North Cook News

Village of Wheeling Plan Commission met Jan. 24

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

1. CALL TO ORDER 

Chairman Johnson called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. on January 24, 2024. 

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

3. ROLL CALL 

Present were Commissioners Kasper, Sprague, Smart, Hyken and Johnson. Commissioners Riles  and Myer were absent with previous notice. Also, present were Marcy Knysz, Village Planner, Mallory Milluzzi, Village Attorney, Steve Robles, Assistant Director, Community Development, Kyle Goetzelmann, Village Engineer and Robert Niemiec, Fire Inspector. 

4. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA - None 

5. CITIZEN CONCERNS AND COMMENTS - None 

6. CONSENT ITEMS - None 

7. ITEMS FOR REVIEW 

A) Docket No. PSU23-0017 

Horseman Arcade 

1918 S. Wolf Road 

Request for a Special Use to Permit an Entertainment Establishment for Headless Horseman Arcade 

See Findings of Fact and Recommendation for Docket No. PSU23-0017. 

Commissioner Kasper moved, seconded by Commissioner Smart to recommend approval of Docket No. PSU23-0017, granting Special Use approval, as required under Title 19, Zoning, of the Wheeling Municipal Code, Chapter 19-10 Use Regulations, and associated sections, in order to permit an entertainment establishment for the Headless Horseman Arcade, located at 1918 S. Wolf Road, in accordance with the Petitioner’s Project Description Letter (received by the Village on 12/19/2023 and Floor Plan (received by the Village 1/2/2024). 

On the roll call, the vote was as follows: 

AYES: Commissioners Kasper, Smart, Sprague, Hyken, Johnson 

NAYS: None

Wheeling Plan Commission January 24, 2024 Regular Meeting 

ABSENT: Commissioners Riles and Myer 

ABSTAIN: None 

There being five affirmative votes, the motion was approved. 

Commissioner Hyken moved, seconded by Commissioner Smart to close Docket No. PSU23- 0017. 

On the roll call, the vote was as follows: 

AYES: Commissioners Hyken, Smart, Kasper, Sprague, Johnson 

NAYS: None  

ABSENT: Commissioners Riles and Myer 

ABSTAIN: None 

There being five affirmative votes, the motion was approved. 

B) Docket No. PRZ24-0001 

Forrest Capital LLC 

350 E. Dundee Road 

Request for Rezoning from the B-3, General Commercial and Office 

Zoning District to the MXC, Commercial/Residential Mixed Use Zoning District 

See Findings of Fact and Recommendation for Docket No. PRZ24-0001. 

Commissioner Sprague moved, seconded by Commissioner Hyken to continue Docket Nos. PPUD23-001 and PRZ24-0001 to February 14, 2024. 

On the roll call, the vote was as follows: 

AYES: Commissioners Sprague, Hyken, Kasper, Smart, Johnson 

NAYS: None 

ABSENT: Commissioners Riles and Myer 

ABSTAIN: None 

There being five affirmative votes, the motion was approved. 

C) Docket No. PPUD23-001 

Forrest Capital, LLC 

350 E. Dundee Road 

Request for Preliminary Planned Unit Development (PUD) Approval  for a Proposed Four-story Mixed-use Commercial/Residential Building  on a +/-7.0 Acre Site 

See Findings of Fact and Recommendation for Docket No. PPUD23-001.

Commissioner Sprague moved, seconded by Commissioner Hyken to continue Docket Nos. PPUD23-001 and PRZ24-0001 to February 14, 2024. 

On the roll call, the vote was as follows: 

AYES: Commissioners Sprague, Hyken, Kasper, Smart, Johnson 

NAYS: None 

ABSENT: Commissioners Riles and Myer 

ABSTAIN: None 

There being five affirmative votes, the motion was approved. 

D) Docket No. PSUBPP24-0001 

Forrest Capital, LLC 

350 E. Dundee Road 

Request for Preliminary Plat Approval 

Commissioner Sprague moved, seconded by Commissioner Smart to continue Docket No. PSUBPP24-0001 to February 14, 2024. 

On the roll call, the vote was as follows: 

AYES: Commissioners Sprague, Smart, Kasper, Hyken, Johnson 

NAYS: None 

ABSENT: Commissioners Riles and Myer 

ABSTAIN: None 

There being five affirmative votes, the motion was approved. 

