South Cook News

Village of Orland Park Plan Commission met Dec. 2

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

Nick Parisi, Chairman 

Edward Schussler, Vice Chairman 

Commissioners: John J. Paul, Patrick Zomparelli, Yousef Zaatar,  Daniel Sanchez and John Nugent 

CALLED TO ORDER/ROLL CALL 

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. 

Present: 7 - Chairman Parisi; Member Sanchez; Member Nugent; Member Paul; Member  Schussler; Member Zaatar, Member Zomparelli 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES 

2024-0931 Minutes for the November 19, 2024 Plan Commission Meeting Commissioner Zaatar was absent at the time the motion was made. 

A motion was made by Member Paul, seconded by Member Schussler, that  this matter be APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote: 

Aye: 6 - Chairman Parisi, Member Sanchez, Member Nugent, Member Paul, Member Schussler and Member Zomparelli 

Nay: 0  

Absent: 1 - Member Zaatar 

PUBLIC HEARINGS 

OPEN PUBLIC HEARING 

Commissioner Zaatar was absent at the time the motion was made. 

A motion was made by Chairman Parisi, seconded by Member Schussler, that this matter be APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote: 

Aye: 6 - Chairman Parisi, Member Sanchez, Member Nugent, Member Paul, Member Schussler and Member Zomparelli 

Nay: 0  

Absent: 1 - Member Zaatar 

2024-0445 Marcus Theatres Parking Garage Demolition - 16350 LaGrange Road 

Village Attorney Anne Skrodzki swore in Petitioner Eric Olson, Director of Real  Estate for Marcus Corporation. 

Chairman Parisi stated to Mr. Olson, you’ve seen the staff recommendations. Do  you have any issues? 

Mr. Olson responded I don’t have any comments on that. I think it well summarizes our request. The theatre industry has changed a lot over the years and the largest innovation was the dream lounger seat. The seat takes up a lot more space within the theatre and now the overall occupancy has dropped. As a result, the parking needs have declined significantly at our theatres that have those loungers.

Chairman Parisi replied thank you. That answers any questions as to why you’re demolishing it. 

Chairman Parisi noted on record Commissioner Zaatar is present. 

Planner Marcus LeVigne respectfully requested the staff report be accepted into the record as written and presented during the meeting. (refer to staff report) 

Mr. LeVigne stated the petitioner is seeking a special use permit amendment to change the site and landscape plan, and the parking count, in order to demolish  their existing parking structure. Mr. LeVigne gives a brief presentation of the special use permit history, the comprehensive plan, site plan, parking requirements/accessible parking reconfiguration, sidewalk connection, and the landscape plan. (refer to audio) 

Mr. LeVigne stated the staff recommends the Plan Commission approve the site plan, landscape plan, and the special use permit amendment subject to the standard conditions. 

[Commissioners] 

Commissioner Zomparelli asked wouldn’t it be better to keep parking spaces closer to the building? Why would you knock down the parking deck, don’t people use it? 

Mr. Olson responded people generally want to park closest to the main entrance of the building which is in the center. 

Commissioner Zomparelli replied right, you can only exit through there, that’s right. Are there any bike racks? 

Mr. LeVigne responded I believe there is an existing bike rack on the northwest corner of the site by a couple of benches. It’s closer to where Wu’s House is. 

Commissioner Zomparelli replied OK, good. I haven’t ridden my bike to the theatre in a long time. I’m glad you caught the issue with the sidewalk linking to the road. This was surprising to me because I see that parking deck and it had to be very expensive to build for 20 years of use. If you feel it needs to go, it needs to go. Good luck. 

Commissioner Nugent stated when this becomes green space, I know there’s detention there, can it ever be developed in the future? Technically, there is room for a building. They don’t need all that green space. 

Mr. LeVigne responded there would need to be enough parking for the new use to go into that site in addition to the impervious surface. 

Commissioner Nugent asked if they have any parking to spare for a future building. Mr. LeVigne replied they have about 40 spaces. 

Commissioner Nugent stated so it could be. 

Mr. LeVigne added there is potential. 

Commissioner Nugent stated because across the street is dental offices so nothing today prevents them from someone coming forward and wanting to develop that  site? 

Mr. LeVigne responded, correct. There was an office proposed back in 1995 for  that location. 

Commissioner Nugent replied, I remember. Thank you. 

Commissioner Schussler stated I don’t object to the petition. The staff report indicated the rationale for this was high maintenance cost. What kind of high  maintenance cost do you have for a parking garage? 

