Will County Gazette

Village of Homer Glen Plan Commission met Nov. 7.

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

1. Call to Order.

The Meeting was called to Order at 7:00 PM

2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was led by Vice-Chair McGary.

3. Roll Call.

Members present: Commissioner Stanly, Commissioner Lyons, Commissioner Foley, Commissioner Bradarich, Vice-Chair McGary and Chairman Hand. Also present were Director Gruba and Plan Commission Secretary Pesavento.

Not present: Commissioner Bugos-Komperda.

4. Minutes.

a) October 17, 2024

A motion was made to approve the minutes from October 17, 2024 by Commissioner Lyons, seconded by Vice-Chair McGary. All in favor, zero (0) opposed. The motion carried.

5. Public Comment. None.

The Plan Commission Secretary swore in all wishing to speak. Chairman Hand provided a statement as to the order and operation of business for the Plan Commission process.

6. New Business and Possible Action.

a) Case No. HG-2421-A Zoning Code Text Amendment (Public Hearing): Consideration of text amendments to Chapter 220, Attachment 2, "Table 2 Use and Bulk Tables for Nonresidential Districts” of the Zoning Code of the Village of Homer Glen to allow Body Piercing Establishments in the C-2 (Local Business) and C-3 (General Business) zone districts contingent upon obtaining approval of a special use permit.

Director Gruba presented the facts of the case. This is a zoning ordinance text amendment. Unlike a map amendment, the map amendment would be a rezoning. A text amendment is obviously the text of the zoning ordinance so it would be a change in the regulations. That will come into play a little bit later. What we're talking about tonight is for a text amendment for body piercing establishments. Right now, the Village only permits body piercing establishments in the C-5 zone district. That's called the Office and Research Park Zone District and contingent upon receiving a special use permit from the Plan Commission and Village Board. The C-5 zone district encompasses nine (9) parcels in the Village, so only nine (9) parcels containing eighty- eight (88) acres and only one of these parcels is developed containing a single building measuring about two thousand eight hundred (2,800) square feet. This building is occupied. In other words, there's a limited option for new body piercing establishments in Homer Glen. Staff has been approached by a potential business operator, maybe an owner for body piercing. This was elevated up to administration for staff to investigate this text amendment and bring it before the Plan Commission tonight.

Staff has not received any other public comment about this case as of today.

The proposed text amendment, staff recommends expanding body piercing establishments into the C-2 (Local Business) and C-3 (General Business) zone districts. Body piercing is currently grouped together with tattoo establishments. Staff is recommending splitting these two (2) uses apart, keeping tattoo establishments only in the C-5 zone district with a special use permit so there'd be no leniency or relaxing of the standards for tattooing. We're only talking about body piercing. The current code talks about requiring a licensed professional for body piercing as well as tattooing. This is an old law. Individuals in Illinois are no longer licensed for body piercing, but the establishment itself must obtain registration from the Illinois Department of Public Health. When I redrafted the text there, I used the updated language. When I was reading through the land use table, which is really what we're looking at tonight, I noticed that there were a couple other blanks and some kind of scrivener's errors. I would like to see those cleaned up while we're under the hood and why don't we just fix that as well and we can talk about that. Lastly, the potential body piercing establishment operator is in attendance. She's sitting over there. I just want to note that this is not a request for her establishment. She just wanted to be here tonight in case there are any questions about how body piercing establishments work. She might be able to illuminate us on that.

Here's an overall zoning map for Homer Glen and this is the area that is the C-5. It is the fuchsia color. It's really kind of in a limited area. I'm going to zoom in on that and here you see those nine (9) parcels. If we're looking at the one long parcel that's south of 159th Street, that's the only parcel that's developed and it has a really small two thousand eight hundred (2,800) square foot building at the front of it. All this other pink area north of 159th Street, that's all undeveloped, If somebody wanted to open a body piercing establishment or tattoo establishment, they would have to construct a new building. It might be a difficult hurdle to clear. The idea is to kind of open it up to other zone districts as well.

