Chambana Sun

City of Champaign Plan Commission met Dec. 4

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m.

Roll Call:

Members Present: Barkstall, Cole, Elmore, Sanchez, Kroencke, Reynolds Staff Present: Marino, Horwick, Trotter, Vandeventer, Wilcock, Teplensky

Approval of the minutes from the November 20, 2024 meeting. Cole: So Moved. Kroencke: Seconds. Unanimous “yes” vote.

PL24-0029 Pierce Holding Subdivision Preliminary Plat

Marino: This is located at 1805 South Neil which is the southwest corner of Neil and Fox Drive. Jeff describes where the site is located and shows an aerial photo and site photos of the subject property. The site has been vacant for approximately ten years and is currently undeveloped. Half of the property is a parking lot. In 2012 there was a long-standing restaurant on the property. The property was originally developed in the 70’s as a restaurant and it was multiple restaurants over the years with the last iteration being a Mexican restaurant. In 2012 the building was demolished with the hope of redevelopment. After the demolition the potential developer ran into a number of easement issues. There are multiple easements on the site which include a shared parking easement with the restaurant behind the property and with The Illini Plaza which is attached to the property. Some of these easements prevented the redevelopment at that time.

The Seven Brew Drive drive-through coffee shop has purchased the property and resolved the easement issues. Because this is now new development, and the property has never been platted it triggers the requirement for a preliminary and final plat, and it requires a sanitary sewer connection.

Since this property has never been platted and the City did not adopt their subdivision regulations until 1978 so when this was built out in 1973 it predated our subdivision regulations. It was annexed in 1973 as well.

When we get a new development proposal we look review the maps. Since this property needs a sanitary sewer connection they must go through the preliminary and final plat process by City Code requirement. This triggers public infrastructure improvements. In this case of all of the improvements are in place. There are some updates needed because the City standards have been updated over time. Examples are given of street trees that will be added as well as a streetlight on Fox Drive. There are no waivers being proposed.

Staff is recommending forwarding this Preliminary Plat to City Council with a recommendation for approval.

The applicant is here if you have any questions.

Elmore: Questions for staff?

Reynolds: When we see these kinds of things we see things like ingress and egress and drive-throughs and things like that. Will that come later or will that we regulated by code? Marino: Explains that there are two access point that are shared with adjacent properties. The existing access points will stay and the drive-through will having stacking requirements, and this will require zoning approval during the building permit approval process. Reynolds: Why when we did the Starbucks on Springfield and Mattis did we have so many conversations about the drive-through? Marino: That property was in the CN, Commercial Neighborhood Zoning District which did not allow a drive-through, and it needed a Special Use Permit. This property is zoned CG, Commercial General and a drive-through is allowed by right.

Reynolds: Will there be control of where they enter or exit the parking lot of the business? We have no ability to say you have no ability to have a left turn exit leaving onto Neil? Marino: No, not at this point that would not be triggered. For new developments out on the fringe of town we have a quarter mile spacing requirement for new access points but that would not apply in this case because it is within the urbanized area. Vandeventer: This property is IDOT jurisdiction in this area as well for Neil Street and they would control that access in and out if there were restrictions on it.

Marino: I would also note that at the last meeting we talked about the CEFCU plat up on Interstate Drive and they had a tree waiver. In this case the sidewalks are existing but there is enough room in the right-of-way to still accommodate the trees but instead of doing the trees in the parkway which would be between the sidewalk and the edge of the pavement the trees will be on the backside of the sidewalk but still in the right-of-way. They don’t need a tree waiver in the same way as the CEFCU plat did, but we will do an administrative waiver through the Manual of Practice to just relocate the trees from the parkway to the backside of the sidewalk.

But because they are still in the right-of-way it is still being met. Because the trees on Neil Street will need a landscaping permit from IDOT to do the streets in addition to meeting the City of Champaign Code.

Elmore: What is spalling of a sidewalk? Marino: It is where the top layer of the sidewalk chips away. Elmore: For any of the panels that need to be replaced can they still be four feet?

Marino: This is not codified, but our practice is if it is just one panel it will be replaced at four feet, but if there is a stretch of four or five panels, we will ask that those be replaced at five feet to meet the minimum standard. From a maintenance standpoint it would be difficult to have one panel at four feet and one panel at five.

Elmore: The various covenants and easement that need to be resolved those are between the applicant and the other parties, correct? Marino: Yes, those are between the parties involved. Those are civil issues.

Sanchez: Will there be bike parking? Marino: Yes, there is a requirement for bike parking. Sanchez: Will you be able to walk up and order? Marino: This is a question for the applicant. John Schebaum, BFA, Inc. I am the Engineer for Brew Horizons. This building will be the same model as the Seven Brew on Springfield Avenue in Champaign. You can walk up and order coffee at this new location. On Springfield Avenue they were not able to do the extra canopy area for customers to be able to walk up to and order coffee. At this location we are trying to do an extra canopy area for people to walk up to and order that will give an area for employees to also take a break outside. There is no internal access to the building for customers.

Sanchez: I know this is a very car heavy area but Fox Drive does have some bike access to it so people would not necessarily be biking down Neil Street, but they might be coming up from Fox. While you are working on the building hopefully you will keep in mind pedestrians who might be walking over from Logic or something for a different kind of snack.

Schebaum: Thanks, Jeff for the great job of presenting the information. We are looking forward to submitting building plans for permits in the next few weeks. We hope to start construction next Spring.

Elmore: Any other questions?

Elmore: I will entertain a motion to forward case PL24-0029 Pierce Holdings Subdivision Preliminary Plat to City Council with a recommendation for approval. Cole: So, moved. Kroencke: Seconds. Unanimous “yes” vote.

Marino: This will go to City Council on December 17, 2024.

Marino: We will have a meeting on December 18, 2024.

Adjourned at 4:18 p.m.

https://documents.ci.champaign.il.us/object?id=1akHsFGU3SfYvERdtrnv11sYhTa8NSqHM