Special Meeting
December 21st, 2010
6:00 p.m.
Chairperson Kleine read the statement regarding the Open Meetings Act.
1. Chairperson Kleine called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and asked for roll call. Other members present were: Robert Brackle, Mary Mach, Greg Koerwitz, Paul Schramm, Kendall Schlake, Bob Stepp and Bill Runge.
2. Next, was the approval of the minutes from the December 13th, 2010 meeting.
Member Mach made the motion to approve the minutes of the December 13th, 2010 meeting and member Runge seconded the motion. By roll call, the vote was: 8 - "yes" (Kleine, Brackle, Mach, Koerwitz, Runge, Schramm, Schlake, Stepp) / 0 - "no". The motion passed.
3. Next was the discussion and recommendations regarding the addition of Hotel/Motel as a permitted use and landscape requirements in section 5.10 B1 - General Commercial of the Fairbury Zoning Regulations. Discussion, taking of any necessary or desired action.
Bedlan explained that she enclosed examples of regulation on landscaping and screening from cities with comparable populations in the packets. She notes that when she talked with JEO they suggested a highway overlay district (similar to the historic district) that would overlay all the different districts along the highways and would contain regulations specific to properties that are adjacent to the highway. Chairperson Kleine questioned if the members are looking for landscaping in all the general commercial districts or just the one located along the highway. Member Brackle stated that as he understood it these could be considered as two different issues. Bedlan explained that he is correct the landscaping issue can be handled two different ways. It can be added to this ordinance and they could write this ordinance requiring only hotel/motels in the General commercial district to have a certain amount of landscaping or, as she recommends, they can decide on the addition of Hotel/Motels to the General Commercial district now, and then, decide on the addition of landscaping requirements for the whole district at a later date. She states that she does not recommend making the landscape requirements specific to a certain building use because building uses can be changed and it is difficult to enforce. If it is specific to a certain occupancy number, square foot, lot size or frontage amount it is easier to enforce and would need to be specific to the entire district or overlay. Member Brackle questions if Planning and Zoning is planning on updating zoning regulations relatively soon anyway. Bedlan states that once the Needs Assessment Survey is completed which is scheduled for February of 2011 we will know whether or not our LMI numbers are high enough for us to get funding for a comprehensive plan rewrite which would include zoning and subdivision regulations. Brackle states that he believes landscaping requirements are important to the community but because we will be considering all of zoning later he thinks it is important to hear on the hotel/motel aspect of it now and then deal with landscaping requirements when we begin rewriting zoning.
Chairperson Kleine stopped the conversation stating that they need to have this item removed from the table before they can continue. Member Brackle made the motion to remove the discussion regarding the addition of Hotel/Motel as a permitted use and landscape requirements in section 5.10 B1 - General Commercial of the Fairbury Zoning Regulations from the table. Member Koerwitz seconded the motion. By roll call, the vote was: 8 - "yes" (Kleine, Brackle, Mach, Koerwitz, Runge, Schramm, Schlake, Stepp) / 0 - "no". The motion passed.
Chairperson Kleine apologized for the interruption and stated that they may now proceed with the discussion. Member Koerwitz made the motion to recommend that the City Council approve the addition of Hotel/Motel as a permitted use in section 5.10 B1 - General Commercial of the Fairbury Zoning Regulations. Member Runge seconded the motion. By roll call, the vote was: 8 - "yes" (Kleine, Brackle, Mach, Koerwitz, Runge, Schramm, Schlake, Stepp) / 0 - "no". The motion passed.
Chairperson Kleine stated that they also need to make some kind of motion in regards to landscaping. Member Mach noted that it is interesting that about 50% of the comparable cites do not have landscaping requirements and questioned why that might be. Bedlan noted that of the cities she spoke with that did not have requirements about 50% stated that they just have not had much construction lately and that landscaping requirements were something that they were planning on looking into. Member Schlake questioned if there were state requirements because these areas are adjacent to a state highway. Bedlan stated that there are. Member Koerwitz stated that he believes screening requirements are also important. Bedlan also noted that although she did not list them in the information she provide for the commission screening requirements often times goes along with lighting requirements including things like downturned lighting which she believes is a concern that is not addressed in our current zoning. Member Mach questions how these future requirements will affect the proposed hotel. It is noted that they will not affect it and the proposed hotel is only required to follow zoning as it is written at the time of construction. Member Koerwitz makes the motion to postpone the landscaping and screening requirements until the zoning regulations are being rewritten. Member Brackle seconds the motion. By roll call, the vote was: 8 - "yes" (Kleine, Brackle, Mach, Koerwitz, Runge, Schramm, Schlake, Stepp) / 0 - "no". The motion passed.
4. Next were comments from the public on non-agenda items.
With no other business on the agenda and no comments from the public on non-agenda items member Mach made the motion to adjourn. Member Schlake seconded the motion. By roll call, the vote was: 8 - "yes" (Kleine, Brackle, Mach, Koerwitz, Runge, Schramm, Schlake, Stepp) / 0 - "no". The motion passed.
Laura K. Bedlan
Planning Commission Secretary