VILLAGE OF NORTH AURORA
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MINUTES
Monday, October 2, 2023
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Village Board meeting was conducted live remotely
via telecommunications.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Gaffino called the meeting to order.
ROLL CALL
In attendance: Mayor Mark Gaffino, Trustee Jason Christiansen, Trustee Laura Curtis, Trustee Mark Guethle, Trustee Mike Lowery, Trustee Todd Niedzwiedz, Trustee Carolyn Salazar
Staff in attendance: Village Administrator Steve Bosco, Finance Director Jason Paprocki, Community & Economic Development Director Nathan Darga, Village Attorney Kevin Drendel, Public Works Director Brian Richter, Deputy Police Chief Joe Gorski.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS – None
TRUSTEE COMMENTS – None
DISCUSSION
1. Randall Terrace Concept
Administrator Bosco introduced the item stating that the Randall Terrace concept was an apartment complex that had already been approved. The developer had changes that they would like to propose. These changes would have to go through a full zoning process, however it was being brought before the Committee of the Whole for a concept review first.
Community & Economic Development Director Nathan Darga reminded the Board that the complex was located off of Miller Drive, to the west of the Goddard School. The property was originally approved in 2001 with B-2 zoning. In 2021 it received a PUD amendment to allow residential development on Lot 2 and then in 2022 there was a minor amendment approving the new building elevations. The site work had been started but the building permits have not yet been issued. Darga explained that the approved plan had four, three story buildings with 75 units. The plan had 150 parking spaces which meets the code requirement of two spaces per unit. There would be a clubhouse and a green space. The developer, Next Generation, represented by Jim Hughes had approached staff about making another change due to the higher cost of construction and higher interest rates. They were requesting that a fourth story be added to the rear three buildings creating an additional 21 units. The site plan would remain the same which would cause the project to go back through for an amendment because it would require several new code exceptions, the need to increase the building height from 35 feet to 47 feet, to decrease the required parking ratio from two spaces per unit to 1.56 per unit and increase the floor area ratio from 0.47 to 0.58.
The developer had provided comparables from around the Chicagoland area. The developer was proposing that the development would be 82% one bedroom units and 18% two bedroom units, and suggested that because there were more one bedroom units there should be less people with two cars per unit.
Jim Hughes with Next Generation presented to the Board, citing rising costs and higher interest rates as the cause for the requests. He stated that they have already invested in the infrastructure of the project and would like the Board to approve the amendments so they can move forward with the project.
Trustee Curtis stated that the Village has building codes to establish uniformity throughout Village which she believes should be maintained. Trustee Curtis also mentioned that she believed that Next Generation would have factored the rising costs of construction into the rent prices passed on to tenants. Hughes stated that they could not raise the rents to cover the rising costs. Trustee Curtis stated that she did not believe that the Village needed to loosen the standards when the rental market prices would support the elevated costs of construction.
There was discussion whether or not there were any other four story buildings within the Village.
Trustee Guethle stated that he agreed with Trustee Curtis.
Trustees Niedzwiedz and Christiansen spoke about the single family homes in the area that would have to look at the four story buildings and were not in favor.
Trustee Salazar stated that she was not in favor of adding a fourth story to the buildings.
Mr. Hughes spoke about the financial challenges the developer was facing with the rising costs of construction and stated that this proposed change to the development was their solution to that problem.
Trustee Lowery expressed concern with the addition of a fourth story and said that he was against it.
Mayor Gaffino expressed concern with the parking as the area already faces challenges with a lack of parking. He also stated that he did not like the idea of bending the Village’s rules for the benefit of a developer. Although he hoped for the success of the developer, he did not want it to be at the expense of the Village and its’s residents.
EXECUTIVE SESSION – None
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn made by Trustee Guethle and seconded by Trustee Niedzwiedz. All in favor. Motion approved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jessi Watkins
Village Clerk
