Will County Gazette

City of Lockport Committee of the Whole met Nov. 6.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

REGULAR MEETING of the Committee of the Whole of the City of Lockport, Illinois was held on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 in the Board Room, 3rd Floor, of the Central Square Building, 222 E. Ninth Street, Lockport, Illinois. Mayor Steve Streit called the Meeting to order at 7:08 pm.

ROLL CALL

PRESENT: Mayor, Steve Streit

Alderwoman, Renee Saban

Alderwoman, Joann Bartelsen

Alderman, Darren Deskin

Alderwoman, Christine Bergbower

Alderman, JR Gillogly

Alderman, Jonathan Pugh

Alderwoman, Susan King

ABSENT: Alderman, Patrick McDonald

ALSO PRESENT: City Clerk, Kathleen Gentile

City Attorney, Sonni Choi Williams

Finance Director, Lisa Heglund

Deputy Chief,Ron Huff

Director of Public Works and Engineering, Brian Lovering Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies

PRESS: Cathy Wilker, LCTV

ITEMS RECOMMENDED TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR CONSENT OR ACTION AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING

FN-1. 2025 Budget Presentation AT-1.

Finance Director, Lisa Heglund, presented the Staff report.

DIRECTION: INFORMATION ONLY. Budget Hearing scheduled for November 20.

AT-1. Amendment to Chapter 156 of the City's Zoning Code to Change the Definition of Tobacco Shop and Allow Tobacco Shop and Smoke Shop in C-1, C-2, C-2T, and C-3 Zoning Districts with a Special Use Permit

City Attorney, Sonni Choi Williams, presented the Staff report.

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the November 20, 2024 City Council Meeting

AT-2. Amendment to Chapter 111 of the City Code to Create Class O Liquor License for the Retail Sale of Alcohol for On-Site Consumption for a Stadium (Sports) and the Limitation to Class O to One

City Attorney, Sonni Choi Williams, presented the Staff report. The first part of the dome is up. The Owner hopes to have the business open in December. The Owner is seeking to obtain a liquor license. Discussion among the Council ensued regarding the verbiage on the Class O Liquor License, excluding video gaming from Class O, request to get more information about game times and the types of food service that will be provided.

DIRECTION: Add as an Action Item for the November 20, 2024 City Council Meeting

CD-1. Facade & Site Improvement Grant Request for 116-120 E. 9th Street in the Amount of $20,315 to Tuckpoint the Building

Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies, presented the Staff report. The applicant, Teakwood LLC, represented by Tyler Tomczak on behalf of the owner Christopher Flood, is requesting funds through the City’s Façade & Site Improvement Grant Program to tuck point the front and rear of the building. The property is located in the National Register of Historic Places, the Lockport Historic District Boundary, the C4 Downtown Commercial Zoning District, and within the Façade Grant Target Area as designated by the City of Lockport. The Owner has requested to get the exterior items completed before re-roofing the building and work on all of the interior improvements over the winter (non-eligible items).

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the November 20, 2024 City Council Meeting

CD-2. Concept Plan for a 278 Unit Residential Development Generally Located North of Bruce Road, East of I-355, and South of Cedar Ridge Estates (Sadie Ridge by M/I Homes) /PZC Case #2024-011

Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies, presented the Staff report. Definition of R1, R2, R3 and R4 zoning:

• R1 – single family detached home

• R2 – multiple units, up to 4, in one building. Allows for smaller size single family detached.

• R3 – multiple units, up to 8, in one building. Single family detached on smaller lot.

• R4 – reserved for multi-story apartment buildings.

The subject property was formerly known as the Steeple Chase Properties, dating back to 2006. The original plan included a combination of home styles, including townhomes and duplexes. The original SteepleChase plan was proposed to include 88 duplex units, 81 townhome units, 97 small lot detached single family homes which was a total of 266 units. The current plan reduces the number of units by 10%.

The presentation included details about the current Concept Plan: Site data, Design Standards for the units and yards, School impact, Bruce Road Interchange, Traffic study (not required for Concept Plan phase, but will be if the applicant moves forward to the Final Development plan), Soils (studies would occur during Final Development Plan phase), Drainage.

Factors that go into an appropriate Concept Plan: existing zoning or annexation agreements, codes and standards (including design guidelines), comprehensive plan, 355 corridor study, nearby infrastructure improvements or needs, property history, city priorities, planning best practices, infrastructure sustainability, if the development solves a surrounding issue.

Applicant present: Russ Whitaker, M/I Homes

Discussion among the Council ensued. Concerns raised: safety issues on the s-curve on Cedar road, design elevation, preferring the garages in the back on the townhomes, increase the lot sizes to support additions, possibility of adding a loop. Discussion ensued regarding the attempt to create affordable housing, if there is a way to create an inexpensive affordable home, and requesting another concept plan for R1 single family units. The units range in size from 1800- 2300 square feet, in the range of $400-500K.

DIRECTION: Add as an Action Item for the November 20, 2024 City Council Meeting

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

1. Megan Hagemaster – lives in Homer Glen, owns business in Lockport. Lives on McCarron Road, 75 feet from the proposed development. Raised concerns about the housing type and the impact to well and septic.

2. George Hagemaster – lives on McCarron Road. The original zoning on the property was for a senior community; concerns about safety at Bruce and Briggs Road, increase in traffic.

3. Marcin Bachulski – lives on McCarron Road. Raised concerns about soil disturbance and the risk of radon. His own is incorporated into Homer Glen

4. John Hylton – lives on McCarron Road. Raised concern about safety, traffic, and density.

5. Jennifer Winter – lives in Cedar Ridge. Raised concerns about the diversity of home styles so that not all the subdivisions look the same, lot size on homes that back-up to Cedar Ridge.

6. Steven Sembach – represents the residents of Cedar Ridge. Raising concerns about the volume of traffic, density of the proposed plan.

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION BY KING, SECONDED BY PUGH TO ADJOURN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING AT 9:27 PM. VOICE VOTE ON THE MOTION.

AYES – SABAN, BARTELSEN, BERGBOWER, DESKIN, GILLOGLY, PUGH, KING

NAY - NONE

ABSENT – MCDONALD

ABSTAIN – NONE

7 AYES, 0 NAY, 1 ABSENT, 0 ABSTAIN – MOTION CARRIED

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