E) Docket No. PSU24-0002 

Birdies Car Wash 

966 S. Milwaukee Avenue 

Request for Amendment to Special Use Ordinance No. 5387 

The petitioner is requesting a modification to their Special Use which granted Special Use and site plan and appearance approval for the construction of an automatic car wash. The car wash is under construction and Village Staff found they were not adhering to the approved plans and were notified and received a stop work order. They are here to request approval to use different building materials on the main building and trash enclosure. Following are the proposed changes: 

1. Remove stone wainscot on the north and south of the building and replace with brick.

2. Remove stone columns on the north and south elevation of the building.

3. Remove arched opening over garage door with a straight opening. 

4. Remove (2) sets of windows on the north elevation. 

5. Change to the refuse enclosure. 

6. Reconfigure the footprint and modify the materials for the enclosure for the vacuum equipment (as a result the Landscape Plan will also be modified). 

Ms. Knysz provided pictures of the proposed and existing building. The building is solid face brick without stone. The stone was added to the east and west sides. The lighter white stone is on each end of the building and the brown brick on the main part of the building. It still meets 

the intent of the Design Guidelines and that is why Staff supports the change. The bottom stone is being removed on the trash enclosure, but the entire enclosure is brick, so it still meets the Design Guidelines. The stone on the bottom of the pay station has been removed, so it is all brick. The footprint of the refuse enclosure got larger because they couldn’t fit all their vacuum equipment with the trash dumpsters, so it got larger, so they had to change their landscape plan a little. When they amend the Special Use, it will have a new site plan, new elevations, and a new landscaping plan. Staff also required them to add a new 8’ tall wood fence on the north property line which was not part of the initial approval because the fence that was existing was damaged during construction. 

Mr. Neil Patel, Contractor, 711 N. Elmhurst Road, Prospect Heights and Mr. Paul Connor, Property Owner, 133 Saddle Brook Drive, Oak Brook were present. 

Mr. Patel explained the original project was owned by someone else and was then purchased. They hired an architect to update the plans and were under the assumption they had been submitted to the Village and were approved. They later found out they were never submitted or approved. 

The trash enclosure increased in size because the previous one was not functional. The windows were removed because there were two on the north side of the building and they needed wall space for the car wash equipment. The stone wainscot and columns were removed because of the cost and were obscured by landscaping. The arch was an expensive item and was not part of the budget. The fence was in bad shape and needed to be replaced. 

Commissioner Kasper had no questions. 

Commissioner Sprague had no questions. 

Commissioner Smart had no questions. 

Commissioner Hyken had no questions. 

Chairman Johnson reminded the petitioner to get a permit for the ground sign. 

Commissioner Smart moved, seconded by Commissioner Hyken to recommend approval of Docket No. PSU24-0002, amending Ordinance No. 5387, which granted a special use to operate an automatic car wash as required under Title 19, Zoning, of the Wheeling Municipal Code,

Chapter 19-06 Commercial Districts, Chapter 19-10 Use Regulations, and associated sections, for Birdies Car Wash, located at 966 S. Milwaukee Avenue, in accordance with the Project Description Letter, prepared by Neri Architects dated 1/15/2024, Revised Plan Set prepared by Neri Architects dated 1/10/2024 and the Elevations prepared by Neri Architects dated 1/15/2024. 

On the roll call, the vote was as follows: 

AYES: Commissioners Smart, Hyken, Kasper, Sprague, Johnson 

NAYS: None 

ABSENT: Commissioners Riles and Myer 

ABSTAIN: None 

There being five affirmative votes, the motion was approved. 

8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 

A) Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 10, 2024 (including the  Findings of Fact for Docket No. PV23-0019). 

Commissioner Sprague moved, seconded by Commissioner Hyken to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 10, 2024, (including the Findings of Fact for Docket No. PV23- 0019) as presented. 

On the roll call, the vote was as follows: 

AYES: Commissioners Sprague, Hyken, Kasper, Johnson 

NAYS: None  

ABSENT: Commissioners Riles and Myer 

ABSTAIN: Commissioner Smart 

There being four affirmative votes, the motion was approved. 

9. OTHER BUSINESS 

Ms. Kynsz reported there will be a full agenda at the February 14th meeting. 

10. ADJOURNMENT  

Commissioner Smart moved, seconded by Commissioner Hyken to adjourn the meeting at 8:10 p.m. The motion was approved by a voice vote.

https://www.wheelingil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01242024-2591