Mr. Olson responded they’re pretty large as it relates to both dealing with the concrete and making sure that’s functional and safety elements to the structure. There’s a lot of ongoing maintenance. (refer to audio) 

Commissioner Schussler stated if you have a parking lot you have maintenance issues also. 

Mr. Olson replied it’s much lower on a surface asphalt parking lot. 

Commissioner Schussler stated I have no further questions. 

Commissioner Paul asked how long has the parking garage been closed? 

Mr. Olson responded it’s been closed I believe going back to the pandemic at least. 

Commissioner Paul stated obviously things are better now. We haven’t had any  issues with parking? 

Mr. Olson replied, no. A lot of the theatres were renovated with the recliner chairs almost 10 years ago now. That really dropped down our parking demand with half  the number of seats within the cinema. 

Commissioner Paul asked if the restaurants are affected by any of this with it being  a shared parking lot? 

Mr. Olson responded we haven’t had any issues. 

Commissioner Paul replied that’s all I have.  

Commissioner Sanchez stated I don’t have any questions. 

Commissioner Zaatar stated I didn’t understand the slide you showed with the counts. What’s required, what do we have? 

Mr. LeVigne responded there are 587 parking spaces in the parking lot with the proposed plan. With no parking deck there’s 587 parking spaces, but per Code,  they’re required to have 547 so they’re over-parked. 

Commissioner Zaatar asked if the Code requires 547 spaces? 

Mr. LeVigne replied, correct. 

Commissioner Zaatar asked how is that calculated? 

Mr. LeVigne responded one parking space for every three seats. 

Commissioner Zaatar replied one space for every three theatre seats? 

Mr. LeVigne replied, correct. 

Commissioner Zaatar asked with the new plan they’re still in the Code? There’s no variance to the Code? 

Mr. LeVigne responded there’s no variance required. If anything, they were well beyond the requirement. 

Commissioner Zaatar replied OK, thank you. You’re going to convert the footprint to landscaping or a surface lot? 

Mr. Olson responded it’s going to be landscape.  

Commissioner Zaatar asked do you own the lots currently in front of the building? Mr. Olson replied, yes. 

VILLAGE OF ORLAND PARK Page 5 of 7

Plan Commission Meeting Minutes December 3, 2024 

Commissioner Zaatar asked you have it for sale, or you’ve had it for sale, the outlot? 

Mr. Olson responded, it has been. 

Commissioner Zaatar asked is that still the plan to sell that outlot? 

Mr. Olson replied, there has not been much interest in that lot specifically. Whether or not that had sold would have guided how we acted on this parking structure. 

Commissioner Zaatar stated it’s not for sale anymore, right? 

Mr. Olson responded not to my knowledge. 

Commissioner Zaatar asked if you did sell that corner space, which I think was for sale last summer, you would not meet the Code with this plan? 

Mr. Olson replied, it would depend on what replaced something on that site. I can’t speak to our future plan. There could be a cross-parking easement potentially. 

Commissioner Zaatar stated going back to Commissioner Zomparelli’s comment, it’s still closer space than the far corner that was for sale. Why not make it surface parking? Are you trying to meet a landscaping requirement now? 

Mr. LeVigne responded it would also be the lot coverage, bringing it back down to  compliance. 

Commissioner Zaatar replied, I don’t have a huge objection, but I can foresee you’re going to sell one of these outlots in the future, you’re going to have a  variance issue and come right back to us. But for now, if you’re meeting the Code, it’s great. Keep the dust down. 

Chairman Parisi stated I have no questions or objections. 

Regarding Case Number 2024-0445, also known as Marcus Theatres Parking Garage Demolition, I move to approve the Staff Recommended Action as presented in the Staff Report to the Plan Commission for this case. 

A motion was made by Member Schussler, seconded by Member Paul, that  this matter be APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote: 

Aye: 7 - Chairman Parisi, Member Sanchez, Member Nugent, Member Paul, Member Schussler, Member Zaatar and Member Zomparelli 

Nay: 0  

2024-0930 Memo: New Petitions 

NON-SCHEDULED CITIZENS & VISITORS 

ADJOURNMENT 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:19 p.m. 

A motion was made by Chairman Parisi, seconded by Member Paul, that this  matter be ADJOURNED. The motion carried by the following vote: 

Aye: 7 - Chairman Parisi, Member Sanchez, Member Nugent, Member Paul, Member Schussler, Member Zaatar and Member Zomparelli 

Nay: 0  

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