Plan Commission — Skokie, IL
Date: 2018-05-03

STAFF REPORT 2018-09P: Special Use Permit
Community Development Department Council Chambers, 7:30 PM, May 3, 2018


To: Paul Luke, Chairman, Skokie Plan Commission
From: Mike Voitik, Planning Technician
Re: 2018-09P: Special Use Permit
 7520 Skokie Boulevard
 Agape Life Outreach Ministries

General Information
Location 7520 Skokie Boulevard
Purpose To request a special use permit to expand a religious assembly
 use at 7520 Skokie Boulevard in a B2 Commercial zoning district
 and any relief that may be discovered during the review of this
 case.
Petitioner SA Skokie, LLC, on behalf of Agape Life Outreach Center
 Ministries
Size of Site 24,421 square feet (0.56 acres) with frontage on Skokie
 Boulevard and Jerome Street.
Existing Zoning & B2 Commercial – attached 1- and 2-story, multi-tenant office
Land Use buildings containing religious assembly, a dental lab, consulting
 services, a law office, a clinic, and vacant office space
Adjacent Zoning & North B2 Commercial – veterinary service, dry-cleaning and
Land Use laundry establishment, hair salon, medical supply store
 South B2 Commercial – child day care not in a residence, civic
 organization
 East B2 Commercial – bank with drive-through
 West R2 Single-Family – detached residences
Comprehensive Plan The site is designated as Retail/Service Employment.


SITE INFORMATION
• Overhead utilities are present on the east side of the alley to the west of the subject
 site.
• The northern parking lot is accessible from one-way driveways at Skokie Boulevard
 (entrance) and Jerome Street (exit).



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• The southern parking lot is accessible from a driveway at Skokie Boulevard and from
 the alley running to the west of the subject site.
• An attached parking garage containing 2 indoor parking spaces is accessible from
 Jerome Street.




 Complete Streets
  Public sidewalks are present along Skokie Boulevard and Jerome Street. The site
 is within walking distance of a residential neighborhood and commercial
 properties.
  Bike lanes are present on Howard Street, a half block to the north of the subject
 site. Bike lanes are planned to be installed in the future along Lincoln Avenue
 and access to the Skokie Valley Trail exists approximately a block-and-a-half to
 the northeast of the subject site.
  The site is directly served by the CTA 54A North Cicero/Skokie Blvd. bus. The
 Pace 210 Lincoln Avenue bus stops within a block of the subject site.

PETITIONER’S SUBMITTAL
The petitioner is requesting a special use permit to expand a religious assembly use at
7520 Skokie Boulevard in a B2 Commercial zoning district and any relief that may be
discovered during the review of this case. Agape Life Outreach Center Ministries, which
has been operating at this building since 2015 (case 2015-20P), intends to convert a
hallway and several vacant offices adjacent to its existing 85-seat sanctuary into a
social hall for its congregation. The social hall will be divided from the worship area by
a permanent wall. The front entrance to the remaining office space within the building
will be relocated and a new hallway leading from the relocated entrance will be built to
the south of the social hall.

STAFF ANALYSIS
Comments
Staff Comment and Review sheets were sent to all pertinent departments and were
received from the Forestry Division, Fire Department, Environmental Health Division,
and the Traffic Engineering Division. All other departments returned the sheets with no
comments regarding the subject case.

 Forestry Division
 The Forestry Division requests that the 2 overgrown shrubs in the Jerome Street
 parkway be removed, the stumps ground out, and the areas restored with sod.


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 Both shrubs create visual obstructions for vehicles exiting from the driveway and the
 garage.

