Recommended Guidelines for the
REDEVELOPMENT OF MADISON STREET
from Oak Park Avenue to Harlem Avenue

September 20, 2005

INTRODUCTION

The Neighbors for Madison Renewal have prepared this document for the Village of Oak Park Board of Trustees to express our concerns in light of recently proposed redevelopments and to provide our thoughts and recommendations regarding the future development of Madison Street from Oak Park Avenue to Harlem Avenue. We see this area as unique within the context of the Madison Street corridor and recognize that redevelopment of properties in this area provides an extraordinary and exciting opportunity to implement changes that will physically improve Madison Street and provide long term benefits to the residents and commercial property owners of Oak Park.

The recommendations contained herein represent the consensus opinion of the Neighbors for Madison Renewal and the residents of the neighborhoods adjacent to the western portion of Madison Street. As the stakeholders in the area impacted by redevelopment along Madison Street, and with the historical perspective of many long term residents, we believe that we can provide insight and suggestions that are relevant, useful, and consistent with the principles of the Village of Oak Park Zoning Ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan 1990, Village of Oak Park, Illinois. It is our intent that these recommendations inform the Board of Trustees and encourage a holistic view of the Madison Street corridor from Harlem Avenue to Euclid Avenue as they deliberate the prospective Master Plan for Madison Street and any proposed individual development for this area. The Neighbors for Madison Renewal strongly support the creation and implementation of a Master Plan for the future development of Madison Street in Oak Park, and in the absence of a Master Plan ask that the Board consider using these guidelines in its place until such time as the Master Plan is completed and approved.

GOAL

It is our goal, and we hope the goal of the Board of Trustees, to create a Madison Street cityscape that is both visually and physically inviting, encouraging to both business and residential development, and sensitive to the needs of the adjacent residential neighborhoods.

OBJECTIVES

1. Take advantage of new development opportunities to create a pedestrian friendly streetscape by:
   1. Requiring setbacks from Madison Street property lines of new developments to permit expansion of the pedestrian right-of-way.
   2. Requiring the development and maintenance of green areas in and adjacent to the pedestrian right-of-way in new developments.
2. Encourage retail and business development on Madison Street with special emphasis on the important intersections of Oak Park Avenue, Home Avenue, and Harlem Avenue by:
   1. Establishing a requirement for ground floor retail space in all new developments along Madison Street.
   2. Utilizing curb reconfigurations to:
      1. Create larger pedestrian platforms at intersections.
      2. Create safer and more clearly defined parking lanes in front of retail
         properties.
      3. Develop creative transitions between the existing and new portions of the pedestrian right-of-way.
   3. Recognizing that the Oak Park, Home, and Harlem Avenue intersections are major commercial nodes in the Madison Street Corridor.
   4. Accommodating the needs of existing retail and business tenants and encouraging them to remain in this area.
3. Establish and maintain a view down Madison Street that is open, inviting, welcoming and interesting by:
   1. Restricting the maximum height of all new buildings to 50 feet, as currently allowed in a C - Commercial Zoning District.
   2. Creating incentives to encourage setbacks in new developments above the second floor levels.
      
   3. Encouraging the implementation of publicly accessible greenspace at frequent intervals in new developments along Madison Street.
      
   4. Encouraging the implementation of LEED initiatives including sustainable and energy efficient designs, active and passive energy considerations, use of renewable resources, and green roofs.
      
4. Ensure a safe and non-congested traffic environment on Madison Street and adjacent residential side streets by:
   
   1. Assessing the possibility of reconfiguring the traffic lanes and traffic controls on Madison Street to permit a better flow of traffic.
      
   2. Carefully limiting the density of individual new developments to reduce the resulting traffic burden.
      
   3. Discouraging vehicular traffic from utilizing the adjacent residential streets.
      
   4. Encouraging the access to and egress from new developments via Madison Street.
      
5. Perform a careful and forward thinking and holistic analysis of the impact of future developments on the services and infrastructure in the affected areas of the Village.

ANALYSIS

Objective No. 1

According to the report prepared by Schreibner/Anderson Associates, Inc. entitled Madison Street Corridor Landscape Improvements (November 17, 2004), the right-of-way of the portion of Madison Street between Oak Park and Harlem Avenues is 47 feet narrower than right-of-way located east of Oak Park Avenue (73 feet as opposed to 120 feet). This is the equivalent loss of approximately four traffic lanes. The sidewalks are also very narrow, crowded with signs, utility poles, and trash containers, and not particularly pedestrian friendly. There is currently no room to enhance the ambient character of the sidewalks. Permitting new developments to extend to the current lot lines along Madison Street will forever preclude the possibility of any meaningful improvement of the pedestrian areas in the future. The new development of individual properties provides a unique and exciting opportunity to capture more space for implementation of pedestrian improvements.

Objective No. 2

For the past 20 years, the majority of the redevelopment along this portion of Madison Street has been residential. This is a significant underutilization of the existing C - Commercial Zoning, and is not consistent with the Zoning Ordinance which states as one of its purposes:
To conserve the values of property throughout the Village and to protect the character and stability of the residential, business and industrial areas; (Section 1.2.B.)
Exclusively residential development undermines the potential tax benefits of commercial properties, placing additional burden on residential property owners. There are limited areas of the Village that permit commercial development and not utilizing those areas accordingly represents a serious loss of an opportunity and is inconsistent with one of the goals of the Comprehensive Plan which states:
Economic Development. To expand the Village’s tax base in order to maintain a high level of services programs and facilities. To encourage a broad range of convenient retail and service facilities to serve Oak Park residents and others.
Furthermore, unfocused development at the key intersections of Oak Park, Home, and Harlem Avenues compounds the loss. An important Application Requirement for a Planned Development is:
An analysis of the economic impact of the proposed development on the Village. (Section 2.2.7.D.2.l.)

