MINUTES OF THE PLAN COMMISSION
MEETING HELD FEBRUARY 21, 2008

The Plan Commission of the Village of Palos Park, Cook County, IL met for its regular meeting on Thursday, February 21, 2008.  Chairman Ralph Jones called the meeting to order at 7:34 p.m.   Answering to roll call were: John Basso, Michael Sundermeier and Michael Wall.  Julie Kay and Paul Petan were absent.   

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

John Basso moved, seconded by Michael Wall, to approve the minutes of the January 17, 2008 regular meeting.  Upon voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

OLD BUSINESS 

1. Consider steps for updating 1999 Comprehensive Plan

Chairman Jones told the Plan Commission members that John Houseal had facilitated workshop meetings with residents, businesses and the Village Council prior to this meeting.  Mr. Houseal summarized the comments taken at these meetings and the most important issues from each.

Community Workshop 2-12-08 

1. Character and size of new homes
2. Zoning standards that vary for different areas of the Village
3. New revenue sources, more retail and restaurants
4. Work with neighboring communities to share costs of services
5. Improve bike and pedestrian connectivity throughout Village
6. Condition of roads
7. Tree and natural features preservation

Projects or actions residents would like to be undertaken: repair 119^th St. (including bike path on Forest Preserve side); incorporate Mill Creek and Suffield Woods (to unite east and west sides of Village); road repair; adopt tree preservation ordinance; explore partnering with other communities for recreation facilities; create appropriate zoning districts and standards; support more retail and restaurants with better (historic) architecture. 

Because the community workshop fell on a night with extremely bad weather and very few people attended, Mr. Houseal suggested holding another workshop prior to the March 20^th Plan Commission meeting. 

Business Workshop 2-15-08

1. Taxes
2. Tapping into high school and hospital for better customer base
3. Pedestrian and bicycle accessibility
4. Safety
5. Traffic
6. Need more destination uses
7. Do not close streets for Village events
8. Use of parking lots by non-customers
9. Incentives for people to shop in the Village
10. Overly restrictive ordinances –sign, parking, landscaping
11. Target areas for new commercial development

Projects or actions business owners would like to be undertaken: more shopping variety; maintain existing character of Village; pedestrian/bicycle routes; improve 119^th St.;promote businesses in Village; improve safety of access into plaza; allow temporary signage; develop working relationships with management companies; keep open dialogue between business and Village; lower property taxes; incentive to shop in Palos; safety seminar for business owners by Police Dept.; don’t close off streets for events. 

Elected Officials Workshop 2-20-08

1. Annexation of new areas

      2.   Bicycle and pedestrial circulation

      3.   Town Center/mixed-use area near Metra station and hospital

      4.   Make Palos Park an attractive place to live and raise a family

      5.   Promote new residential development on lots less than 1 acre to attract new/younger families

      6.   Maintain the character of the Village

      7.   Proactively pursue new townhome and commercial development

      8.   Work proactively to attract destination businesses

      9.   Economic development

    10.   Asset management and improvement

    11.   Home rule

    12.   Promote Village to 25-35 yr. old potential residents

    13.   Develop MWRD and adjacent property

    14.  Develop parks and recreation amenities 

The elected officials’ highest priorities were: to develop an annexation strategy, bike and pedestrian connections and a town center near the Metra station and hospital. 

Mike Wall asked about the UIC project and when their proposed plans would be ready?  Mr. Houseal said he was not involved with that project but understood that it is a semester project that would probably be finished by the end of summer. 

John Basso asked about the feasibility of a town center?  Mr. Jones asked for the ratio of multi-family units to single-family units in Palos Park.  He asked if Mr. Houseal prefers PUDs to be on larger tracts or intermixed with single-family homes?  Mr. Houseal replied that PUDs should be able to be developed on properties smaller than 15 acres and he prefers them to be intermixed with single-family areas; this can be done as a buffer between the two types of housing.

Mr. Wall noted that there seem to be conflicting comments about different zoning standards for different areas of the Village.  Mr. Houseal said that when 1-acre standards are applied to smaller lots, it is often very difficult to comply; Village changed some of its requirements a couple of years ago for this reason.  Mr. Houseal added that Palos Heights is considering an overlay district in “Old Palos” with different building and zoning standards than the newer areas of the city.  Mr. Jones stated that we should not change our standards on minimum lot size but should have less restrictive requirements for existing lots less than one acre.  Mr. Wall added that part of the charm of Palos Park is its mixed housing stock.  He agreed with Mr. Jones that open space must be maintained and trees preserved.  Mr. Houseal noted that tree preservation was a high priority at the workshops. 

Mr. Houseal stated that tree preservation was a high priority in the development of the Strategic Plan, but this is one area that the Village has not yet addressed fully.  Mr. Jones said the Plan Commission has always promoted preserving natural features but also favors economic development. 

Mr. Jones asked if annexing areas for single-family development has a positive or negative financial effect on a municipality?  Mr. Houseal said single-family is usually a loss, multi-family is better but commercial is best. 

Mike Wall asked if land within the Village is close to being fully developed?  Mr. Houseal replied that we will have a better idea of this when GIS maps from the County are received showing areas further west and south than present boundaries; he is working to identify areas for potential development and annexation. 

Mr. Houseal stated that the on-line questionnaire for residents has not been finalized by the Village staff and he expects to have it available very soon.  The workshops have resulted in a broad range of concerns and ideas for improvements.  The following were the highest priority:

1. environment and rural character
2. keep Palos Park as a desirable place to live and move to
3. economic development
4. clear annexation strategy

He added that the Plan Commission will be addressing each section of the current Comprehensive Plan beginning with the next meeting.  He recommended one more community workshop.  Once the Plan Commission is satisfied with the revisions to the Plan, they will send a recommendation to the Village Council, then a public hearing will be held.  He expects that the Plan Commission will need about 2 more meetings. 

PUBLIC COMMENT  None 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1.   Submittals for the March 20, 2008 Plan Commission meeting must be received by Feb. 28, 2008 

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further discussion, Mike Wall moved, seconded by Michael Sundermeier, to adjourn the meeting at 9:38 p.m.  Upon voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.  

Minutes respectfully submitted by: 

_________________________________

Kathryn Stanek
Secretary to the Plan Commission