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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Planning and Zoning Commission
DATE: January 19, 2023
SUBJECT:
A Resolution Approving a Preliminary Plan and Plat for Butterfield Phase II Unit 5A Subdivision on vacant land located at 2815 Bilter Road being south of Bilter Road and west of N. Eola Road (Seefried Properties - 23-0044 / NA05/22.368 - Psd/Ppn - JM - Ward 10)
PURPOSE:
The Petitioner Seefried Properties is requesting approval of a Preliminary Plan and Plat for Butterfield Phase II Unit 5A Subdivision located at 2815 Bilter Road being south of Bilter Road and west of N. Eola Road for a Warehouse, Distribution and Storage Services (3300) use in the form of a data center complex which includes the development of a three-building data center complex.
BACKGROUND:
The Subject Property is currently vacant with PDD Planned Development District zoning, which is part of the Butterfield Planned Development.
The Petitioner is requesting approval of a Preliminary Plan and Plat for Lots 1-6 of Butterfield Phase II Unit 5A Subdivision for a Warehouse, Distribution and Storage Services (3300) use in the form of a data center complex. The details of the request include a phased development of three electronic data center buildings consisting of two 209,967 square foot buildings and one 415,934 square foot building. An electrical substation will be constructed to support the electrical requirements of the data centers, which substation will also provide stability to the area electrical grid. In addition, a passenger vehicle electric charging area will be made available and will be located abutting Bilter Road. An area beside the electric charging station will be available for future retail use.
The data center will be accessed from a full entrance on Bilter Road across from the main entrance of the church and a right-in/ right-out on Bilter Road across from the right-in/right-out access of the church. A left turn lane will be installed on Bilter Road at the full entrance. A landscaped median will be inserted along much of the roadway of Bilter Road. Additional stacking will be added to the right turn lane on Bilter Road at Eola Road. A fire access only entrance will be located on Eola Road at Prospect Drive. The developers are installing a bike path along Bilter Road along their frontage and along the detention pond to connect the Prairie Path at the Tollway Ramp to Eola Road. Seefried will also build a sidewalk on Eola Road from Bilter Road to the bridge.
While not being approved until Final Plan and Plat, a draft Landscape Plan and Elevations are provided. Views of the buildings and substation are heavily buffered by berms and trees. A three-to-four-foot berm will be installed on Bilter Road in front of the building and the charging station. The substation will be buffered by a ten-foot masonry wall and a five-foot berm. Adjacent to the Prairie Path will be a four-foot berm and the detention pond. Each berm and pond are landscaped with a mixture of evergreen and canopy trees with additional trees included in front of the substation and along the path. Shrub beds are at the entrances and along Bilter Road to creative attractive viewsheds.
Staff and developers worked to create more attractive elevations than a standard data center by adding architectural features like height variations, large expanses of spandrel glass on the front and sides, and larger glassed office space on the front. The equipment yards and substations will be enclosed by stone molded walls.
Concurrently with this proposal, the Petitioner is requesting approval of an amendment to the Plan Description for the Butterfield Planned Development District for the lot east of the Tollway ramp (Parcel A on attached Parcel Map) and west of the Tollway ramp (Parcel B on attached Parcel Map). The details of the request include removing all the current uses permitted in the Butterfield Planned Development Plan Description and replacing them with the following.
Both Parcel A and B could be developed with any uses permitted under the B-2: Business District - General Retail. Some conditional uses under the B-2 would be permitted by right, including hotels and special purpose recreation. The only other use permitted on Parcel A would be a 3300 Warehouse, Distribution and Storage Services in the form of a data center only. All other 3300 Warehouse, Distribution and Storage Services would be prohibited on Parcel A. Parcel B could also be developed with ORI: Office, Research, Light Industrial category uses, excluding the following: Warehouse, Distribution and Storage Services (3300); Vehicle Terminals and Vehicle Storage Yards, major (3310); Vehicle Storage Yards, minor (3311); Heavy Industrial (3400); Truck and Freight Transportation Services (4140); Transportation Services (4100); and Commercial relocators (towing services).
DISCUSSION:
Staff has reviewed the petition and have sent comments back to the petitioner on those submittals. The petitioner has made the requested revisions to these documents, and they now meet the applicable codes and ordinances.
Previously, the City worked with the owners of both Parcel A and B to obtain a Tollway exit at this location and to allow business and retail uses. Then in 2015, the City worked to bury the overhead electric lines around these properties. At that time, the owners agreed to restrict certain uses seen as more industrial and heavy truck traffic, including Warehouse, Distribution and Storage Services (3300) use. Since then, the business and retail market has substantially changed reducing the market demand. Staff felt that a data center would not be a heavy traffic use and would be very little truck traffic compared to other warehouse uses. Staff believes that the Plan Description revision to allow a data center on Parcel A would still adhere to the goal of the 2000s revisions to restrict more industrial and heavy truck use while encouraging retail, business, and light industrial uses on Parcel B through the additional restrictions of uses outlined above. Staff worked with the developers to provide heavy buffering to the project through berms, masonry walls, and heavy landscaping. The traffic study provided concluded that the development would have little to no effect upon the operations of the roadways. Additional roadway improvements are being proposed to alleviate and improve traffic including a right-in/right-out access for the eastern most access, no access to Eola Road, raised landscaped median and turn lanes on Bilter.
POLICIES AND GUIDELINES:
The Staff’s Evaluation and Recommendation are based on the following Physical Development Policies:
10.0 To provide for the orderly, balanced and efficient growth and redevelopment of the City through the positive integration of land use patterns, functions, and circulation systems. To protect and enhance those assets and values that establishes the desirable quality and general livability of the City. To promote the City’s position as a regional center.