Here we get into what the text amendment looks like. There's a lot of red on here, but I separated both the tattooing from the body piercing. If you read through here, you see that tattooing is not changed, it's still only allowed in the C-5 zone district with a special use permit. I noted here, number three (3), body piercing establishments when registered with the Illinois Department of Public Health would be allowed in C-2, C-3 and C-5 with a special use permit. So, where are C-2, C-3 and C-5? Well, we already know where the C-5 is at. It's that pink that's over here. I've circled the other areas of zoning and it's a little bit hard to tell on this map. I printed off the zoning map that's in front of you as well. That's also a little bit hard to read, but I guess what the takeaway here is that it would be opened up to a lot of commercial districts within the Village of Homer Glen. The C-3 is the darker red. The C-2 is sort of like a salmon color. I want to say that the C-2 is local business and C-3 is general business. I want to throw it out there right now that if there's any hesitation among the Plan Commission that it's being opened up to too many places in the Village, maybe just permit body piercing in C-2 for local business and not C-3. That's an option that could be up for discussion tonight. I don't know if anybody has any hesitation about opening it up to both C-3 as well. I just wanted to kind of throw that out there and anybody interrupt me at any time if anybody has any questions.

We have some other nearby communities and what their regulations are for body piercing. You often find it grouped together with tattoo establishments. I'm not sure why, but Lockport is pretty lenient offering body piercing in all these different zone districts. Mokena is stricter and only allowed in a C-2. New Lenox is stricter. Frankfort is stricter. Woodbridge is semi restrictive and we can kind of go down the line here, but it's really what is Homer Glen comfortable with. We can look at other communities, but it's up to you what you want for Homer Glen.

There are a couple of other scrivener errors. One is just called outdoor scating and it should be outdoor seating so we want to change that. I noticed that under animal shelter, kennel and pound that there was a blank under the P-1, that's the Public or Institutional zone district and just kind of filling that in with a dash that means that it's not permitted. It had a blank before. These things just bother planners, but I really want to make it clear what's going on here. This one here for smoking lounge had shown that these were all blank going across the board and what that means to me is that it's not permitted in any zone district. If anybody knows the history about this, I was trying to investigate it. I am still learning about the Village, but what I think happened is that in 2015 and 2016, there were applications for smoking lounges and then there was a moratorium, maybe two (2) moratoriums to put a pause on smoking lounges with the intent that the Village was going to come back and fill in the blanks of what was going to be permitted and where with a special use permit or permitted or not permitted. I don't think that happened. If anybody has any background on that, please let me know. Otherwise, if nobody knows, I may be recommending that we still leave these blank and we don't put the dashes in them just because I'm not familiar with what the whole entire history was. I'm trying to fix the errors in the code as well as address the body piercing aspect. It's not a big deal if we have to take care of this another day. Vice-Chair McGary said, it's my memory that a couple of places where smoking is allowed, they are in Homer Glen and it was like a reaction to just ban it completely so we wouldn't get anymore. Selling it is one thing, but they don't want a hangout. Director Gruba said, a smoke shop is obviously different than a hangout. Vice-Chair McGary said, that is my memory, that we don't want places where you go to smoke. I think the cigar lounge is an exception, but there are a couple where they came in before. Director Gruba said, that's what I saw, that there was some special use permits granted for that. I did see that hookah bar and hookah lounge is prohibited in the Village because it's considered drug paraphernalia. That one is definitely prohibited, but I didn't know about the smoking lounge. Thank you for that background.

I just wanted to say that for text amendments there's zoning text amendments and there's zoning map amendments. A map amendment is a rezoning and a text amendment is obviously the text. When the Plan Commission is forwarding a recommendation to the board about a zoning map amendment or a rezoning, there's findings of fact and it lists what those findings of fact are, however, with a text amendment the ordinance is silent about it. The ordinance does say that there needs to be findings of fact forwarded to the board, but it doesn't say what those are at all. I drafted a couple findings of fact that could be used here today. I'd like to just read those and see if everybody agrees with these findings of fact. There are just two (2) of them and they're actually not in the packet. I was using the last text amendment that was done a year ago for open space and that didn't seem to have any motions in that so it missed my attention to include them in the packet, but my apologies. I proposed the following findings of fact. 1) The proposed text amendment is congruent with the Zoning Code of the Village of Homer Glen specifically Section 220-202 (M, R) and I can kind of talk about what those are, but it basically says that zoning districts shall be in harmony with one another. We are kind of hanging our hat on with that and the second findings of fact is that the proposed text amendment will help the Village meet the local demand for this use. I figured if there's some findings of fact that are forwarded on to the board, then we've met our obligation to include some findings of fact. That concludes my presentation. If there's any questions at all, please let me know.

