SITE PLAN AND APPEARANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE

Agendas & Minutes

PURPOSE: To establish a procedure to bring together staff from various departments to meet with developers to help resolve any site or appearance problems and more directly communicate the City's requirements. By identifying the applicable codes and ordinances through this process, costly delays from oversights or incomplete applications may be avoided. In such joint meetings, there is opportunity for exchange between all affected parties which should improve communications and also provide the developer with professional expertise in site and building design. The resultant design should also promote efficiency and economy in providing any necessary City services. Beyond the specific improvements to the site itself, site plan and appearance review is designed to help reduce adverse impact, promote harmony of development with its surroundings and maintain property values.

MEMBERS: City Manager or designee, Dir. of Community and Economic Development, Assist. Dir. of Community and Economic Development for Building, Dir. of Public Works, Superintendent of Parks & Forestry, Traffic Engineer, City Engineer, Exec. Dir. of Arts Council, Representative from the Fire Prevention Bureau Crime Prevention Bureau, Assist. Dir. of Community and Economic Development for Planning and Zoning, Zoning Planner, Plans Examiner,and one or more design professionals who are employed in or reside in Evanston, as appointed by the Mayor with the advise and consent of the City Council. A quorum shall consist of the Assistant Director of Community Development for Zoning, one other representative from the Dept. of Community Development and a representative from the Dept. of Public Works, and from the Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Forestry and shall be required in order to conduct any official Committee business (Ordinance. (47-0-96).

TERM: None

MEETING DATE: Every Wednesday, 2:30 p.m.

PLACE: Civic Center, Room 2404

MEMBERS:
City Manager, Walter Bobkiewicz
Director of Community and Economic Development,Steve Griffin
Director of Public Works, Suzette Robinson
Director of Transportation & Engineering , Paul Schneider
Superintendent of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, Paul D'Agostino
Senior Traffic Engineer, Rajeev Dahal
Director of the Arts Council, Jeff Cory
Representative of the Fire Prevention Bureau, Michael Rons
Representative of the Crime Prevention Bureau, Loyce Spells
Assistant Director for Property Standards, Rehab and Building, Jeff Murphy
Zoning Planner, Dominick Argumedo
Assistant Director for Planning and Zoning, Dennis Marino, represented by Carlos Ruiz
Professional Member Real Estate Professional,Stelios Valavanis
Chair, Project Management Supervisor, Walter Hallen

STAFF: Dennis Marino, Planning & Zoning
Division Manager
847.448.8231
Email Staff

OBJECTIVE:
Site plan and appearance review is a procedure for the review of a proposed development or exterior physical change to a building and/or property to ensure the proposal is compatible with adjacent development. This review brings together staff from various departments to meet with applicants to promote efficient City services. The Committee consists of City staff and design professionals who inform and communicate City architectural, building, economic development, infrastructure, planning, safety, traffic, and zoning concerns. Finally, the Committee establishes the requirement for bicycle facilities when reviewing parking areas for publicly used structures.

Except for single-family residential uses that do not require zoning relief, uses within the U3 University Lakefront Campus District greater than 100' from a public right-of-way that do not require zoning relief, and temporary uses, all developments involving exterior modifications require preliminary and final site plan and appearance review approval before the City may issue a building permit(s).

CONCEPT REVIEW
Concept review is primarily for persons wishing to receive staff comments on a specific proposal before significant resources are committed to the design and/or engineering of a proposal. Generally, the Committee reserves concept review for proposals that have not received a zoning analysis. Concept review is not mandatory. Staff can offer more feedback to the applicant if the applicant brings:

  • Plat of survey
  • Preliminary site plan (with parking plan, including bicycle facilities where appropriate)
  • Preliminary elevations
  • Photographs of the site and surrounding properties
  • An extra copy or reduced version of the site plan, elevations, and photographs for the Committee file.

PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN & APPEARANCE REVIEW
Preliminary review is primarily for persons who have a completed zoning analysis (zoning analyses originate via a building permit or zoning analysis application). Preliminary review is mandatory. In most cases, a Zoning Officer will schedule an applicant for preliminary review before the Committee upon completion of the zoning analysis. Persons appearing before the Committee for preliminary review must bring:

  • Plat of survey
  • Preliminary site plan (with parking plan, including bicycle facilities where appropriate)
  • Preliminary elevations
  • Photographs of the site and surrounding properties
  • An extra copy or reduced version of the site plan, elevations, and photographs for the Committee file.

FINAL SITE PLAN & APPEARANCE REVIEW

Final review is for persons who have received preliminary approval and have submitted permit, construction, or working drawings in conjunction with a building permit application. Final review is mandatory. In most cases, the Zoning Officer will schedule an applicant for final review before the Committee upon completion and approval of the zoning analysis for the building permit application. The Committee may consider preliminary and final review during one meeting. Persons appearing before the Committee for final review must bring:

  • Plat of survey (may be that provided for preliminary review)
  • Permit, working, or construction drawings containing a site plan (with parking plan, including bicycle facilities where appropriate) and elevations
  • Landscape plan, including labels for all portrayed plant material noting species and size
  • Photometric (outdoor lighting) plan
  • Building material samples (exterior only), depicting material, texture, and color
  • Photographs of the site and surrounding properties (may be those provided for preliminary review)
  • An extra copy of the site plan, elevations, and landscape plan only for the Committee file.

Note: The Committee recommends that persons submit the landscape plan to Paul D'Agostino, Superintendent of Parks and Forestry (847-866-2912), and the photometric plan to Sat Nagar, Senior Engineer (847-866-2967), prior to final review.