2 at one time in yard, people sometimes put election signs on other's yard. Don't want huge signs in residential, but people put larger signs and staff will have to enforce. Suggestion for maximum 4 sq. ft. for residential and remainder up to 32 sq. ft.? Ms. Noble proposed to do 4 sq. ft. for residential except facing major arterial, then up to 32 sq. ft. Mr. Transier said pushback will come from people who want to place signs, not whose yards it's in.
14. Ms. Horaz said 12 replacement trees are too many, so Mr. Funkhouser is suggesting a “cash in lieu of” or credit the trees to another location.
15. Ms. Horaz: need 2 spots for garage parking, not 1.
16. Smart Code calculator will not be on the city website until August 7th and it will be live for the next UDO meeting. People can comment on the website.
17. Currently, all townhomes, duplexes, multi unit have 1 parking space per unit, if a 2-car garage, need 2 spaces in driveway. Also, not all homes have a garage. Alderman Transier said it would be hard to convince developers today to build a 2-car garage with the lots proposed. Dave Schultz would like 2 surface spaces also. Need guest parking for attached products except single family attached and duplexes, use a .25% ratio. For detached products, need 1 parking space
4. Adjournment
There was no further business and the meeting adjourned at 9:47pm.
https://www.yorkville.il.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5305
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