A motion was made to open the public hearing by Commissioner Stanly seconded by Commissioner Foley all in favor, zero (0) opposed. Motion carried.

Commissioner Lyons asked, is there a petitioner or is this a recommendation from staff? Director Gruba said, this is a recommendation from staff. There's no technical petitioner yet, but she is in the audience that if this were to be opened up to other zone districts, she would come back for a special use permit. Vice-Chair McGary asked, if we pass this, the petitioner will still have to come back for a special use permit? Director Gruba replied, yes. Vice-Chair McGary asked, we would require a special use permit, always? Director Gruba said, yes. I believe she's looking in the C-2 zone district.

A motion was made to close the public hearing by Vice-Chair McGary seconded by Commissioner Stanly all in favor, zero (0) opposed. Motion carried.

Chairman Hand said, for tattoo establishments that's still limited to C-5, which is office and research, but we don't currently have a tattoo establishment. Commissioner Stanly said, no, we do not have any. Director Gruba said, if there is one, it exists outside of the C-5 zone district and maybe it's grandfathered in, but I don't know of it. Chairman Hand said, same goes for body piercing then, right? Director Gruba said, yes. Chairman Hand said, I just wanted to clarify that and looking at what other Villages do, it's kind of all over the place. What we're doing is trying to accommodate the business to open up here where it's technically not allowed yet. I have no problem with allowing it in these two (2) other zone districts. Commissioner Foley said, I don't know. I don't want them everywhere in the Village. Vice-Chair McGary said, I'm looking at it like a spa. Why can't they do it? Commissioner Foley said, is it just ears? Commissioner Stanly said, pretty much anything can be pierced. Commissioner Foley said, I don't have anything pierced so I don't know. Commissioner Lyons said, as a follow up to that, if you look at the map, C-2 and C-3, they're kind of even staggered every other along 159th Street, Bell Road and some on 143rd Street. Vice-Chair McGary said, I guess I'm thinking about it like somebody who's already established in Homer Glen and said I want to add this service. Commissioner Stanly said, we don't have anything even close. Commissioner Lyons said, you could own a salon and rent out your back room and get your hair done and get a piercing. Commissioner Foley said, I did not think of that. Commissioner Bradarich said, this isn't about pierced ears. Commissioner Lyons said, I know, but it is an example of expanding services for a business that's currently operating, and they might want to add a service in their establishment. Chairman Hand said, it would still be subject to a special use regardless. Commissioner Lyons asked, can we go over there? If it's still special use, what license are they applying for? Director Gruba said, it would be your typical special use permit coming back before the Plan Commission and then before the board for final approval. Then there's the criteria for a special use permit to meet that. As far as a license, you need a business license at the Village and then register with the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Commissioner Stanly asked the resident, do you have a business now? The resident replied, yes. Commissioner Stanly asked, where is it at? The resident said, Addison. Commissioner Stanly said, that's further out. I'm just thinking, that would be the state and then also Will County will probably have public health. The resident said, typically what happens under a DuPage County, we go through a license with the state and DuPage County comes out. Vice-Chair McGary asked, the county though, not the Village of Addison? The resident said, not the Village of Addison. Commissioner Bradarich said, Illinois Department of Public Health has nothing to do with the county, that's the state. You have to follow all the state regulations that they would require for that just like a nursing home or a hospital then they would give you a license. Director Gruba said, I think that it would give the establishment the license not the individual. Chairman Hand asked, not the person, but the business? Director Gruba said, I think it used to be. Commissioner Bradarich said, that comes from Illinois Department of Public Health. I don't know if they control the density of it as well so they wouldn't give you two (2) licenses in Homer Glen. You couldn't get a second license. Director Gruba said, I wasn't aware of that. The resident said, I know in Addison and other towns they can have establishments actually right next door to each other. It depends on the town. Certain towns will make certain restrictions. Commissioner Bradarich said, this particular ordinance that we're talking about tonight requires someone in Homer Glen to be registered with Illinois Department of Public Health. If Illinois Department of Public Health is going to register a facility like this in a certain area and somebody wants to put another one in too close to this one, even if it might be some other suburb had the same type of ordinance as Homer Glen, they wouldn't allow that. They only allow so many. They control the density. You can't build a nursing home just anywhere or a memory care or anything like that. You have to get a certificate of need and go through that whole process with the state.

