South West Illinois News

City of Columbia Plan Commission met Feb. 10.

Here is the minutes provided by the commission:

1. CALL TO ORDER

The Plan Commission meeting of the City of Columbia, Illinois held Monday, January 20, 2020 was called to order by Chairman Bill Seibel at 6:32 P.M.

2. ROLL CALL & ESTABLISH QUORUM 

Upon roll call, the following members were:

Present: Chairman Bill Seibel and Commissioners Tony Murphy, Doug Garmer, Russell Horsley, Pete Ingold, Lauren Nobbe and Andrea Yochum.

Absent: Caren Burggraf, Amy Mistler. Quorum Present.

Administrative Staff Present: Director of Community Development Scott Dunakey, Building Official Justin Osterhage and Administrative Assistant Jackie Hausmann.

Administrative Staff Absent: None.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A. Minutes of the Monday, January 20, 2020 Plan Commission Meeting were submitted for approval.

MOTION:

It was moved by Commissioner Nobbe and seconded by Commissioner Ingold to approve the minutes (noting correction of original R-4 requirements to original R-3 requirements on Page 3) of the Monday, January 20, 2020 Plan Commission Meeting as presented and on file at City Hall. On roll call vote, Chairman Seibel and Commissioners Horsley, Murphy, Garmer, Ingold, Nobbe and Yochum voted yes. MOTION CARRIED.

4. PUBLIC INPUT 

None

5. PUBLIC HEARING 

None

6. NEW BUSINESS 

None

7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

A. Request from Southern Illinois Development, LLC to establish a Community Unit Plan Type B (CUP-B) on Parcels #04-23-318-017-000, #04-23-318-018-000, #04-23-318-019-000, and #04-23-400-001-000, generally located northeast of the State Route 3 & 158 interchange.

Chairman Seibel called upon Director of Community Development Scott Dunakey to give an update and present the staff report.

Mr. Dunakey presented the Staff Report and Memorandum. He indicated staff facilitated a meeting between the applicant (Marty Hubbard) and representatives of the Country Crossings subdivision committee and two (2) alderman, resulting in agreement between the two parties on several points related to the proposed CUP. In addition, there will be no connection to Campbell Lane and the applicant has agreed to submit a site plan with a minimum lot width of 90’ vs. the original 80’ width. Mr. Dunakey also indicated that he has received 15 letters/e-mails representing 13 properties from Country Crossings residents with concerns including: proposed number of lots/lot density, lot sizes and setbacks, masonry and brick allowances, traffic volume, traffic safety and restricted covenants compared to Country Crossings. In conclusion, the staff recommendation is to approve this request, subject to the eight (8) conditions noted in the Memorandum to the Plan Commission.

Comments and questions from Plan Commission members followed which included: confirming lots abutting current Columbia Crossing lots will meet R-3 requirements (minimum 3-sided brick, buildable areas and setbacks), the remaining lots will need to meet the City’s brick requirements; will additional ingress/egress be attempted at Hill Castle Lane – could be used as an ingress/egress for construction, additional ingress/egress would most likely not be complete before subdivision is developed.

The applicant Marty Hubbard noted he has agreed to put an undetermined amount of money into an escrow to address ingress/egress solutions. In addition, there will be one lot eliminated on each street (with the current 80’ width) to meet the 90’ lot width (eliminating approximately 10 lots from the current plan).

Chairman Bill Seibel opened the meeting for public comment. PUBLIC COMMENTS

The following signed up to speak in opposition: Patrick Fromme, Ray Farley, Mark Manzonelli, Bernie Toenjes, David Knysak, Mike Gregg, Brian Thompson, Matt Klopmeyer, Kathy Stechmesser, Mark Harris.

Comments and concerns from residence in opposition include: Anticipates major problems on Gilmore Lake Road if all traffic has to funnel through Shadow Ridge and Clover with new development, not adding another ingress/egress option with additional homes is not acceptable, turning onto Route 3 is very dangerous especially at peak morning and evening hours, would like to see fewer lots developed, proposed smaller lots will lower current Country Crossings property owner values, unsafe for children in the subdivision with additional traffic. The original annexation agreement from 1998 included: R-3 zoning, if more development took place beyond the original Country Crossings development additional ingress/egress at north and west would be needed, Prairie Run dead-end was required by the city for future access to Hill Castle Lane for ingress/egress onto Route 3. City should stick with what was placed in the original agreement. Hill Castle Lane residents believe they own to the center of the road (have a deed and a signed document from State of Illinois stating it is a private road), construction equipment should not be allowed to us this narrow, private road, current home owner does not want to look at the five (5) proposed houses that will be in his back yard, concerned about an ingress/egress onto Centerville Road and encourages everyone to visit 158 & Centerville site in the morning rush hour to see how difficult it is to access, requested speed limit to be lowered, concerned for lack of turn lanes.

Mr. Hubbard reiterated that he is not here to devalue the current homes in Country Crossings, anticipates new home values to be $350,000-$400,000, included 6 acres for recreational area when only 38,000 s.f. of common ground is required, lots will consist of approximately 16,000 s.f. which is required in R-3 and many lots will be larger. Mr. Hubbard noted he currently has an option to buy property on Hill Castle Lane so he would have easement. If another ingress/egress is added, it will be harder to get approval of a stop light at Route 3 and Gilmore Lake Road.

Chairman Seibel closed the Public Comments.

Mr. Dunakey noted that the annexation agreement from 1998 has expired, we do not have a mechanism to enforce the requirements of that agreement, he also noted when Columbia Crossings was originally developed storm water drainage could be put on privately owned residential property, now it has to be on common ground.

Chairman Seibel opened the deliberation discussion which included the following: Applicant has made changes to eliminate some of the concerns, what is being proposed is worth gaining a few extra lots, traffic is big concern can’t allow for this many homes to be added and no additional ingress/egress added. Traffic studies will be under the next preliminary plat phase.

MOTION:

Motion was made by Commissioner Horsley and seconded by Commissioner Murphy to adopt the findings stated in the Staff Report and forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council regarding the requested Community Unit Plan Type B, subject to the following conditions listed in the Staff Recommendation Report with the following addition: 50% of homes constructed shall meet the 3-sided Residential Masonry Requirements of the Zoning Code, the remaining homes constructed shall, at a minimum, have a masonry front façade as described in the Residential Masonry Requirements of the Zoning Code. On roll call vote, Commissioners Horsley, Seibel, Murphy, Ingold and Yochum voted yes; Commissioners Garmer and Nobbe voted no. MOTION CARRIED ON A 5-2 VOTE.

8. COMMITTEE REPORTS

None

9. STAFF REPORTS & COMMUNICATIONS

Next Plan Commission Meeting is scheduled for March 9, 2020.

10. ADJOURN

Since there was no further business to discuss, Chairman Seibel entertained a motion to adjourn.

MOTION:

Motion was made by Commissioner Nobbe and seconded by Commissioner Garmer to adjourn the Regular Meeting of the Columbia Plan Commission held Monday, January 20, 2020 at 7:55 P.M. On voice vote, all Commissioners present voted yes. MOTION CARRIED 8-0.

https://www.columbiaillinois.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02102020-6