[3:54] Mhm.

[5:09] » They are running up and running there, Carl.

[5:11] » All right, yes. Whenever you're ready, chair.

[5:13] » Okay.

[5:16] Uh good evening, everybody. Thanks for coming out.

[5:20] Uh I'd like to call to order this regular meeting of the City of of

[5:23] Highland Park's Plan and Design Commission

[5:26] uh for August 18th, 2026. Um

[5:33] Director Fontaine, could you please call the roll?

[5:36] » Yes. Commissioner Incheck. >> Here.

[5:39] » Commissioner Fettner. Commissioner Henry.

[5:42] Commissioner Mantis. >> Here.

[5:43] » Commissioner Moore. >> Here.

[5:45] » Vice Chair Nannes. Here. Chair Kirsch. Present. We have a quorum. I do want to

[5:50] recognize City Council Liaison Yumi Ross is here as well as Corporation Counsel

[5:55] Marcus Martinez and student rep Chloe Pilot. Thank you.

[6:00] » Terrific. All right, first item on the agenda

[6:04] tonight is a consideration of the minutes from the regular meeting of July

[6:08] 21st. Um I have

[6:13] four corrections to the votes that were taken.

[6:19] The minutes reflected all votes at that meeting were voice votes

[6:24] although four of them were actually roll call votes. Those were on items A, B, F,

[6:33] and G from that agenda. Do you need me to um

[6:39] read what they what they were other than that?

[6:42] That's okay. Okay, anybody else have corrections or additions?

[6:49] If not, do I have a motion? >> So moved.

[6:52] » Do Motion to approve the minutes.

[6:55] » Uh amended. >> I'll second.

[6:59] » Moved by Commissioner Nannis, second by Commissioner Moore. All those in favor?

[7:03] » Aye. >> Aye.

[7:04] » Any opposed? No abstentions. Okay.

[7:09] Uh as become as is becoming my habit, I'm going to ask the commission's

[7:13] indulgence here to uh the agenda. You know, there's

[7:18] only two items so number two is going to go first, number one

[7:22] will go second if that's okay with everybody.

[7:26] Um this So, the first item on the agenda tonight is a public hearing SUP 2026

[7:32] -00012 for a special use permit and design

[7:37] review with variations for a storage container at 581 Roger Williams Avenue.

[7:43] My understanding is this item has been withdrawn by the

[7:48] petitioner. Is that correct, Planner Bergsing and Planner Burhop?

[7:52] » Uh yes, so the applicant by email withdrew this application and so it is

[7:57] not before consideration before the Plan and Design Commission.

[8:01] Uh and they'll they'll then have to proceed to come into compliance with the

[8:05] uh storage container regulations. >> And thus, having been withdrawn, that

[8:12] means we have no action to take and that item has been dismissed. I'm sorry

[8:18] if anyone was here to comment on that. But it doesn't look like it. Okay.

[8:25] Next up is public hearing SUP 2026-00011

[8:31] to amend a special use permit for non-conforming uses and design review

[8:36] with variations at 2132 Green Bay Road.

[8:42] Um this is a new

[8:45] uh new public hearing, so I am obliged to read these words.

[8:51] » [snorts] >> Welcome to the regular meeting of the

[8:54] Highland Park Plan and Design Commission. My name is Steve Kirch.

[8:58] Quorum of the Plan and Design Commission being present, the members of the

[9:02] Commission will now introduce themselves for the record starting from my far

[9:07] right. >> Kristen and Chuck.

[9:09] » Danny Mansour. >> Karen Moore.

[9:10] » Josh Nannis. >> The Plan and Design Commission is

[9:13] charged with hearing applications for rezonings, plan developments, and

[9:18] subdivisions under the zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations of the City

[9:22] of Highland Park. In all matters, we recommend to the City Council based upon

[9:27] the testimony presented in the hearing. We are required to

[9:32] decide cases within 45 days after receipt of the transcript.

[9:36] All testimony is under oath. Both applicants and others who wish to

[9:42] speak on a particular case should present specific evidence as to why a

[9:46] proposal meets or fails to meet the standards uh

[9:53] standards for the relief requested. For clarity of our records, only one

[9:58] person will speak at a time and all questions will be directed through the

[10:02] chair. We ask that you make every effort to not be repetitive in your testimony.