Director Gruba said, I'm not sure about the density that Commissioner Bradarich was mentioning, but that could be the case. What the Village could do is that if people were concerned about a proliferation or too much density of body piercing establishments, you could require that they be at least one thousand (1,000) feet apart from one another. That's a way to kind of regulate that. It could be both, a special use permit and also that they must be within one thousand (1,000) feet apart. One thousand (1,000) feet is usually pretty typical, but it can be five hundred (500) feet, whatever you want it to be. I'm just throwing that out there. Chairman Hand said, we're proposing to leave it out of neighborhood commercial, which looking on the map I see two (2) very small areas. Where our neighborhood commercial is, how does that actually differ from local business and what was the thought behind to leave body piercing out of there? Director Gruba said, with neighborhood business with the C-1 zone district, the Orland Oak Plaza was supposed to be more local. Then where it is C-3, you have Meijer and Home Depot and it's a little bit more appropriate for body piercing then closer to residential. I think that was the thinking. Staff is providing this recommendation, but we're also looking to the Plan Commission for guidance on what everybody feels comfortable with. Commissioner Lyons asked, one way to add some limitations would be eliminating it to one district rather than expanding it to two (2)? Commissioner Foley said, that's what I would think. Chairman Hand asked, there's a proposed location as of now? Director Gruba said, I think that the applicant or the future applicant has a place in mind, but typically if there's not a lease signed, it's not disclosed. Chairman Hand said, that could all be addressed with the special use permit.

Chairman Hand asked for a motion. Commissioner Stanly made a motion to recommend approval of a text amendment to Chapter 220, Attachment 2 "Table 2 Use and Bulk Tables for Non- residential Districts" of the Zoning Code of the Village of Homer Glen, to allow Body Piercing Establishments in the C-2 (local business) and C-3 (general business) zone districts upon obtaining approval of a special use permit and including changes to minor scrivener's errors within Table 2 [HG-2421-A]?

Director Gruba said, I would only add, is everybody comfortable with addressing the scrivener's errors with the exception of smokering lounges? Commissioner Lyons asked, should we do the scriveners errors as one motion and then the request to expand the special use as another motion? Director Gruba said, yes, we could do that if we can figure out the wording. Chairman Hand said, I agree that we should do them separate. Director Gruba said, we will leave out the scrivener's errors on this one. Commissioner Lyons asked, this is just for the expansion to the C-2 and C-3 districts? Director Gruba said, yes.

The motion was seconded by Vice-Chair McGary. A roll call vote was taken where Commissioners Stanly, Lyons, Vice-Chair McGary and Chairman Hand voted in favor of approval and Commissioners Foley and Bradarich voted unfavorable. The motion passed with four (4) favorable votes to approve and two (2) unfavorable votes. This will go before the Village Board on December 11, 2024.

Chairman Hand asked for a motion. Commissioner Stanly made a motion to adopt staff's findings as the findings of the Plan Commission. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lyons. A roll call vote was taken where Commissioners Lyons, Stanly, Vice-Chair McGary and Chairman Hand voted in favor of approval and Commissioners Bradarich and Foley voted unfavorable. The motion passed with four (4) favorable votes to approve and two (2) unfavorable votes. This will go before the Village Board on December 11, 2024.

