Will County Gazette

Village of New Lenox Zoning Board of Appeals met April 16.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

CALL TO ORDER

A regular meeting of the Village of New Lenox Zoning Board of Appeals was called to order at 7:03 p.m. by Chairman Muehlnickel.

At this time Chairman Muehlnickel noted that all members from the Plan Commission meeting were present for the Zoning Board of Appeals.

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF A REGULAR ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING OF APRIL 2, 2024

A motion was made by Ms. Berkey and seconded by Mr. Blackburn to approve the April 2, 2024 minutes as presented. Voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF FRONT YARD PARKING LOT SETBACK AND INTERIOR PARKWAY LANDSCAPE BUFFER YARD VARIANCES (Public Hearing)

Illinois Truck Group

10-acre parcel located at 2503 West Haven Avenue

Jack Voltz / Northern Builders, Inc. - Petitioner

Mr. Muehlnickel asked for a motion to open the public hearing. A motion was made by Ms. Dalseth and seconded by Mr. Moss to open the public hearing at 7:03 p.m. Voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

Chairman Muehlnickel asked if proof of notice had been received, and staff replied affirmatively.

Mr. Jack Voltz with Northern Builders was looking for two variances to reduce the 50-foot front yard and landscape buffer setback to approximately 32 feet. He explained that it would be consistent with many of the already occupied parcels in Cherry Hill Business Park.

Mr. Smith displayed a picture of the property located south of I-80 and north of Haven Avenue and explained that it was annexed in 2007, zoned I-1 (Limited Industrial) and had been sitting vacant for 17 years.

He revealed the site plan and explained that Illinois Truck Group would be building an approximate 33,000 square-foot facility which would be utilized to repair and maintain truck cabins that will be eventually sold.

The submitted site plan showed a minimum 30.47-foot buffer yard along Haven Avenue for the landscaping and parking lot setback. He said that because the property abuts a collector roadway, Haven Avenue, the Village’s I-1 District would require a 50-foot building, parking and landscaping setback. The building setback would be met since it is over 100 feet from the Haven Avenue property line. However, the parking lot setback and interior parkway landscape buffer yard along the Haven Avenue frontage is proposed with only a minimum 30.47-foot setback / buffer yard.

He commented that the requested variances were to reduce the front yard parking lot setback and landscaped buffer yard along the Haven Avenue frontage from 50 feet to a minimum of 30.47 feet.

Mr. Smith said there are three criteria that must be satisfied:

1. A reasonable return cannot be achieved without the variances:

a. It was Staff’s opinion that a reasonable return would be limited without the variances, because it would require the building size to be decreased or the building to be shifted further into the site which would result in a lower number of needed cabin stalls. In order expand to New Lenox and meet market demand, they would need to keep the proposed 205 cabin spaces. Based on the large-scale building, employee parking lot and trucking cab parking areas, a stormwater detention facility would need to be provided which would account for 25% of the 10-acre property. Allowing for the variances would permit a longstanding vacant industrial property to be developed for a desirable use that would provide truck cabins to the Chicagoland region, as well as, provide New Lenox with jobs and property tax and sales tax.

2. That the plight of the owner is due to unique circumstances:

a. The City of Joliet has jurisdiction of the segment of Haven Avenue fronting the subject property, and would be requiring a 40-foot right-of-way dedication which cuts into the buildable area.

b. There are three different jurisdictions that surround this property. Staff did look at each of the jurisdiction requirements. Will County required a minimum 30-foot front yard building setback. Also, the City of Joliet does not specify a minimum front yard building setback unless the site is located adjacent to or across the street from any residential district and some specified commercial districts in which case only a minimum 15-foot front yard setback is mandatory. Upon review of a nearby industrial development in Joliet, it has a 30-foot parking setback and 30-foot landscape buffer setback from Haven Avenue, while the building is over 100 feet from Haven Avenue, and therefore, the plans for Illinois Truck Group will be very comparable.

3. The granting of the variance cannot alter the character of the area.

a. The proposed plans for the Illinois Truck Group would be compatible with the surrounding land uses. It was suggested that a surplus of plantings within the reduced 30-foot buffer yard along Haven Avenue be installed. Staff is recommending that the variance ordinance include the condition that the surplus of plantings be provided in the buffer yard as determined by Staff and Village Board with the review and approval of the site plan.

Overall, it was Staff’s opinion that the requested variances satisfied the three criteria and therefore, Staff recommended approval of the front yard parking lot setback reduction and interior parkway buffer yard reduction from 50 feet to a minimum of 30.47 feet, subject to the following two conditions:

1. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, Illinois Truck Group would have to adhere to the Village’s site plan review process and get approval from the Village Board.

2. A surplus of plantings would need to be provided in the Haven Avenue reduced interior parkway as determined during the site plan review process.

Staff requested a recommendation from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Mr. Muehlnickel requested a motion to close the public hearing. Motion was made by Ms. Dalseth and seconded by Mr. Hawkins to close the public hearing at 7:12 p.m. Voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

Mr. Muehlnickel requested a motion recommending approval of the following variances for the proposed industrial development for Illinois Truck Group to be situated on the subject 10-acre property at 2503 West Haven Avenue.

1. To reduce the minimum front yard parking lot setback from 50 feet to a minimum of 30.47 feet along West Haven Avenue as depicted on the submitted site plan.

2. To reduce the minimum required interior parkway landscape buffer yard from 50 feet to a minimum of 30.47 feet along West Haven Avenue as depicted on the submitted site plan.

Additionally, the Plan Commission recommended that the ordinance granting the front yard parking lot and landscape setback variances include the following conditions:

1. Prior to the issuance of a building permit for the proposed 33, 373-square foot truck cabin/tractor repair, maintenance and sales facility, the subject property shall require approval of a site plan in accordance with the Villages Site Plan Review Ordinance.

2. As determined at the time of site plan approval, surplus plantings exceeding the minimum number of plant units specified by the Landscape Code shall be provided within the interior parkway along Haven Avenue.

Motion was made by Mr. Moss and seconded by Ms. Berkey.

Upon Roll Call, the vote was:

AYES: - Commissioners Hawkins, Blackburn, Moss, Dalseth, Berkey and Chairman Muehlnickel

NAYS: - None.

Motion carried.

Mr. Smith advised that these variances are expected to go to Village Board on May 13th when the site plan is also anticipated to be scheduled for approval.

OLD BUSINESS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

None.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Zoning Board of Appeals at this time, a motion was made by Mr. Blackburn and seconded by Mr. Hawkins to adjourn. Voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m.

https://www.newlenox.net/files/documents/PlanningCommissionMinutes04-16-24120831050824PM1385.pdf