 Fire Department
 The Fire Prevention Bureau requests that the petitioner confirm that the combined
 7514-7520 Skokie Boulevard building:
 1. Is fully sprinklered, including the basement.
 2. Is fully fire alarmed, including the basement.
 3. Has an addressable announciator panel at the main entrance.
 If the fire alarm in the building is upgraded or reworked as a result of the proposed
 expansion, monitoring must be done through a wireless program with the Village
 Dispatch Center.
 The building is required to have:
 1. A Knox-Box with functioning keys in it at the main entrance.
 2. Proper emergency lighting and lighted exits per code.
 3. Proper mounted portable extinguishers.
 4. Strobes in bathrooms.
 5. Panic hardware installed on all egress door within the main congregation area.
 6. Fire department connection must be within 100' of a village fire hydrant (a fire
 engineer will have to calculate the demand to see if the building will need a fire
 pump).
 7. If a full kitchen is provided, a hood and duct suppression system must be
 installed.

 Environmental Health
 If kitchen space is used for any food preparation for the patrons or food operations,
 the kitchen must be built out to commercial food code standards and separate plans
 must be submitted for permitting.

 Traffic Engineering Division
 The maximum seating capacity for the worship area is limited to 85 seats, per the
 existing special use permit ordinance. There is no increase in the parking need as a
 result of the new social hall because a maximum of 85 seats will be allowed for each
 use and both uses have the same parking requirement. The subject site will actually
 be brought into closer compliance with its parking requirement because the social
 hall will be replacing office space which would otherwise have a 1/300 requirement.

 Planning Division
 The Planning Division recommends approval of the special use permit request for
 the expansion of the religious assembly use. In 1992, Zoning Board of Appeals case

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 92-46Z granted an allowance for 48 required parking spaces at the subject site,
 which only provided 33 spaces at that time, because the site was changing from an
 art gallery (a 1/800 use) to an office building (a 1/300 use). Case 2015-20P
 determined that no parking relief was required for the site due to the variance. A
 total of 31 spaces are currently provided due to a reconfiguration of the parking lot
 per the 2015 case; therefore, no new relief or variance would be needed for up to
 46 required parking spaces.
 The maximum seating capacity in the worship and social hall areas shall be limited
 to 85 seats each. Any increase in the seating capacity or the overall area that the
 church occupies in the building shall require an amendment to the special use
 permit through the full public hearing process. Concurrent occupancy of the
 worship and social hall areas shall not be permitted. The social hall shall be
 separated from the worship area by a solid, non-movable wall.
 Any change in user to another religious group shall require an application for a new
 special use permit, including public hearings.

APPEARANCE COMMISSION
Appearance Commission review is not required.

STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the petitioner’s request to expand a religious assembly use at
7520 Skokie Boulevard in a B2 Commercial zoning district be APPROVED, based upon
the Proposed Positive Findings of Fact and subject to the recommended and standard
special use permit conditions, and that the current special use permit V.O. #15-7-Z-
4161 be repealed.

RECOMMENDED SPECIAL USE CONDITIONS
1. The petitioner must operate the proposed use in substantial conformance with the
 final Village approved 7514-7520 Skokie Boulevard Site and Landscape Plan, dated
 <insert date of final approved plan>, and 7520 Skokie Boulevard Floor Plan, dated
 March 14, 2018.
2. Prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit, the petitioner shall remove the 2
 overgrown shrubs in the Jerome Street parkway, grind out the stumps, and restore
 the area with sod.
3. The maximum seating capacity in the worship and social hall areas shall be limited
 to 85 seats each. Any increase in the seating capacity or the overall area that the
 church occupies in the building shall require an amendment to the special use
 permit through the full public hearing process.
4. The social hall shall be separated from the worship area by a solid, non-movable
 wall.