Director Gruba asked, were we going to go back and do the motion for the scriveners' errors? Chairman Hand said, yes. Commissioner Bradarich asked, can you explain that one more time? I see that there is nothing there on the table so what would go in there, a bunch of S's? Director Gruba said, no. The errors are outdoor scating, which would be changed to outdoor seating. We obviously don't want scating, so that would be one change and just cleaning that up. Over here we got animal shelter, kennel and pound and it was blank in the P-1 for whatever reason. Usually when it's blank, it's not permitted and I added the dash just to clean it up so it looks nice. The last one was for the smoking lounge. This was blank all the way across, which usually means not permitted. I just added the dashes in there to make it very clear that it's not permitted, but I don't know the history about that and maybe I shouldn't have tried to clean up this error because I don't know why it was all blank. I think there was a moratorium and then there were supposed to be changes. I don't think they ever got addressed is my guess. Commissioner Lyons asked, we can approve it with the other errors and ignore this one for now? Director Gruba said, I would recommend that. Chairman Hand asked, the motion is to read one and two (2)? Director Gruba said, the findings of fact, you're saying? So, the findings of fact are therefore, number one, the proposed text amendment is congruent with the zoning code of the Village of Homer Glen, specifically Section 220-202 (M, R) and two, the proposed text amendment will help the Village meet the local demand for this use, which actually it doesn't apply in this instance because it was specifically for that one. We will just stick with the first finding of fact, and that should be enough to move forward with this. It's a little clunky, but I think we got it.

Chairman Hand asked for a motion. Commissioner Stanly made a motion to recommend approval of a text amendment to Chapter 220, Attachment 2 "Table 2 Use and Bulk Tables for Non- residential Districts" of the Zoning Code of the Village of Homer Glen and make changes to minor scrivener's errors within Table 2 [HG-2421-A]? The motion was seconded by Commissioner Bradarich. A roll call vote was taken with Foley, Lyons, Stanly, Bradarich, Vice-Chair McGary and Chairman Hand voting in favor six (6) to zero (0). The motion passed unanimously and will go before the Village Board on December 11, 2024.

Chairman Hand asked for a motion. Commissioner Stanly made a motion to adopt staff's findings as the findings of the Plan Commission. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Bradarich. A roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Lyons, Stanly, Foley, Bradarich, Vice-Chair McGary and Chairman Hand voting in favor six (6) to zero (0). The motion passed unanimously and will go before the Village Board on December 11, 2024.

7. Old Business.

Director Gruba said, if it's the pleasure of the Commission to discuss the 2024 annual report that Melissa King completed right before she left and talk about the recommendations on the very last page. I printed off a copy. It's nice and big font on the back page. There's been some time that's elapsed since she wrote this and what are the feelings of the Plan Commission about the recommendations. Chairman Hand said, I just had a brief discussion with Chris about going back to these items. It's been almost six (6) months and maybe see what the commission thinks and prioritize a couple of them. Some of these code updates in the past we've done a handful of them in one meeting. As far as a comprehensive plan, it's pretty unanimous that we'd like to see something happen again. Vice-Chair McGary said, we don't think that can be initiated from here. We have already stated in the annual report and as far as I know there hasn't been any feedback on our annual report from the board. So, if possibly our director can see if they would like more information. We are just throwing that out there. If we have some meetings that might be canceled, maybe instead we still meet and go over some of the code updates. Director Gruba asked, just like the code update we did tonight, except times three (3) or four (4)? Vice- Chair McGary said, I really would like to do the side yard fencing regulations. It just comes before us way too often. The board, however, at the last meeting brought up that they would like to look at revamping the tree ordinance to less than five (5) acres. That's not on here, but that was at the last board meeting. Commissioner Bradarich asked, we're trying to put together some sort schedule to try to move this forward? Director Gruba said, we can note it again for the minutes tonight and it'll be part of the record then if the board decides to, or administration wants to give me the go ahead to bring this before the Plan Commission. That's kind of what we're talking tonight. What are the most pressing of these or ones that aren't even mentioned on here? Commissioner Lyons asked, did this go in front of the board? Chairman Hand replied, yes. Commissioner Lyons asked, it was some time ago? Chairman Hand said, this was in May, I believe. Director Gruba said, she presented it in May. Commissioner Lyons asked, we never officially received feedback? Director Gruba said, I don't think so. I started September 16th, unless there's something that happened before then. Commissioner Lyons said, it was kind of like we just crossed it off the list. Vice-Chair McGary said, this is what happened, Dan Fialko brought it up that this should have been done and it never had been done. Melissa did it and presented it at her last meeting before she left. Commissioner Lyons said, is it still up in the air as far as procedure going forward? There hasn't been any more concrete requested of us? Director Gruba said, correct.