[10:07] Finally, we will make every effort to adhere to the schedule prepared for

[10:11] tonight's hearing. If additional time is needed on a matter

[10:15] matter, it will be continued until the next available agenda. And with that, I

[10:20] open the floor for the staff of the Planning and Design Commission to read

[10:24] into the record proof of publication and ownership.

[10:28] » Proof of publication and ownership are available for viewing at the offices of

[10:32] Community Development, 1150 Half Day Road in Highland Park. Thank you, Mr.

[10:36] Chair. >> [clears throat]

[10:37] » Thank you.

[10:41] Planner proceed your planner Burhop, are you up? I believe I see only you here.

[10:46] » Yes, thank you, Chair.

[10:50] Just a brief presentation for this item. Okay, so good evening, everybody. My

[10:56] name is Karl Burhop. I'm a senior planner with the City of Highland Park

[11:00] in the Community Development Department, the Planning Division. And so, this is a

[11:03] presentation for the special use permit for this site.

[11:07] So, this is a corner lot on Green Bay Road and I believe believe that's

[11:11] Glenview Avenue to the south. Uh this is a public

[11:15] hearing. Staff recommend the commission review this request to allow a different

[11:19] non-conforming use. The commission may adopt findings of

[11:22] fact recommending approval if it chooses that were in the packet. Uh staff did

[11:26] not have any conditions of approval in the draft. The commission may also

[11:30] consider conditions as appropriate. So, this is an existing building.

[11:36] Uh the request is to convert uh the first floor of this two-story building

[11:40] to a personal training facility. Uh several years ago

[11:44] the city council made a interpretation uh through some specific regulation in

[11:50] article 4 of the zoning code uh that uh personal training facilities are to be

[11:56] considered a medical office land use for purposes of of regulation. Uh so, when

[12:01] staff reviewed this for parking, for instance, we reviewed it to the medical

[12:05] office requirement. The second floor will remain an office

[12:09] space, which is in line with its uh current use and its approval from 2008.

[12:14] Property is currently vacant, but it was previously used as a general office

[12:17] space. Uh the overall footprint of the

[12:19] principal structure will remain. No proposed changes to the exterior. So,

[12:23] this actually does not need design review. There's no design review.

[12:26] They're not making any changes to the exterior. This is purely an interior

[12:30] change of use uh request before the commission.

[12:33] This is an aerial of the site. You can see there's the parking lot there. I

[12:37] think there's 19 spaces on it. It's a non-conforming parking lot, but it's

[12:40] existing and they're not proposing any changes to that.

[12:45] Uh you may recall immediately to the south

[12:48] uh this is going to become a town home development.

[12:53] Background. So, back in 2008, the site was approved. So, um the way

[13:00] non-conforming uses kind of work at the time in 2008, presumably there

[13:07] would have been a legal non-conforming use. Though at the time

[13:11] uh they had vacated for more than 2 years, and so

[13:15] uh the applicant at that time came in and requested two things. They requested

[13:20] uh that the 2-year uh abandonment clause or termination

[13:24] clause in article 9 be varied from this site. That was a variation that actually

[13:28] had to go to the zoning Board of Appeals. It was a comp area for all that

[13:31] goes to the zoning Board of Appeals and the city council. Then it also had a

[13:35] special use permit that

[13:38] through the Article 9 non-conforming section which was a change of use.

[13:43] It was approved. It was approved and so this site now has that variation to the

[13:47] two-year abandonment clause that runs with the land and it has the special use

[13:52] permit but the special use permit is only for general business office. And so

[13:56] this request amends that special use permit to allow a medical office use

[14:00] which again they are they're asking for a personal training facility.

[14:04] I think yeah, this new use does not trigger any landscaping or lighting or

[14:07] design review. It's a purely an interior type thing.

[14:12] They did provide a traffic study which we which was sent to Civiltech and

[14:18] Civiltech did provide comments that were in the packet. The applicant has since

[14:22] responded to those comments yesterday or today.

[14:26] We will staff will send that to Civiltech.

