Grundy Reporter

Grundy County Zoning Board of Appeals Committee met April 21.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

Pursuant to Governor Executive Order 2020-10 ordering Stay at Home and prohibiting the public gathering of more than ten people; and, in accordance with Governor Executive Order 2020-7, Section 6, this meeting will be conducted by teleconference only.

The public may enter comment for the Public Comment portion of the meeting by emailing publiccomment@grundyco.org by 2 hours prior to the start of any meeting. Live audio of the meeting can be accessed in the same manner as watching a regular meeting broadcast (going to https://www.grundyco.org and clicking on minutes and agenda towards the bottom of the page).

I. Call to order / Pledge of Allegiance/Roll Call

Chairman Breisch called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and explained to all of the members present during the teleconference that they should all announce themselves before commenting and roll call voting.

II. Approval of Minutes

Chairman Breisch asked if there were any comments regarding the March 17, 2020 minutes. There were none; he asked for a motion to approve. Skwarczynski motioned to approve, Lynch seconded. Chairman Breisch asked for all members to vote by voice. Motion passed unanimously.

III. Official Business

1. Petition #20-ZBA-001 Variance to Allow for a Dynamic Sign - Faith Baptist Church

Chairman Breisch summarized the staff report for the variance for the reader board dynamic sign for the First Baptist Church. He stated what the suggested conditions of no animated messages and the foot candle amount at the property line being zero for the residents and traffic for Pine Bluff Road.

Chairman Breisch ask Pastor Counterman the petitioner to provide a description of what the variance.

Pastor Counterman expressed that the existing sign that was installed in the 1980s has an internally lit reader board and is getting older so the church wanted to replace it. He explained that the church has provided many improvements in the last 13 years that he has been pastor and the change of the sign was one of the improvements that they would like to incorporate. The message board for the proposed sign is smaller than the original sign and will provide the events for the church and service times. Pastor Countermann stated that communication was provided to most of the neighbors in person concerning the sign variance and he said they were accepting of the dynamic portion of the sign. He continued that the church has a good relationship with the adjacent neighbors and will continue to do so.

Chairman Breisch asked the Zoning Board of Appeals members if they had any comments or questions for Pastor Counterman.

Skwarczynski asked if there were any comments from the public.

Miller stated that based on the teleconference all public comments needed to be provided by 5:00 PM and emailed to publiccomment@grundyco.org. She said that no comments had been sent. She continued by stating that since this item was tabled at the March 17, 2020 ZBA meeting, that the office has not received any letters, phone calls, or emails concerning the petition.

Chairman Breisch opened the public comment portion at 7:05 PM.

Miller explained that there were no comments.

Chairman Breisch closed the public comment portion of the meeting at 7:06 PM.

Joyce asked if the Sheriff or the Highway Department had any comments concerning this variance. Miller stated that they did not receive the variance. She did add that there were light issues along IL Rte 113 in regard to a pole barn's exterior lights that were an issue to drivers and that the Sheriff at that time expressed this concern. The owners were notified and the lights were turned down to lesson the glare onto the roadway.

Pastor Counterman stated that he was concerned about the conditions being placed on this sign as the brightness of the existing sign would probably be greater than the new sign.

Skwarczynski asked if there were spotlights on the existing sign. Pastor Counterman expressed that the bulbs were inside the message board.

Nelson asked if Zeiter's sign along IL Rte 47 was restricted for brightness or foot candles at the property line. Miller stated that when the sign was installed was prior to the 2010 UDO and there were no restrictions on that sign.

Chairman Breisch stated that since an existing sign has not caused issue for foot candle amounts, then this would not be an issue for this sign either.

Lynch stated that the detail page provided in the packet includes a 60 W designation for the sign.

Chairman Breisch thought that as an amber LED that it would be less of a glare onto Pine Bluff Road.

Nelson also stated that there are several dynamic reader board signs that are along IL Rte 47 and that he felt that this sign was appropriate.

Sandeno included that he felt the due dilligence was completed by the petitioner and that the brightness of the 60 watts would not be an issue for this location.

There was further discussion on the scrolling sign messages. The group consensus was that all reader signs have scrolling messages and because this sign would not have animation it would be appropriate use for the area.

Chairman Breisch asked for a motion. Nelson motioned, Lynch seconded.

Joyce provided comment stating that he felt that the brightness should be measured as 0 fc at the property line.

Chairman Breisch asked for a roll call vote. Motion passed 6-1 with Joyce voting no.

RESULT: APPROVED [6 TO 1] 

MOVER: Sid Nelson 

SECONDER: Lisa Lynch 

AYES: Breisch, Lynch, Hill, Nelson, Skwarczynski, Sandeno NAYS: Joyce

IV. Old Business

1. Direction for Changes to Section 8-14 and Permitted Uses

Chairman Breisch discussed that a workshop took place prior to the regular scheduled meeting of March 17, 2020 in regard to the suggested changes to Section 8-14 and CG permitted/special uses in Tables 8-2-2-1A, 1B, and 1C. He continued by stating that there was research completed by Miller in her staff report that provided a description of the existing uses along US Rte 6 West, and north and south bound IL Rte 47 and to Section 8-14-9-4. He asked Miller to provide a summary to the committee.

Miller stated that she suggests that Section 8-14-9-4 changes such that CG zoning would be allowed if it was designated in the 2030 Grundy Comprehensive Plan for that use. This would remove the need for a contiguity of another CG zoned parcel in order for the County (recommending committees and County Board) to make that change. She mentioned that at the workshop Joyce had asked for the word "approved" to be removed and the word "considered" added to this section change.

The second portion of proposed change would be concerning the existing CG zoning uses in the county as there were concerns expressed in the previous map amendment proposed in 2019.

Miller noted that after studying the existing uses that have CG zoned along IL Rte 47 north/south and US Rte 6 west that there were mostly self storage, gas stations, a vehicle repair shop, and churches. Along the southern portions of IL Rte 47 those uses were in close proximity to residential uses. She stated that there have not been issues with these use combinations in those areas. Therefore, to review the permitted, special and not allowed uses of Table 8-2-2 would help in providing the balance of CG uses and the neigbors in those areas while allowing for commercial growth in Grundy County unincorporated. Her suggestions included modifying Table 8-2-2 to remove uses that require heavy sanitary and water usage along with traffic considerations like hospitals which are more feasible for municipalities and to add more ag-related business uses as permitted such as a veterinary practices.

She asked for a motion to move this recommendation to the Land Use Committee for their May meeting as it will be provided in a larger text amendment for the future.

Lynch motioned, Skwarczynski seconded. Motion passed.

RESULT: REFERRED TO COMMITTEE [UNANIMOUS] Next: 5/27/2020 2:30 PM 

MOVER: Lisa Lynch 

SECONDER: Al Skwarczynski 

AYES: Joyce, Breisch, Lynch, Hill, Nelson, Skwarczynski, Sandeno

V. New Business

There was no new business.

VI. Adjournment

Joyce motioned to adjourn, Nelson seconded. Motion passed.

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