Chairman Hand said, I really like the format that Melissa did. It's something to build on with each annual report. I'm just afraid we get to our next annual report and it's going to look pretty much the same. As far as code updates, we don't need directives from the board to work on these, correct? Director Gruba said, if my memory serves me correctly, I think that code updates may be initiated by the Plan Commission. I'd have to take a look at that though, but I think that's what it says. Chairman Hand said, we could present updates and the board still needs to approve them. Commissioner Bradarich said, yes, we are a recommending body. I think the first four (4) code updates are somewhat important and we should try to schedule those in and talk about those. Commissioner Lyons asked, can we work backwards and try to meet the May 2025 deadline and have our data collected in enough time for the staff to get the report done for May and then prioritize what we should do between now and when we need to stop to get the report ready for reporting? Director Gruba said, I'm sorry, the question was to try to time these for May of 2025? Commissioner Lyons said, we reported this May of 2024, that way we will have year- end stuff maybe included. Director Gruba said, they typically come out I think January or February in the year instead of midway through the year. Chairman Hand said, that's a good point, it could have been any time of the year so the question is, would this report be required like by December 31st? That's something maybe we should find out or should we just stay with an established date? Director Gruba said, I hear what you're saying. I don't know if I have as a preference either way. I've typically seen it where you do the work in January so that you know the entire year and then the report comes out in February or something like that. If you want to stick with May, that's totally fine. Commissioner Lyons said, if it's enough time for staff to get it done. I don't know how long it takes to update and then give us time to discuss proposed changes before it's finalized and give it to the board in March or whatever date works. Commissioner Bradarich said, I feel like updating the restaurant parking requirements that most of the work is done and was completed 2003. That's something that we can finish very easily. That corner side yard fencing and the concept review process, we could get through this pretty quick in two (2) or three (3) meetings, I would think. Chairman Hand said, the concept review process for new development, that's kind of big. Commissioner Bradarich said, the problem with that is, you have to start somewhere, right? We don't even have one right now. There's been developments that have come before us that we're voting on that we've seen for the first time. Chairman Hand said, we have very little time to look at it. Commissioner Bradarich said, not enough information to vote. I just went through this whole process of looking at a project that started in July and now we just passed the Spark Committee, which is the committee that looks at the type of the brick and the color of the windows and landscape. The Appearance Committee more or less, but they call it the Spark Committee. It's the last one you go to before you go to the Village Board. By the time you get through that whole process, the commission and the village board have much more information than we have when projects come in front of us. I'm not saying that the way they do it is the right way to do it, but I think there has to be more workshops for the Plan Commission so that we can make an intelligent decision when we vote on these projects.

Vice-Chair McGary said, Chris, can we ask you to look at other suburbs processes and come back with some place to start? Director Gruba said, I'm not sure I understand, look at other suburb's review processes for how they do text amendments? Vice-Chair McGary said, what their review process for new development is. Director Gruba said, yes and I'm so sorry, I am still understanding the Village. Chairman Hand said, we've been through this personally and you haven't. We went through this with Melissa. We don't really have a set process like other towns might have, but we might have just six (6) days to look at something and then have to vote on it. Director Gruba asked, you're talking about workshops? Chairman Hand said, workshops would be of great value. Director Gruba said, there's nothing wrong with that. Chairman Hand said, we've had a handful of them. With a couple of big projects coming in, I'd really like to get to that level where we're presented with it, the whole commission at once rather than just Lynn and I sitting in a little office with some pieces. Director Gruba said, now I understand what you're saying. Workshops are very common. We did them all the time in Frankfort. It was almost more common than just to going right to a public hearing. I'd like to have a bigger conversation with administration to see if they're amenable to doing workshops, but usually everybody then hashes out their questions and things like that and when it gets to the public hearing it's much more where they make the motion and it goes ahead. Chairman Hand said, as far as the concept review process, I think Taylor would have a lot of insight working with Melissa and some of the challenges that they had. I think Taylor could be a value there more than the commission here. Vice-Chair McGary said, don't you think we should do what it says and write it down and establish a process. First, we're going to do this and then we'll adopt that process. Commissioner Bradarich said, we'll make that recommendation and push it to the board. Chairman Hand said, I like that idea. Commissioner Bradarich said, we've had some workshops where developers have come in and presented the project and try to get our feedback before they go to a public hearing, but I think we need more than that. I think we need that and a little bit more. They can present it, but then I think this Appearance Committee idea, there was a lot of information that you get when you go in front of the Appearance Committee as they ask a lot of questions about the building and about the site and about the landscaping. These are all questions that come up at the public hearing, and they're coming up for the first time. If we don't catch them then it slips through. Vice-Chair McGary asked, who is on this Appearance Committee? Commissioner Bradarich said, in Mokena, it's a group of architects. There was a couple of people from the Public Works Department. They are all volunteer. They meet at 6:00 pm not 7:00 pm and they talk about signage, outdoor seating, landscaping, site access, driveways, everything there is about the site happens at the Appearance Committee. Chairman Hand asked, it is a public meeting? Commissioner Bradarich said, it is not. They didn't even say the Pledge of Allegiance, but they ask all the right questions. If you get approved there, they make the recommendation. There's somebody taking notes and they make that recommendation and they send it off to the board. There wasn't a roll call, they just asked if everybody was in favor. Chairman Hand asked, it's commercial and residential? Commissioner Bradarich said, I think it's strictly for commercial. Vice-Chair McGary said, I think our staff does this now and not a committee. Chairman Hand said, I believe you're right. Commissioner Bradarich said, when it comes to us, we are here and if we don't see it and we don't catch it, that's it. We need more time.