[14:30] Staff considers the Civiltech comments to be minor in nature and more of a

[14:32] clarification. Should the commission have concern, you

[14:37] can certainly adopt that as an additional of approval. From a parking

[14:40] standpoint and this was in the report, even with this proposed change of use,

[14:46] they will meet the off-street parking requirements with I I don't remember one

[14:50] or two or three spaces to spare. So they will meet the parking

[14:55] requirement. I do have I do have one more comment

[14:59] here because this is the last slide. There

[15:03] this was in the report. The commission is supposed to use the

[15:07] special use permit standards of approval but you're only using

[15:13] you're only using 1 2 4 and 9. So you're only using four of the nine standards

[15:19] and and the the the they all all of those standards matter, but I just will

[15:25] read and here it says that a non-conforming use may be replaced by an

[15:30] equal or less intense non-conforming use. And so that's really one of the

[15:34] critical findings that the commission is making if you adopt the findings of fact

[15:39] that what's proposed is an equal or less intense use. And there's there's

[15:44] different ways to get to that. One way to get to that is is through

[15:49] off-street parking. Of course there are other things to look at. And again staff

[15:53] will just point out that the site on its own does comply with off-street parking

[15:57] with this proposed use. Um with one or two spaces extra. I can't

[16:02] remember what it said in the report, but it complies.

[16:04] Um and so that's it. I can take any questions if there are any.

[16:09] » Questions for staff. Commissioner Mendez.

[16:15] » Appreciate the background Carl on uh considering this medical office cuz I

[16:20] was looking at the zoning code and it looks like we've got something called

[16:23] sports training school, which felt like the way that it's described is a little

[16:27] bit more in line with what's being proposed than

[16:30] medical office. Is there any other color as to why it's not a sports training

[16:36] school and why city council determined to call it medical

[16:39] » Yes, so I can talk I can talk about this a little more. So there was a whole

[16:42] resolution for this. Uh this was a few years ago. There were multiple reasons

[16:46] why the city council made this uh land use interpretation,

[16:51] uh but one of the primary reasons uh

[16:55] uh personal trainers are kind of like

[16:59] physical therapists physical therapy. Uh and they and the applicant can speak

[17:04] more about their proposed use than than I can, but my understanding is that you

[17:07] know it's it's sometimes just this one-on-one or very small group oriented

[17:12] where you're it's it's very similar to physical therapy. I I don't I mean

[17:15] that's that's the gist of it and that's what

[17:17] staff thought several years ago. I I really don't have

[17:20] more to more to say to that. There was more to it when this was done a few

[17:23] years ago, but uh that's the main my main takeaway and the main thing I

[17:27] remember. We thought those were very similar. Physical therapist to personal

[17:30] training, and a physical therapist would be a medical office.

[17:33] » That makes sense. Thank you.

[17:38] » Any questions for staff?

[17:43] Uh would the petitioner like to make a presentation

[17:47] or come up just to answer questions? Welcome back, counselor. I hope we will

[17:52] not impose so much on your time at this particular presentation

[17:56] » Always a pleasure to be here. Thank you.

[18:01] » Would you like me to put up your presentation?

[18:02] » If you don't mind, I'll be very quick. Um so, good evening.

[18:06] » Uh I'm sorry. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but

[18:09] the truth? >> I do.

[18:11] Um so, for the record, Katie Jenky-Dale with the law firm of DLA Piper. Per

[18:15] usual, Carl uh senior planner perhaps has stolen my thunder and done a very

[18:19] comprehensive um job uh previewing the request. Um there were

[18:23] just a couple items I figured I'd add on behalf of my client,

[18:27] the property owner, uh who's represented here tonight by uh Leslie and Brian

[18:31] Berish. Um they acquired the site, which uh as was just shown, is at the

[18:37] northwest corner of Green Bay and Glenview Road uh Glenview Avenue,

[18:41] rather, um approximately 3 and 1/2 years ago in December of 2022. Since that um

[18:47] and they bought it from who was then the office tenant of the building um who

[18:52] vacated the building after they sold it. Um since that time, they've been

[18:56] actively marketing it for the office use it's already allowed with no luck um as

[19:02] you can probably imagine, office market is not incredibly robust right now. Um

[19:07] and oftentimes when they found users like this, a lot of times uh the users

[19:10] said, "Oh, it's not allowed. I'm just going to move on and find something

[19:13] else." So, uh um um, in order to they've, um,

[19:17] know this user, uh, this operator and agreed with this, uh, use to, uh, take

[19:22] it upon themselves to get the use approved, um, in hopes that they can,

[19:26] uh, finally re-tenant the building. Like it was already covered, uh, before

[19:32] being an office, it was actually an auto repair shop, which you can kind of tell

[19:35] when you, uh, see the floor plans. Um, and typically, um, we expect and we

[19:41] know the traffic that we prepared, um, kind of assumed conservatively, like

[19:46] worst case scenario as far as, uh, trips to the site, but we really,

[19:51] um, expect mostly this is going to be one-on-one training or maybe one-on-two

[19:55] training, uh, if a couple or, uh, you know, two friends want to be trained

[19:59] together, about 1-hour sessions, um, but quite limited as far as impact.

