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The Planning and Zoning Committee of the DeKalb County
Board met on April 27, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room East located
in the DeKalb County Administration Building. In attendance were Committee
Members Roger Steimel, Patricia Vary, Marlene Allen, Eileen Dubin, Vince
Faivre, Howard Lyle and Steve Slack, and staff members Paul Miller and Cky
Ready. Audience members included: Peter Smith, Dave Prouly, Frank Hodina and
Brad Copple.
Mr. Steimel, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, called the
meeting to order. Mr. Steimel also noted that all Committee members were
present.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mr. Lyle moved to approve the minutes of the March 23, 2005 meeting of
the Planning and Zoning Committee, seconded by Mr. Faivre, and the motion
carried unanimously.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mrs. Allen moved to approve the agenda, seconded by Ms. Vary, and the
motion carried unanimously.
ZONING MAP AMENDMENT & SPECIAL USE PERMIT – Request of Kishwaukee Community
Hospital for approval of a new hospital and medical office building on 30
acres located on the west side of State Rte. 23, south of the existing
hospital, in DeKalb Township, Petition DK-05-06
Mr. Miller indicated that Kishwaukee Community Hospital has filed an
application for a Zoning Map Amendment, Special Use Permit and Variation, in
accordance with the requirements of the DeKalb County Zoning Ordinance. The
requests are to accommodate the construction and operation of a new hospital
on 30 acres located on the west side of State Rte. 23, south of the existing
hospital. The petition is to change the zoning of that portion of the
subject property currently zoned A-1, Agricultural District to B-1, Business
District, and to grant a Special Use Permit for the new hospital. A
Variation is requested to allow the building to exceed the maximum permitted
area of 20,000 square feet for buildings in the B-1 District. Mr. Miller
explained that, because of the recent adoption of a new Zoning Ordinance, if
the Committee recommends approval of the request, the Map Amendment would be
to rezone the entire site to the BC, Business Conservation District.
Mr. Steimel asked what the reason was that Kishwaukee Community Hospital
wanted to locate the new hospital in unincorporated DeKalb County, rather
than annexing to DeKalb or Sycamore. Mr. Smith indicated that the hospital
wanted to serve the entire County and that an agreement had been reached
when the existing hospital was first constructed to keep the institution in
unincorporated DeKalb County. The Hospital wants to remain true to that
agreement with the new facility.
Mrs. Dubin asked if the new hospital would have the same number of beds. Mr.
Copple indicated that Kishwaukee was currently licensed for 172 beds and
that the new facility would have 100 beds. However, the existing hospital
has 100 beds that are semi-private rooms, the new hospital will have 100
beds in private rooms.
Mrs. Dubin asked about future growth of the DeKalb County region and whether
this process for a new hospital will have to be repeated in five years. Mr.
Copple indicated that the guiding principles for the design of the new
hospital would be able to accommodate two times the growth. The growth
principles of the new design would allow the facility to expand to a 200 bed
facility.
Ms. Vary asked about plans for use of the old hospital. Mr. Copple stated
that there were no definite plans yet, other than that the old emergency
room will be used for EMS training. However, he indicated that the YMCA,
Northern Illinois University, and Kishwaukee Community College had all
expressed interest in use of the building.
Mr. Slack asked what square footage will be available in the old hospital
building for outside use. Mr. Copple stated that it depended on the needs of
future clients as to the total square footage that could be made available.
Mr. Miller informed the Committee that any future expansions of the proposed
hospital would be required to go back through the Special Use process.
Possible adaptive reuses of the old hospital, such as training or academic
instruction, would require a new Special Use Permit.
Ms. Vary pointed out concerns by the Fire Department, the Army Corp of
Engineers and the fact that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
wanted the area slated for detention ponds to remain as wetlands. She asked
if any effort was being made to accommodate these requests. Mr. Hodina
replied that the idea was to use the existing low spots on the front of the
property as detention areas. He stated that it is difficult to work existing
wetlands into a development, and pointed out that with existing wetlands you
have to either leave them completely alone or mitigate them off-site. Given
the amount of construction that will be taking place on the site and the
amount of erosion control that will put it, the decision was made to
mitigate the existing wetlands off-site. He indicated that once the
construction was complete the detention areas would be re-seeded and water
will be maintained in them. Mr. Copple pointed out that Kishwaukee Community
Hospital intended to incorporate the detention ponds as part of the overall
aesthetics of the site.
Mr. Steimel asked if the mitigation ratio was one to one. Mr. Hodina pointed
that the ratio of mitigation was one to one and a half, and that the
Hospital would be doing the mitigation through the County wetland bank at
Afton Forest Preserve.
Ms. Vary asked if the wetlands will definitely become detention ponds or if
there was still an option to keep the wetlands. Mr. Copple pointed out that
these wetlands were of low quality and that they would become detention
ponds. He stated that he wanted to impress on the Committee that the
hospital intended to use the detention area as a focal point for the
hospital.
Ms. Vary asked if County Engineer Bill Lorence’s issues had been addressed.
Mr. Miller stated that the issues Bill Lorence raised will be addressed
along with the issues raised by the Fire Department. Mr. Miller stated that
the hospital had been very cooperative and open to the concerns raised by
the various respondents.
Mr. Smith pointed out that before the hospital came to the County Board they
had held three open meetings for the public. He also pointed out that at Mr.
Miller’s request Kishwaukee Hospital had put together a multi-jurisdictional
meeting with all concerned municipalities. He stated that Illinois law
requires the hospital to locate and fix any broken tiles on the property and
to incorporate that water into the hospital’s drainage system.
Mr. Steimel discussed the proposed traffic light at Gateway, and indicated
that the signal is needed and would be a help to motorists now trying to
turn left out of Gateway Drive from Hauser-Ross.
Ms. Vary asked about a basement. Mr. Copple indicated that there would be a
lower level, a ground level and an upper level. Ms. Vary then asked about
the potential for flooding. Mr. Hodina indicated that there would be pipes
to direct stormwater, and a relief pipe would also be installed which will
funnel any water away in case of a sump pump failure.
Mrs. Dubin asked what percentage of the population from the southern portion
of DeKalb County are served by Kishwaukee Community Hospital. Mr. Copple
stated that one of the strategies of the hospital was to develop ties with
the southern parts of DeKalb County. He indicated that 70% of residents in
southern DeKalb County were currently going elsewhere for health care.
Ms. Vary moved to approve the zoning map amendment & special use permit,
seconded by Mrs. Allen. The motion carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT - Motion to adjourn by Mr. Faivre, seconded by Mrs.
Allen, and the motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Roger Steimel, Chairman
Planning and Regulations Committee Chairman
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