Chairman Hand said, we have some input on appearance, but sometimes we don't have enough to look at to even make a recommendation. Vice-Chair McGary said, I have seen commercial projects go to the board and the board starts asking questions about brick or color and they're kind of stopped in their tracks and say, that's really not part of what you're here to vote on. They are not either. Commissioner Bradarich said, we went through the same thing in Skokie. In the city of Skokie, you have to go through an Appearance Committee before you even go to the Plan Commission. Mokena is different, you have to pass the plan commission before you waste anyone else's time. The people at the plan commission level, those plan commissioners, are just like us. They don't have the information and it gets past them then the Appearance Committee is the one that looks at all that stuff. Chairman Hand said, the projects we have coming in, like Dunn Farm, right now there is no commercial on it. It's just the housing. Is that something we would like to be part of, appearance-wise? Lynn and I sat with the developer and gave him ideas of what we're looking for, and that's the last we really talked about, Commissioner Bradarich asked, that is a farm, right? Vice-Chair McGary said, no. It's being developed with the units in the back and the commercial would be in front. He's just doing the housing part and nobody has stepped in to do that commercial yet. Commissioner Bradarich said, the idea on residential, I would imagine, is they have to make it nice or nobody's going to buy it. It's kind of different. Chairman Hand said, Melissa had us meet and it started out just about appearance and what are they looking to do. We talked about it at length. Vice-Chair McGary said, we talked about appearance and density. Commissioner Bradarich said, there could be a workshop for something like that, but because it's residential it may or may not have to go through an appearance committee. Chairman Hand said, we've made many recommendations on the appearance of something that we're approving and the board is taking that into account. Commissioner Bradarich said, we've got several projects in front of us and it's another step that you make the applicant go through. They are forced to do renderings and they're forced to bring boards. There are recommendations that they can make on landscaping where you can come back and change the landscaping later, but once you present to them, well this was the way it was in Skokie, I'm not sure if Mokena is as strict, but once you present to them, that's it. You can't change anything.

Chairman Hand said, the concept review process, Chris, this is like taking the developer builder from step one through step ten (10). I personally don't know what we have in place. Director Gruba said, my understanding what we have in place is, we've got the zoning ordinance, we have staff's recommendations, we work with the developer to get something that we think everybody's going to like and then we would bring it to the plan commission and to the board. If we want to add the step for workshop, which we are planning to do for Dunn Farm, it would be before everybody here and it's a public meeting. It's just titled a workshop and people can attend. Commissioner Bradarich said, it should be mandatory because we've had at least two (2) significant projects that has come in front of us where it was just too big. We were forced to vote on it and we weren't prepared. Director Gruba said, I agree with you. It probably should be a workshop, in my opinion. It slows down the process a little bit, but maybe it's a smoother process. Commissioner Foley said, I like that idea. I think everybody on the board would be more prepared. Vice-Chair McGary said, okay, then let's start with that one. Chairman Hand said, the ADU's, we basically made our recommendations. Vice-Chair McGary said, if you go back a year or year and a half, we had somebody come before us and wanted to add on and we thought of all kinds of what ifs. Chairman Hand said, the main thing was that the ordinance says that you need to fill out an annual report on who's living there. It needed to be family blood and if that use was not being used like that anymore, you had to put it back how it was. We eliminated that from our approval that night for those people. We can just go back in the minutes and see exactly what we went through with that. Commissioner Bradarich said, we did a lot of work on that. Director Gruba said, so there's a lot of work, but it was never taken to the Plan Commission? Vice-Chair McGary said, it was never taken to fix it. Director Gruba asked, a draft of the text amendment? Vice-Chair McGary said, correct.

