===== PDF PAGE 1 =====
[Extraction: OCR (rendered-page OCR)]
CITY OF
WEST CHICAGO
WHERE HISTORY & PROGRESS MEET
Approved 02.06.24
PLAN COMMISSION/ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
January 3, 2024 7:00 P.M.
1. Call to Order, Roll Call and Establishment of a Quorum
Chairperson Laimins called the meeting to order at 7:14 p.m. Roll call found Chairperson Laimins,
and Commissioners Billingsley, Banasiak, and Kasprak present. Commissioners Henkin and
Slattery were absent. With four members present, a quorum was established.
Staff in attendance included City Planner John Sterrett.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
Chairperson Laimins led the Commission in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Chairperson’s Comments
None.
4. Public Comment
None.
5. Approval of draft meeting minutes from November 7, 2023
Commissioner Billingsley made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Kasprak, to approve the draft
meeting minutes of the November 7, 2023 Plan Commission meeting. With a voice vote of 3 ayes
and 1 abstention the motion carried.
6. Public Hearing of Case PC 24-01 — Zoning Text Amendments
Commissioner Banasiak made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Billingsley, to open the public
hearing. With a voice vote of all ayes, the motion carried.
Mr. Sterrett was duly sworn in. Mr. Sterrett stated that staff drafted an amendment to the Zoning
Code requiring public hearing signs to be in both English and Spanish. Public hearing signs are
required to be posted on properties that are to be discussed at a public hearing for applications
involving special uses, zoning variations, and zoning map amendments. The information contained
in the hearing signs typically consists of the petition number, the date of the hearing, a brief
summary, and contact information for questions. All of this information, however, is in English
only. The City’s 2022 Comprehensive Plan has several implementation strategies to boost civic
engagement with the Spanish speaking community, including posting information to the public in
both English and Spanish.
Staff also drafted an amendment to the Zoning Code that reclassifies the “storage and distribution of
flammable liquids, fats or oils” from a Special Use in the M Manufacturing District to a permitted
use in that district. A distributor of various food and household items that contain flammable liquids
received special use permit approval in the M Manufacturing district late last year. During the
475 Main Street T (630) 293-2200
West Chicago, Illinois F (630) 293-3028 Ruben Pineda Michael L. Guttman
60185 westchicago.org MAYOR CITY ADMINISTRATOR

===== PDF PAGE 2 =====
[Extraction: OCR (rendered-page OCR)]
course of the special use review process, staff determined that the type of materials stored within an
industrial building has little land use effect on surrounding properties. Potential impacts from the
storage and distribution of these materials is mitigated through building code requirements rather
than through zoning. The Development Committee concurred with this observation and instructed
staff to amend the Code. One of the implementation strategies of the City’s Comprehensive Plan is
to expand the types of uses permitted within the Manufacturing District to foster economic growth,
which would be accomplished with this text amendment.
Staff recommended that the Plan Commission pass a motion recommending approval of the
proposed zoning text amendments.
With all members of the public having had the opportunity to speak, and with all Plan
Commissioners having the opportunity to question staff, Commissioner Billingsley made a motion,
seconded by Commissioner Kasprak, to close the public hearing. With a voice vote of all ayes, the
motion carried and the public hearing was closed.
7. Review and Recommendation of Case PC 24-01 — Zoning Text Amendments
The Plan Commission deliberated the proposed Zoning Text Amendments. After a brief discussion,
Commissioner Banasiak made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Billingsley, to recommend
approval of the proposed Zoning Text Amendments.
A roll call vote found Commissioners Banasiak, Billingsley, Kasprak, and Chairperson Laimins
voting “aye” and no one voting “no”. With a roll call vote of four (4) “aye” and zero (0) “no”, the
motion carried.
8. Petition Updates/Staff Report
Mr. Sterrett provided a brief update on upcoming projects and previously approved projects.
9, Adjournment
With no further business to discuss, Commissioner Billingsley made a motion, seconded by
Commissioner Kasprak to adjourn the meeting. With a voice vote of all ayes, the motion carried and
the Plan Commission, at 7:29 p.m., adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted,
John Sterrett, City Planner
Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals
January 3, 2024
Page 2 of 2