MINUTES
TOWN OF NORMAL DOWNTOWN DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION
CONFERENCE ROOM C CITY HALL
100 E. PHOENIX AVE.
NORMAL, IL
SPECIAL MEETING
May 23, 2005@ 4:00 p.m.
Members Present:
Dennis French, Pam Locsin, Mark Comerford, Kathy Wilcox, Rebecca Landau
Dirk DeWerff, Rick Kentzler
Members Absent:
None
Others Present:
Lauren Kerestes, Associate Planner, Mercy Davison, Town Planner, Greg Troemel, Director of Inspections, Debbi Whitehouse, Office Associate, Tom O’Rourke, Redbird Apartments, Art Sweeney, Architect.
Call to Order:
Ms. Landau called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and noted a quorum was present.
Minutes:
The commission approved the minutes of the regular meeting on April 11,
2005.
Mr. DeWerff moved, Mr. French seconded .The motion carried 7-0.
CC-05-03-10, Marriott Hotel-John Q. Hammons/Town of Normal-review of new building design plans.
No plans have been submitted at this time. Staff is hopeful that they
will be submitted for
next month’s regular meeting.
DBL-05-04-01 Mary Strack/Ben Rhodes-relocation of Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches to 207 W. North St. (Paintin’ Place location)
Ms. Landau said that the approval of the Downtown Business Loan for Jimmy John’s is a formality, because the commission does not review interior work, the work for which the loan has been requested. Ms. Kerestes said the applicant is also working with an architect & Jimmy John’s Corporate on plans for changes to the exterior of the building. Those plans will come before the Commission in June.
Mr. DeWerff moved to approve the Downtown Business Loan as submitted by
Mary Strack of Jimmy John’s for the interior remodeling of 207 W. North
Street, Mr. French seconded. The motion carried 7-0.
CC-05-03-07, 200 W. College Avenue, Bank of Illinois Landscape Plan
Ms. Kerestes spoke about the landscape plan. She said that the plan as submitted met code for screening the parking from the public right-of-way. The commissioners were pleased with the plan.
Mr. French moved to approve the plan as submitted by Farnsworth Group,
Inc. for the new Bank of Illinois site, Ms. Wilcox seconded. 7-0. The motion
carried 7-0
CC-05-05-11, 200 N. Linden, New Commercial/Residential Building
Ms. Landau spoke saying the new building proposal had undergone preliminary review at the May 9, 2005 regular meeting, but this would be the official review. Mr. Sweeney, the architect for the project, said he would address any concerns the commission might have.
Mr. DeWerff asked about the parking. Mr. Sweeney said there would be 12 parking spaces, including one handicap space.
Mr. Comerford said it is a nice plan and he is in agreement with the requested waivers.
Mr. French said he liked the building design.
Mr. O’Rourke said he might be adding a corner stone on the side of the building.
Ms. Kerestes spoke regarding the project waivers. She noted that Mr. Sweeney requested three waivers in his May 18, 2005 memo to the DDRC. She indicated that staff determined that only two of the waivers were necessary to meet code. The third waiver addressing anti-monotony was not needed. In addition, staff identified that the plan would need a landscape waiver.
Ms. Kerestes further identified the waivers as follows:
Waiver #1: Window Coverage
The building fails to meet 50-75% storefront window coverage on the 1st floor of the Mulberry side, largely because of the purpose and function of the space as offices. The building also fails to meet the 30-50% coverage on the 2nd floor at the Mulberry side, because of the residential floor plan that includes closets and a bathroom.Waiver #2: Scale of design
The applicant requests a 2-foot height waiver for the first floor (the proposed plan shows the height at 10 feet, where code requires 12-15 feet) and a one-foot height waiver for the second story (the proposed plan shows the height at 8 feet, where code requires 9-12 feet).Waiver #3: Landscape Plan
The proposed parking lot at this site is the first to be reviewed by the DDRC since the establishment of the Downtown Design Code. The Code requires that new parking lots be screened from public right-of-way, sidewalks, and all adjacent property with a 5 – 8 foot wide strip of landscaping and a wall/fence. Mr. O’Rourke’s landscape plan shows a 5 foot landscaped area without a wall or fence. However, as part of the most recent Downtown Design Code revisions, the DDRC recommended the landscaping portion be changed to specify that: “All parking lots shall be screened from public streets and sidewalks with at least a five (5) foot wide landscaped area and wheel stops that prevent any car overhang into the landscaped area.” The proposed changes also eliminate the requirement for screening between adjacent properties. Once the code changes are approved, the proposed 200 N. Linden plan would be in compliance with code.
The Commission determined that the window coverage on the Mulberry elevation was appropriate given the need to accommodate the interior uses, while still maintaining a nineteenth century commercial architectural design.
The Commission was satisfied with the height of the building as designed, largely because the building does not immediately abut another building, as it likely would as part of a street face along Beaufort or North Street.
The Commission agreed that the landscaping was adequate as shown.
Mr. Comerford moved to approve the Certificate of Compliance application as submitted with the above listed waivers. Mr. French seconded. The motion carried 7-0.
Other Business:
- Code Changes Considerations:
Waive Moratz Façade Improvement Grant and Downtown Business Loan program application fees.
Ms. Kerestes explained that when the Town was creating its own guidelines for the grant and loan programs that they had used other communities as a model. The incorporation of application fees was part of those model program guidelines.
The commissioners discussed that the fees were probably not necessary and may even hinder some business and/or property owners from applying for the programs, particularly smaller downtown businesses. Staff and the Commission also agreed that the revisions would not be retroactive, meaning that all previous program applicants would not be reimbursed.
Mr. French moved to approve the waiver of Moratz Façade Improvement Grant and Downtown Business Loan Program application fees and that the revision would not be retroactive. Mr. DeWerff seconded. Motion carried 7-0.
- Elimination of two storefront requirements from corner buildings.
Ms. Kerestes asked the commissioners for their input on revising the code to only require one storefront elevation for corner buildings instead of two storefronts.
Mr. Kentzler spoke saying two entrances would be a positive challenge to architects and designers and that he thought the code should remain as is.
Mr. French spoke saying that he felt they should keep this ordinance as is. The Commission agreed.
Adjournment:
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 4:37 p.m.
Mr.
French moved, Mr. DeWerff seconded. The motion carried 7-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Lauren Kerestes
Associate Planner
Debbi S. Whitehouse
Office Associate