Minutes - 10/05/1999 - Plan CommissionV
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VILLAGE OF OAK BROOK
SPECIAL PLAN COMMISSION MINUTES
October 5, 1999
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:38 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
ALSO PRESENT:
A quorum was present
Chairman Stelios Aktipis
Members Stephen Allen
Samuel Girgis
Surendra Goel
Barbara Payovich
Anthony Tappin
David Pequet
Trustee Alfred Savino
Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Champ Davis
Members Paul Adrian
Richard Ascher
George Mueller
Director of Community Development Robert Kallien
Village Attorney Richard Martens
Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Davis welcomed Paul Adrian as a new Zoning Board of Appeals
member
Plan Commission Chairman Aktipis welcomed Barbara (Lexi) Payovich as a new Plan Commission
member
Village Attorney, Dick Martens introduced Robert Kallien as the new Director of Community
Development He is also Secretary to the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals and will be
bringing much experience and fresh ideas to Oak Brook
111. ZONING WORKSHOP WITH THE PLAN COMMISSION AND VILLAGE STAFF
Village Attorney, Dick Martens reviewed procedures and duties of the Plan Commission and Zoning
Board of Appeals (Article XIII (E) through (J) on pages 962 -973 of the Zoning Ordinance)
• Plan Commission member's terms are for 3 years and Zoning Board of Appeals member's
terms are for 5 years
• The members are appointed by the President and affirmed by the Board of Trustees
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS Minutes 7 ';20e October 5,1999
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• The Zoning Board of Appeals (page 966) is the public hearing body, all persons are
sworn in, and all testimony is given under oath. A court reporter is not used but all
meetings are tape- recorded, and should a transcript be needed, the Village has the
ability to do so. The exception is Appeals cases, which are heard before the Zoning
Board of Appeals court However, Appeals cases do not require a legal notice
• At Plan Commission hearings, testimony given for a variation to the Subdivision
Regulations and the Comprehensive Plan, should also be given under oath
• The Zoning Board of Appeals is the statutory hearing body It hears variation requests at
a public hearing upon such notice as required by the Illinois Statutes. A report of its
recommendations is given to the Board of Trustees to make their decision. A legal
notice is required for a variation, and is a situation where the literal enforcement of the
Ordinance looking at the strict letter of law would create undue hardship. Hardship is
the touchstone of a variation. There are various standards (page 967) that have to be
met. One is about reasonable return, another is that the plight of the owner is not
unique, and third, is that it does not alter the essential character of the locality. The
standards are out of the Illinois Statues. The Board should spend more time on
supplementing the six standards as shown on page 968 of the Zoning Ordinance
because they are more comprehensible than the first three Hardship and reasonable
return are not about a person's unique circumstance A need for a Variation is not about
financial return or personal circumstances, but rather of the property itself and what is
unique about the property (bulk standards), Oak Brook does not allow use standards
The Plan Commission (page 969) duties and functions are as prescribed by the Illinois
Statutes. Copies of the old statutes were given to the members (the text has not
changed). A principal function and duty of the Plan Commission is from time to time to
recommend changes to the design of the Comprehensive Plan The Plan was last
updated in June of 1990 Bob Kallien will be working with the Plan Commission to
review and revise the Comprehensive Plan, which is one of the most important planning
documents for any community It contains goals and objectives for the community. The
Village has a land use map that shows how the land has been developed In the past,
the Village has not had a land development map, which is used to plan how you want
land to develop in the years ahead. A land development map is a valuable tool for
planning the future The Comprehensive Plan can be amended at anytime, it is a big
fob, and a very important one. The relationship of the Comprehensive Plan to the Zoning
Ordinance in Illinois is advisory only. The Zoning Ordinance implements the
Comprehensive Plan.
Bob Kallien, Director of Community Development, said he has been involved in court cases
over the years and when a communities' zoning decisions are based upon what the "Plan" says,
those decisions are held in very high regard. If you deny a zoning petition because it is
inconsistent with the land use plan, and it goes through the court system, the court system
holds that decision in very high regard Decisions that are not based on the Comprehensive
Plan, the court gives those decisions less credence The plan in a developed community like
Oak Brook is less important than a new community, because there are very few undeveloped
parcels However, it is good to have an accurate and up to date Comprehensive Plan, because
over time there will be change, and you need that plan to help you
Martens, reviewed the Plan Commission Rules of Procedure Under the Rules of Procedure,
several standards must be met for recommending approval of a Special Use There are two
types of amendments Map and Text Factors are contained in the Rules that are required to be
PLAN COMMISSION Minutes May 17, 1999
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met for the granting of a text amendment or a zoning map amendment In regards to the
Zoning Map, If the use is not shown — it is prohibited. All factors must be addressed, such as,
is it a gain to the public or a detriment that would diminish property values?
There was a brief discussion regarding PUD's and their place in the Village Bob Kallien stated
that in a PUD, the Community gets something in return for the relaxation of certain standards
and mixed uses. Disney World is a prime example of a planned unit development. Chairman
Aktipis noted that the national trends are toward mixed uses Member Mueller said that
Saddlebrook, was a type of PUD that created a lot of discussion and concern by the residents
before its approval.
Kallien said the communities that get themselves into trouble when making land use decisions
sometime forget that each time an action is made, it establishes precedent for other projects in
the future. Like circumstances must be treated similarly. Also, almost all court cases do not
involve or relate to the final decision, but rather to the process used For example, whether the
public was allowed sufficient time for giving testimony. Do not be quick to end public hearings
Martens noted that the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals are to hold fair and
impartial hearings. This saves time in the long run by making findings of fact on the issues in
their report to the Board. The findings of fact should support the recommendation and is
important to the Board of Trustees and in litigation should it occur
IV. ADJOURNMENT
Member Tappin moved, seconded by Member Girgis to adjourn
VOICE VOTE All in favor. Motion carried
Meeting was adjourned at 8 25 p m.
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Director of Community V
lopment
Secretary
March 20, 2000
Date Approved
PLAN COMMISSION Minutes May 17, 1999