11.1 (5) To guide and promote development to areas where public utilities, public roads
and municipal services are either available or planned.
12.0 To plan and provide for the growth of the city through the integration of land use
patterns and functions that promotes complementary interactions between different land
use components.
40.1 (1) To attract and encourage industrial, office and office-research development to
planned sites where requisite public facilities are either present or proposed.
40.1 (5) To plan and promote the extension of the office and office-research corridor along the tollway in the City of Aurora.
40.1 (6) To promote attractive, well-maintained industrial and office-research areas through
landscaping and site design.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended CONDITIONAL APPROVAL of the A Resolution Approving a Preliminary Plan and Plat for Butterfield Phase II Unit 5A Subdivision on vacant land located at 2815 Bilter Road being south of Bilter Road and west of N. Eola Road, with the following conditions:
1.) That at least five (5) electronic vehicle charging stations be installed prior to the Certificate of Occupancy for the last building. The entirety of the vehicle charging station to be completed in conjunction with the development of the commercial area on Lot 2 and in accordance with market demands and conjunction with the end user for the commercial lot.
2.) That the street trees along N. Eola Road and Bilter Road, the street trees in the landscaped medians, and the berm be installed with Building 1. Landscaping in front of the future substation shall be installed as soon as weather permits after construction plans for the substation are finalized and construction of the future substation has progressed to a point that landscaping in front of the future substation can be completed without risk of damage or potential replanting to landscaping.
3.) That the developers and owners work with the Mayor's Office of Economic Development to market the area identified as future commercial on Lot 2.
4.) That the documents be revised to incorporate the Engineering Staff comments prior to Final Plan and Plat.
5.) That the developers extend the multi-use path across the property with the detention pond at the southwest corner of Bilter Road and N. Eola Road.
6.) That the developers install raised medians on Bilter Road as required by the Engineering Division.
7.) That for Final Engineering, the proposed detention pond be analyzed for routing the existing tollway ramp culverts through the pond. This should include the possible lowering of the pond overflow weir and extending the pond to the north to make up the lost volume.
8.) That for Final Engineering, the existing ponds on the northwest and southwest corners of Bilter Road & N. Eola Rd be included in both the existing and proposed stormwater analyses.
9.) That the documents be revised to incorporate the Fire Prevention Bureau Staff comments and that the fire department connection (FDC) and the supply hydrant be moved to be facing Bilter Road with no obstructions from the FDC to the fire lane.
ATTACHMENTS:
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit "A-1" Preliminary Plat
Exhibit "A-2" Preliminary Plan
Land Use Petition with Supporting Documents
Location Map
Legistar History Report
Legistar Number: 23-0044
cc:
Alderman Michael B. Saville, Chairperson
Alderwoman Patty Smith, Vice Chairperson
Alderman Carl Franco
Alderman Sherman Jenkins
Alderman Ron Woerman
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution Approving a Preliminary Plan and Plat for Butterfield Phase II Unit 5A Subdivision on vacant land located at 2815 Bilter Road being south of Bilter Road and west of N. Eola Road
body
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, by petition dated December 12, 2022, Seefried Properties filed with the City of Aurora a petition requesting approval of a Preliminary Plan and Plat for Butterfield Phase II Unit 5A Subdivision located at 2815 Bilter Road being south of Bilter Road and west of N. Eola Road for a Warehouse, Distribution and Storage Services (3300) use in the form of a data center complex and related required documents as attached hereto as Exhibits "A-1" through Exhibit “A-2”; and
WHEREAS, the Planning and Zoning Commission conducted a hearing on January 18, 2023, reviewed the petition and recommended CONDITIONAL APPROVAL of said petition; and
WHEREAS, on January 25, 2023, the Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee of the Aurora City Council reviewed said Preliminary Plat and Plan and the before mentioned recommendations and recommended CONDITIONAL APPROVAL of said petition; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, finds as facts all of the preamble recitals of this Resolution and hereby grants CONDITIONAL APPROVAL of said Preliminary Plan and Plat with the following conditions:
1.) That at least five (5) electronic vehicle charging stations be installed prior to the Certificate of Occupancy for the last building. The entirety of the vehicle charging station to be completed in conjunction with the development of the commercial area on Lot 2 and in accordance with market demands and conjunction with the end user for the commercial lot.
2.) That the street trees along N. Eola Road and Bilter Road, the street trees in the landscaped medians, and the berm be installed with Building 1. Landscaping in front of the future substation shall be installed as soon as weather permits after construction plans for the substation are finalized and construction of the future substation has progressed to a point that landscaping in front of the future substation can be completed without risk of damage or potential replanting to landscaping.
3.) That developers and owners work with the Mayor's Office of Economic Development to market the area identified as future commercial on Lot 2.
4.) That the documents be revised to incorporate the Engineering Staff comments prior to Final Plan and Plat.
5.) That the developers extend the multi-use path across the property with the detention pond at the southwest corner of Bilter Road and N. Eola Road.
6.) That the developers install raised medians on Bilter Road as required by the Engineering Division.
7.) That for Final Engineering, the proposed detention pond be analyzed for routing the existing tollway ramp culverts through the pond. This should include the possible lowering of the pond overflow weir and extending the pond to the north to make up the lost volume.
8.) That for Final Engineering, the existing ponds on the northwest and southwest corners of Bilter Road & N. Eola Rd be included in both the existing and proposed stormwater analyses.
9.) That the documents be revised to incorporate the Fire Prevention Bureau Staff comments and that the fire department connection (FDC) and the supply hydrant be moved to be facing Bilter Road with no obstructions from the FDC to the fire lane.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, hereby adopts the Preliminary Plat and Plan and related required documents as attached hereto as Exhibit "A-1" Preliminary Plat and Exhibit “A-2” Preliminary Plan.