Plan Commission — Skokie, IL
Date: 2025-03-06

APPROVED on 3/20/2025


 Plan Commission Meeting Minutes
 Date: March 6, 2025
 Skokie Village Hall, 5127 Oakton Street,
 Council Chambers

PLAN COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Paul Luke - Chair
 Jeff Burman, Vice-Chair,
 Scott Berman, Erica Crohn-Minchella,
 and Ross Mathee




PLAN COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Cindy Franklin, Talia Gevaryahu,
 Vijai Gupta, and Sigalle Shpayer



STAFF PRESENT: Tyler Kobylski, Asst Corp. Counsel,
 Johanna Nyden, Comm Dev Director,
 Kate Portillo, Planning Manager,
 Jose Acosta, Planning Coordinator,
 and Marlene Bargamian, Admin Asst.


(I) CALL TO ORDER
 A quorum being present, Chair Luke called the meeting to order at 7:40 PM.


(II) APPROVAL OF MINUTES
 A motion to approve the minutes of the February 20, 2025 meeting was made by
 Commissioner Scott Berman and seconded by Commissioner Erica Minchella.

 Ayes: Unanimous voice vote. The motion passes.

(III) NEW BUSINESS
 a. Case 2025-03P: Site Plan Approval: 5701 Oakton Street, 7700 Gross
 Point Road, and 7720 Gross Point Road
 Community High School District No. 219 (Trustees of Schools, Township 41 North,
 Range 13, East of the Third Principal Meridian, in Cook County, Illinois) requests site
 plan approval for a 4-lot planned development at 5701 Oakton Street, in an R2
 Single-Family zoning district, and at 7700 Gross Point Road and 7720 Gross Point
 Road, in an M1 Office Assembly Industry zoning district, in order to construct a 2-
 story building that will serve as the new location of Niles Central High School and a


# 625188 Plan Commission meeting minutes March 6, 2025
 APPROVED on 3/20/2025

 3-story building addition at Niles West High School, along with reconfigured surface
 parking, new stormwater detention, and a new signalized intersection at Gross Point
 Road, relief from §82-7(12) to provide directional signs that exceed 4 square feet
 and have a maximum dimension greater than 38 inches in one direction, relief from
 §82-26(a) to allow the installation of directional signs in a residential zoning district,
 relief from §118-218(b)(4) to allow existing office parking less than 1 parking space
 per 300 square feet of net floor area, relief from §118-233(b) to not provide a
 landscape plan addressing all requirements of the Zoning Chapter, and relief from
 §118-233(e) to not provide 1 parking lot tree for every 15 parking spaces within the
 interior of the parking area, and any other relief that may be discovered during the
 review of this case.
 PINs: 10-29-208-027-0000, 10-29-208-028-0000, 10-29-208-029-0000, and
 10-29-210-012-0000

 Corporation Counsel, Tyler Kobylski, determined that notice was proper and
 correct.

 Jose Acosta, Planning Coordinator, requested that the staff report be accepted
 into the record as written. He stated that staff is supportive of the request for
 additions to the District 219 campus including the 4 items of relief. He displayed
 the site plan, Findings of Fact, and recommended conditions. The 2-story
 building is new construction for the Niles Central High School (an alternative
 education use) on the southeast side while the 3-story addition will be on the
 northeast side of Niles West school building. The proposal includes
 reconfigured surface parking, new stormwater detention, and a new traffic
 signal on Gross Point Road.

 It was discovered during the review of this case that IDOT owns the parking lot
 on the northeast corner. However, it is included in the site plan approval
 request. The petitioner and IDOT are in communication and a formal
 agreement is being drawn up for the use of this lot.

 The improvements made will positively impact traffic congestion and vehicular
 and pedestrian safety at the school and in the neighborhood. As part of the new
 traffic signal, a new walkway is proposed from Gross Point Road to Oakton
 Street to provide pedestrian access to the new Niles Central High School.

 Also, as part of this project, a condition will be added that the unimproved
 driveway portion of Austin Avenue which serves the football stadium on the
 west side of the campus will be paved to Village standards when the
 resurfacing of Austin Avenue takes place.

 Items of relief include:
 - Install directional signs in a residential district.


# 625188 Plan Commission meeting minutes March 6, 2025
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 - Allow directional signs to be in excess of 4 sq. ft and be greater than
 38” in one direction.
 - Waive the requirement of 1 parking lot tree for every 15 parking
 spaces.
 - Waive landscaping between the property line and the continuous
 curbing adjacent to street frontages in parking lots.

 Scott Berman inquired if a separate approval is needed from IDOT regarding
 the parking lot that they own. Community Development Director, Johanna
 Nyden answered that the parking lot has long been part of the site and is
 considered part of the application.

 Ken Florey, attorney from Robbins Schwartz and Athi Toufexis, architect of
 Studio GC representing the school showed a power point slide show of their
 proposal. They added that the student body is not increasing. The educational
 services of Niles Central are for Niles West & Niles North students only – no out
 of district enrollees. They also mentioned that the no landscaping within the
 school lots is a safety protocol so people cannot hide.

 Scott Berman asked about the stormwater detention and the decrease in
 parking spaces. Jim Vreeland, Asst. Superintendent for Business answered
 that the stormwater detention is all underground. The net decrease in parking
 lot spaces is due to the repurposing of the space that Drivers-Ed and bus
 parking utilized.

 Ross Mathee wanted confirmation that the School Board has approved the
 project. He also inquired where the school administrative office will be located.
 Mr. Florey stated that the administration and business offices will still be on-site
 locating in the main school building addition.

(IV) RECOMMENDATIONS AND VOTING
 A motion was made to approve as presented the recommendations of staff for
 site plan approval to construct a 2-story building which will serve as the new
 location of Niles Central High School and a 3-story building addition at Niles
 West High School, along with reconfigured surface parking, new stormwater
 detention, and a new signalization intersection at Gross Point Road.
 Motion: J. Burman Second: E. Minchella

 Ayes: 5
 Nays: 0

 A motion was made to accept the following 4 items of relief:
 - Provide directional signs in a residential district.



# 625188 Plan Commission meeting minutes March 6, 2025
 APPROVED on 3/20/2025


 - To allow directional signs to exceed 4 sq. ft and 38 inches in one
 direction.
 - To waive the requirement of 1 parking lot tree within the interior of the
 parking area for every 15 parking spaces.
 - To waive the requirement for landscaping between the property line
 and the continuous curbing adjacent to the street frontages in parking
 lots.

 Motion: S. Berman Second: J. Burman

 Ayes: 5
 Nays: 0

(V) PULIC COMMENTS
 There was no public comment.


(VI) ITEMS FOR COMMUNICATION
 None

(VII) ADJOURNMENT
 Chair Luke adjourned the meeting at 8:08 PM.




 Respectfully submitted,
 Marlene Bargamian,
 Administrative Asst.




# 625188 Plan Commission meeting minutes March 6, 2025