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PLANNING FILE 13-004 1 Request by Meritex Enterprises, Inc. for approval of a PRELIMINARY PLAT at 2305 Walnut Street 2 Chair Gisselquist opened the Public Hearing for Planning File 13-004 at approximately 6:49 p.m. 3 Associate Planner Lloyd noted the date on the displayed map as 11-002, providing a history of 4 development and incremental platting process since 2011 by Meritex. Mr. Lloyd noted that, in this first of 5 a two-step process, Meritex, in conjunction with the prospective developer of the property, Trammell Crow 6 Chicago Development, Inc. proposes to plat Outlot A of the Highcrest Park Third Addition Plat, lying in the 7 southwest corner of the intersection of Walnut Street ad Terminal Road, as Highcrest Park 5th Addition. 8 Mr. Lloyd noted that this hearing at the Planning Commission level was the first step for recommendation 9 of the Preliminary Plat to the City Council, and then the City Council’s subsequent approval of the 10 Preliminary Plat. 11 Mr. Lloyd briefly expanded on the staff report detail; advising that staff recommended approval of the 12 proposed PRELIMINARY PLAT, pursuant to code, Title 11, as conditioned in Section 7.0 of the staff 13 report. 14 At the request of Member Boguszewski, Mr. Lloyd clarified that this ongoing process was the natural 15 course for the platting process since 2011; with property configurations remaining pending until the time 16 an end user was known. 17 Member Daire noted that as indicated on this Concept Site Plan, the developer anticipated parking along 18 the south side of the property line on the proposed Outlot; and further noted that directly across Walnut 19 Street was another massive trailer storage facility. Member Daire questioned if staff had made any 20 recommendation to the developer regarding aesthetics, or to encourage a building plan that would allow 21 adequate maneuvering for semi-trailers and accommodating their parking. 22 Mr. Lloyd advised that staff had not yet held those more detailed discussions, as the purpose of the 23 Preliminary Plat was specific to define property boundaries and public infrastructure needed for the site 24 (e.g. storm drainage, roadways, sanitary sewer, water service). Mr. Lloyd advised that previous plats 25 further south had already taken care of many of the infrastructure needs. 26 Following that, Mr. Lloyd advised that when the ultimate end use of the site was determined, that use 27 would need to meet all City and Zoning Codes. At that time, Mr. Lloyd advised that outdoor truck storage 28 may need approval through a Conditional Use application and process, based on the industrial nature of 29 the property. However, at this point, Mr. Lloyd advised that the inside use of the property was irrelevant, 30 and not part of the Preliminary Plat approval process, as well as determining if any part of the 31 development needed a variance. 32 At the request of Member Daire, Mr. Lloyd clarified that the property use would not come back before the 33 Commission, unless some part of the development needed a variance or outdoor storage required a 34 Conditional Use, and that any other approvals would probably be processed administratively by staff. 35 At the request of Member Murphy, Mr. Lloyd addressed the sufficiency of Terminal Road and Walnut 36 Street. Mr. Lloyd advised that, while the Public Works/Engineering Department would address roadway 37 infrastructure conditions and requirements, this again was simply a Preliminary Plat proposal with a 38 broader knowledge that an 180,000 square foot warehousing facility was proposed. Without having the 39 actual perspective of the Public Works/Engineering Department available, Mr. Lloyd advised that in their 40 preliminary reviews of the Preliminary plat, they had brought forth no concerns regarding the proposed 41 use. 42 At the request of Member Murphy, Mr. Lloyd addressed the main intended ingress/egress to the site, 43 advising that there was currently no access from the site onto Terminal Road; and noting that a portion of 44 Terminal Road was no longer a public roadway. However, based on easements already in place for the 45 property to the north, Mr. Lloyd advised that egress could possibly be provided to the private portion of 46 Terminal Road and then into the public infrastructure. Mr. Lloyd noted that alternate access point would 47 be on Walnut Street. 48 At the request of Member Daire, Mr. Lloyd addressed building height (allowed at 60’ in the Industrial 49 District) and impervious surface percentages (allowed up to 85% of the overall site area). 50