[20:05] Um, this is the, uh, floor plans. Again, we're not, uh, like outlining we're not

[20:10] making any significant changes to, uh, the building, but we are building out

[20:14] the first floor for that personal training and physical therapy space and

[20:18] keeping office on the second floor. And I think this actually, um, kind of

[20:22] illustrates better, uh, you know, what that first floor

[20:25] personal training area would look like, but don't ask me what you do with any of

[20:30] that equipment. >> [laughter]

[20:33] » Um, and the one other thing that I know is outlined in the staff report is we

[20:36] have worked with the tenant, um, and have proposed, uh, have proposed signage

[20:41] as part of this, um, that's detailed in the packet, one per frontage given that

[20:45] we're on a corner lot. And you can kind of see the former use

[20:50] as an auto shop, uh, in the building.

[20:54] And then, I I get to add one fact, uh, at this time. So, uh, the parking as

[21:00] outlined, uh, we do have two extra spaces from what the, uh, what would be

[21:03] required per code and a very nominal, uh, again, conservatively

[21:08] uh, estimated traffic increase less than 1%.

[21:13] And then these are the four standards that were just outlined that are

[21:17] applicable here and we've outlined those in the packet as well as in the slide

[21:22] how we believe that we comply with it. But with that, we're available for any

[21:27] questions. We respectfully request favorable consideration and approval of

[21:31] this. Thank you so much for your time. >> Questions for the petitioner.

[21:41] Seeing none. Do we have any members of the public who

[21:45] would like to speak on this matter? >> [clears throat]

[21:50] » I got no takers on anything tonight. Man. [laughter]

[21:53] Uh okay. Seeing that there are no members

[21:57] of public who wish to speak. What is the will of the commission?

[22:04] Do you wish to discuss this? Do you wish to make a motion?

[22:10] Or we can order pizza. >> I'm I'm fine with this. So I'm I'm fine

[22:16] motioning to approve.

[22:19] » I would second that motion. >> What was the motion?

[22:22] » It's a motion to approve the base. >> [laughter]

[22:24] » What motion to approve and >> I'll second.

[22:27] » So that's just a recommendation to approve?

[22:29] » Right. Yeah. >> The findings of fact as

[22:32] Adopt the findings of fact as presented in the packet.

[22:36] Uh no conditions on that. Okay? >> Nope.

[22:40] » Okay. That's been moved and moved by Vice Chair Manis

[22:44] and seconded by Commissioner Mantis. Um any discussion on the motion?

[22:51] Oh that's a roll call. Sorry. I'm going to

[22:55] I was almost going to do it myself. >> [laughter]

[23:00] » It's a location.

[23:05] » Commissioner will score all. Yeah, thank you. Commissioner Incheck.

[23:08] » Hi. >> Hi. Commissioner Mantis.

[23:11] » Hi. >> Commissioner Moore.

[23:12] » Hi. >> Vice Chair Nannis.

[23:14] » Hi. >> And Chair Krush.

[23:15] » Hi. >> The eyes have it. The motion carries and

[23:18] this item has been recommended for approval.

[23:21] » Thank you. >> Thank you everybody.

[23:24] » Okay. >> Thank you. I'll I'll follow up with you.

[23:31] Thank you. God bless you. >> Thank you.

[23:33] » See you in a mass. >> [laughter]

[23:37] » I'll remember that.

[23:42] » Okay, moving on. Any information items? Administrative design review updates.

[23:48] » I I do chair. I have two administrative design review updates.

[23:54] Uh both on Roger Williams Avenue. So, 572 Roger Williams Avenue was approved.

[24:00] I believe they changed the color of the awnings.

[24:04] And then 473 Roger Williams Avenue, a uh design review on the front side for

[24:11] I believe it's new windows uh along the sidewalk. And then on the

[24:16] back side uh I believe uh screening for a mech unit on the roof and possibly

[24:21] also a refuse container on the back. So, those are the two administrative design

[24:25] review updates. >> Were those new new tenants in those

[24:29] spaces or just changes?