Objective No. 3

Development along this portion of Madison Street must take into account the reduced right-ofway, and the character of the adjacent neighborhoods. Setting a precedent of permitting buildings in excess of the existing height limit of 50 feet could lead to a wall of tall buildings on both sides of the street, creating a canyon-like effect on Madison Street. It will also create a jarring juxtaposition to the adjacent residential properties. The Zoning Ordinance states that its
purpose is:

• To promote the public health, safety, morals, comfort and general welfare of the citizens of the Village; (Section 1.2.A.)
• To conserve the values of property throughout the Village and to protect the character and stability of the residential, business and industrial areas; (Section 1.2.B.)
• To promote orderly and beneficial development that supports the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan for the development of the Village; (Section 1.2.C.)
• To provide adequate light, pure air, privacy and convenience of access to property; (Section 1.2.D.)
• To divide the Village into districts of such number, shape, area and of such different classes, according to the use of the land and buildings, the height and bulk of buildings, the intensity of uses and the area of open space, as may be deemed best suited to carry out the purpose of the Zoning Ordinance; (Section 1.2.G.)
• Maintaining a maximum height limit of 50 feet will ensure a visually open streetscape and provide for reasonable transitions to the adjacent residential neighborhoods. Furthermore, encouraging the introduction of publicly accessible green areas, green roofs, and the use of environmentally friendly construction materials and methods, is a sound environmental policy, and will also provide for a more interesting and inviting view down Madison Street.

Objective No. 4

The narrowing of the Madison Street right-of-way west of Oak Park Avenue in conjunction with residential side streets that do not permit the passage of two cars simultaneously when cars are parked on both sides of the street creates a situation where traffic volume and public safety are of the greatest concern. One of the purposes of the Zoning Ordinance is:

To lessen or avoid congestion in public streets and highways in the Village. (Section 1.2.E.)

One of the stated goals of the Comprehensive Plan is:

Transportation and Parking: To preserve the residential character of
neighborhoods and improve the health of business districts while achieving the safe, fuel-efficient and cost-effective movements of people and goods within and through Oak Park.

One of the most important Application Requirements for a Planned Development is:

A traffic study showing the proposed traffic circulation pattern within and in the vicinity of the area of the development, including the location and description of public improvement to be installed, including any streets and access easements. (Section 2.2.7.D.2.k.)

Children from the neighborhood south of Madison frequently walk to Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School. Furthermore, this area contains two daycare centers, two elderly and assisted living communities, and two playground/tot-lots. The safety of the individuals crossing residential streets as well as Madison Street is of paramount concern. Improving the movement of traffic on Madison Street while limiting or restricting the flow of traffic from Madison Street developments onto the residential streets is an important component of any Madison Street redevelopment.

Objective No. 5

How much new and larger development can Madison Street and the Village as a whole absorb before the increased demand begins to impact the local infrastructure (sewer, water, utilities) and Village services (schools, Police and Fire Departments, waste removal, etc.)? The Application Requirements for a Planned Development include:

• An analysis of the economic impact of the proposed development on the Village. (Section 2.2.7.D.2.l.)
  Copies of all environmental assessments or impact studies as required by law. (Section 2.2.7.D.2.m.)An analysis reporting the anticipated demand on all Village services. (Section 2.2.7.D.2.n.)
• A plan showing off-site utility improvements required to service the planned development and a report showing the cost allocations for those improvements. (Section 2.2.7.D.2.o.)
• A site drainage plan for the developed tract. (Section 2.2.7.D.2.p.)
• As previously stated, the Neighbors for Madison Renewal strongly support the creation and implementation of a Master Plan for the future development of Madison Street in Oak Park. We also firmly believe the Master Plan analysis should include a projection of the possible impact to the Village services and infrastructure in order to technically and financially anticipate and plan for future growth.

CONCLUSION

A proposed Planned Development must satisfy the Standards for Review stated in Section 3.9.1.H. of the Zoning Ordinance which state:

An application for approval as a planned development shall be granted by the Board of Trustees only if it finds that the applicant has demonstrated that the proposed use or combination of uses satisfies the following standards:

1. Comprehensive Plan Standards
   The proposed use or combination of uses is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan.
   
2. Municipal Services Standards
   
   1. The establishment, maintenance, or operation of the use or combination of uses will not be materially detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, morals or general welfare of the residents of the Village.
      
   2. Adequate utilities, road access, drainage, police and fire service
      and other necessary facilities already exist or will be provided to service the proposed use or combination of uses, including access for fire, sanitation, and maintenance equipment.
      
   3. Adequate ingress and egress to the planned-development site already exists or will be provided in a manner that adequately addresses additional traffic congestion in the public streets and promotes a safe and comfortable pedestrian environment.
      
3. Neighborhood Standards
   
   1. The proposed use or combination of uses will not substantially
      diminish the use or enjoyment of other property in the vicinity for those uses or combination of uses that are permitted by the Zoning
      Ordinance of the Village.
      
   2. The proposed use or combination of uses will not have a substantial adverse effect upon property values in the vicinity.
      
   3. The proposed design, use or combination of uses will complement
      the character of the surrounding neighborhood.
      
4. Economic Development Standards
   
   1. The applicant has the financial and technical capacity to complete the proposed use or combination of uses.
      
   2. The proposed use or combination of uses is economically feasible and does not pose a current or potential burden upon the services, tax base, or other economic factors that affect the financial operations of the Village, except to the extent that such burden is balanced by the benefit derived by the Village from the proposed use.

The Neighbors for Madison Renewal support these Standards for Review and we believe that the objectives that we have stated herein are in full compliance with them.