Chairman Hand said, the corner side yard fencing will be pretty simple to do. Commissioner Bradarich said, the restaurant parking requirements are completed so we can review that and comment on that. Vice-Chair McGary said, Melissa did that. She wanted to go with a different standard than we followed at the time. It was square footage instead. Chairman Hand said, she had studied all the other surrounding towns to see what their codes were. Vice-Chair McGary said, if you want to look at the tree ordinance, that's all they really want. They want five (5) acres instead of ten (10) acres. Commissioner Bradarich said, the cemetery regulations, I say no digging. Vice-Chair McGary said, we are going to have to face those, well no we won't because that cemetery isn't in Homer Glen. Chairman Hand said, I think we've gone through pretty much everything here. This is good for you to hear all this from us and start to understand kind of where we're at, Director Gruba said, these are all obviously priorities, but the first four (4) are the highest priority. Vice-Chair McGary said, if we could get them done, then we have something to put on the annual report. Commissioner Bradarich said, we could get those done. I'm good with the idea of if we have only one thing on the agenda that we could throw one on and pick away at that one. Chairman Hand said, that would come under any reports from Village staff. Would we have time for some of this next meeting? Director Gruba said, well hang on. There is the state noticing requirements publishing in the newspaper at least fifteen (15) days before that. We already missed that notification for the 21st, for a public hearing like it was tonight. Commissioner Bradarich said, we wouldn't need a public hearing. Director Gruba said, to amend the text for a zoning text amendment, you would. Commissioner Bradarich said, we need to have some discussion. We will let you know when we want to have a public hearing, but we have to get there. We have to agree on how we want to format it. Director Gruba, which ones are you thinking? Commissioner Bradarich said, the first four (4). Director Gruba said, so we will talk about the first four (4) at the next meeting just as kind of a discussion.

8. Reports of Plan Commissioners and Staff.

Director Gruba said, we have a text amendment for temporary signage for commercial and industrial. The Village's temporary COVID signage ordinance will be expiring on December 31st of this year. Staff got together to basically rewrite the signage regulations. We will be bringing a text amendment to you at the next meeting. Director Patch will be here as well to talk about that, obviously because it deals with business and advertising and things like that. I think we also might have a special use permit or a variance for a pickleball court, but that's tentative. Commissioner Bradarich said, that would take one of them off of our list. Temporary signage is the last one here. Commissioner Lyons asked, anything for December 51? Director Gruba said, not yet. Commissioner Lyons asked, should we plan on meeting that day then that's plenty of time for public notice to address the first four (4)? Director Gruba asked, you were saying to post a public hearing for December 5th, for four (4) of these? Chairman Hand said, we could. Director Gruba said, the first one is just to establish a concept review process. I guess that would be written into the zoning ordinance. Chairman Hand said, that might take a little more time. Director Gruba said, that is what I'm thinking. We could definitely update the ADU's if there was a lot of work that was done with that. Update the corner side yard fencing and update the restaurant parking because most of that was done. We could publish a notice for all three (3) of those. Chairman Hand said, I agree. If the occasion arises where there are not any cases with some of our winter meetings because a lot of them get canceled so maybe we keep them open and work on some of this if we need to. Director Gruba said, staff has definitely been keeping busy so far into the fall season, but now is the time to look at these text amendments.

9. Adjournment.

A motion was made to adjourn by Commissioner Bradarich, seconded by Commissioner Foley. All in favor, zero (0) opposed and the meeting was adjourned at 8:05 PM.

http://www.homerglenil.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11072024-2829