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5. Any change in user to another religious group shall require an application for a new
 special use permit, including public hearings.
STANDARD SPECIAL USE CONDITIONS
6. All fencing, walls, sidewalks, driveways, curbs, wheel stops, parking areas, signage,
 landscaping, structures, and any other facilities or infrastructure on the Subject
 Property must be maintained in a good state of repair, and when needed, be
 repaired or replaced in a timely manner.
7. New parking lot and exterior lighting must meet IES standards, be full cut-off design
 and be directed away from adjacent properties, subject to the approval of the
 Engineering Division.
8. All off-street parking spaces must be legibly striped and maintained.
9. All modifications to building elevations, signage, and landscaping shall be subject to
 the review and approval of the Skokie Appearance Commission.
10. All signage must conform to the Skokie Village Code. Any sign on the Subject
 Property that is in violation of that Code must be removed or modified to conform
 with the Village Code prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit.
11. Vehicles must always be parked between, and not overlap, the striped lines of
 designated parking spaces and must not block driveways, sidewalks, aisles, or other
 points of access.
12. All private and public sidewalks must be maintained free of snow, ice, sleet, or other
 objects that may impede travel.
13. All buildings must meet current International Building and NFPA Life Safety Codes as
 amended.
14. Prior to the issuance of building permits, the petitioners must submit to the Planning
 Division of the Community Development Department the name, address, and
 telephone number of the company and contact person responsible for site
 maintenance in compliance with the special use permit.
15. If work is to be performed on public property or if public property is utilized or
 impacted during construction and/or development, the owner shall provide, or shall
 cause the developer and/or contractor to provide, the Village of Skokie with a
 certificate of insurance naming the Village of Skokie as additionally insured for any
 and all claims related to any and all work. The owner shall hold, and shall cause the
 developer and/or contractor to hold, the Village of Skokie harmless and indemnify
 the Village for any and all claims for property damage or personal injury related to
 work on or use of public property.
16. The petitioners shall comply with all Federal and State statutes, laws, rules and
 regulations and all Village codes, ordinances, rules, and regulations.
17. Failure to abide by any and all terms of this Ordinance shall be cause for the Village
 to initiate hearings to determine whether the subject Ordinance, as well as any

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 applicable business licenses, should be revised or revoked.
18. The petitioners shall pay all costs related to any hearings conducted as a result of
 non-compliance with any of the provisions of the enabling ordinance. The costs
 shall include but not be limited to court reporter fees, attorney fees, and staff time
 required researching and conducting said hearing.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Positive Findings of Fact
2. 7514-7520 Skokie Boulevard Site and Landscape Plan, dated August 18, 2015
3. 7520 Skokie Boulevard Floor Plan, dated March 14, 2018
4. Plat of Survey, dated August 8, 1986
5. Land Use and Zoning Map




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Proposed Positive Findings of Fact 2018-09P: Special Use Permit
Community Development Department Council Chambers, 7:30 PM, May 3, 2018


Consideration Finding
The request is consistent with the intent of The request for the expansion of the
the Comprehensive Plan. existing religious assembly use is
 consistent with the intent of the
 retail/service employment use identified
 in the Comprehensive Plan.
The request will not adversely affect There should be no adverse effects of the
adjacent properties. proposed use upon the properties that
 are adjacent to the subject site. There
 will be little to no traffic, parking, or noise
 impact upon other businesses in the
 building or within the area since most of
 these businesses will be closed in the
 evenings and on the weekends, when the
 majority of church activities will be taking
 place.
The request is compatible with the existing The request for the expansion of the
or allowable uses of adjacent properties. religious assembly use is compatible with
 the existing or allowable uses of adjacent
 properties.
The request demonstrates that adequate Adequate public facilities will exist to
public facilities, including roads, drainage, serve the requested use.
utilities, and police and fire protection exist
or will exist to serve the requested use at
the time such facilities are needed.
The request demonstrates adequate Adequate provision for maintenance and
provision for maintenance and use of the use of the associated structure is
associated structures. demonstrated by the request.
The request has considered and, to the No adverse effects on the environment
degree possible, addressed the adverse will be created by the proposed use.
effects on the natural environment.




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The request will not create undue traffic Undue traffic congestion will not be
congestion. created by the expansion of the religious
 assembly use. The maximum seating
 capacity in the worship and social hall
 areas shall be limited to 85 seats each
 and concurrent occupancy of the worship
 and social hall areas shall not be
 permitted. Most of the traffic generated
 by the use will occur during evenings and
 weekends, when most other businesses
 within the area are closed.
The request will not adversely affect public There should be no adverse effect upon
health, safety, and welfare. public health, safety, and welfare.
The request conforms to all applicable The request conforms to all applicable
provisions of this code, except where relief provisions of this code.
is granted with the request.




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