Brookfield’s new Planning and Zoning Commission met for the first time this month, recommending approval of three matters it considered, including a preliminary planned development plan for a nine-unit apartment building at 8932-36 Fairview Ave.
The commission gave its unanimous blessing to the apartment building concept, though commissioners imposed several conditions on developers to be addressed in its final plan. The Brookfield Village Board considered the commission’s recommendation at its committee of the whole meeting on Monday.
Trustees are expected to vote to either approve or reject the preliminary development plan for the apartment building at the regular board meeting on March 10.
At a hearing of the Planning and Zoning Commission on Feb. 11, commissioners gave their approval of the plan, but gave the developer several conditions for that approval.
The developer is RMG Realty, a firm associated with Oakbrook Terrace-based developer Michael Gatto. Among the conditions for approval is a shadow study to see how the new building would affect sunlight on properties to the west. Commissioners also want a revised landscape plan.
Two of the more important conditions include a request to modify the parking arrangement. As planned, the building would be set back from the street far enough to accommodate a parking lot. A separate parking lot would be located in the rear of the property.
Commissioners want the developers to consider more parking in the rear of the property, which would force the building to be moved forward on the lot. Commissioners also want the developers to reconsider its plan to build the west wall of the apartment building on the west lot line.
Plans on file with the village’s building department indicate that developers plan to construct a three-story brick building containing six two-bedroom and three one-bedroom apartments. Each apartment would have its own outdoor balcony.
Should the village board approve the preliminary development plan, the matter would be shipped back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for final plan recommendation. The village board has the final say over whether the final plan would move forward.
Lot split OK’d
The Planning and Zoning Commission also unanimously recommended on Feb. 11 that the village board approve subdividing a property located at 8819 Congress Park Ave. in order for a developer to build two new single-family homes there.
The subdivision of the property needs village board approval, because by subdividing the lot, the resulting two new lots would be substandard in terms of depth. However, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the subdivision, because other substandard lot divisions previously were allowed on that block.
In the mid-1990s, the Realtor currently representing the developer of this project was allowed to subdivide a property immediately east of the location and build two houses. The Realtor still lives in one of those houses.
Auto parts store variation
Finally, the commission on Feb. 11 unanimously recommended a zoning variation for a new Advance Auto Parts store, which is to be built at 9310 Ogden Ave.
Initially, Advance Auto Parts planned to build a 6,800-square-foot store on the east side of the property, with a parking to the west to accommodate 26 vehicles. Since submitting initial plans back in the fall of 2013, the company has changed its mind about the size of the store.
Now Advance Auto Parts wants to build an 8,000-square-foot store, which means there will be six fewer spaces in the parking lot. With a store that big, the plan requires 32 parking spaces, hence the need for a zoning variation.
Commissioners and village staff, however, felt due to the nature of the business it was unlikely that the business’ parking lot would reach capacity.
“Overall this design is much better with plenty of parking,” said Keith Sbiral, the village’s director of planning and zoning.
The village board considered the commission’s recommendations for both the lot split and Advance Auto Parts at its committee of the whole meeting on Monday and will vote on the measures on March 10.