[24:32] » I the 473 Roger Williams will be a a new tenant and the other one I'm not sure. I

[24:38] think so, but I don't I don't recall immediately.

[24:41] » You may recall planner one Anthony Mistretta. He handles a lot of those.

[24:44] » Okay. Yeah, I should. >> I just wish to report that those were

[24:47] approved. >> Thank you.

[24:51] Uh next meeting is September 1st. >> Regular meeting here at City Hall. do we

[24:56] have any preview? >> Well, since nothing was continued from

[25:01] this evening, there will only be one item for September 1st, and that will be

[25:06] a request from the city for zoning code text amendment uh to look at doing I

[25:11] forget the technical term. It's rather It's rather long in the land use table,

[25:15] but basically it's cell phone facilities without towers. So, antennas, equipment

[25:22] boxes that go up on rooftops, looking only at the B2RW overlay zone.

[25:28] » Thank you. >> [snorts]

[25:31] » Uh any case briefings, Director? >> Yes, Mr. Chairman. Um

[25:35] So, uh City Council met last night. Um and one item on the agenda uh was

[25:42] with regard to the uh zoning text amendment related to data centers.

[25:47] That was uh approved 6-0. Um another item on the agenda uh

[25:54] had to deal with um 147 Central Avenue, the planned development subdivision. Um

[26:02] that was uh staff was directed by Council uh to draft uh approval

[26:08] documents for that to come back uh to their next meeting.

[26:12] Um those were the two main items on on the agenda um and there was uh

[26:18] another item on um with regard to uh relief from fence

[26:23] height requirements um for the Albion at Highland Park, uh 1850 Green Bay Road.

[26:30] Um that was part of a settlement agreement and under the ordinance uh

[26:35] settlement matters uh related to that involves zoning go directly to City

[26:39] Council, and the Council voted to approve 6-0 to allow a 12-ft high fence

[26:45] uh absorptive absorptive absorptive sound wall, if you will, fence for uh

[26:52] the uh length of about 100 ft between the properties at 1850

[26:59] Green Bay Road and 1853 Sheean Court. That's all I have to report.

[27:05] Thank you. >> I I actually may I

[27:07] chair? >> Yes, Councilwoman Ross.

[27:10] » Because I assumed Director Fontaine would give an update

[27:15] about last night. I am going to share that it was

[27:22] a five to one vote. The mayor was out of town.

[27:26] And

[27:29] I was the one who voted against the subdivision.

[27:36] And there was a question about whether the

[27:39] whole site is landmarked and in fact staff was very clear that it is all

[27:43] landmarked. And

[27:48] I stated I mean

[27:53] you know, I just feel it's a And and so the obviously the

[27:57] preservationist that's an invaluable probably one of the most historic sites

[28:01] in in in the city. It has the first house ever built in Highland Park and

[28:05] it's just a beautiful site all together. But I just thought to to to share that

[28:12] that that was what unfolded and it

[28:17] um I think another

[28:20] sort of striking piece about it

[28:25] is that but this is this is what is in I guess

[28:29] due course and it's going to go back to HPC for a certificate of

[28:33] appropriateness. Um

[28:36] in if everything is approved the zoning

[28:40] allows up to a 15,300 sq ft

[28:45] house uh story or two stories all together.

[28:49] Uh and um I think I know there a whole series of

[28:53] of steps at at at this point. Uh and as you know, they it was a

[29:00] approved last night. I wanted to explain my part in it last night and uh

[29:07] thank you for listening to me. Yeah.

[29:10] » Sure. Thank you. >> So, that was for 147 Central

[29:12] » 147 Central, the Cornelia's uh field house. Yeah.

[29:18] property. >> Right.

[29:23] Okay. Uh

[29:25] any business from the public which was not addressed

[29:29] earlier? There was no public to address any business

[29:33] and that leaves just one last item on the agenda and it's adjournment.

[29:39] » So moved. >> Second.

[29:42] » Moved by Commissioner Moore, seconded by Commissioner Incheck. All those in

[29:46] favor? >> Aye.

[29:47] » Aye. >> Any opposed?

[29:50] Uh seeing none, we'll see you all in a pre-Labor Day meeting

[29:56] of this year.

Plan and Design Commission Meeting

Agenda

Transcript