Oswego Planning & Zoning Commission: Farmington Lakes Variance Hearing - March 6, 2025
Oswego Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting – March 6, 2025
The Planning & Zoning Commission convened on March 6, 2025, at 7:00 PM at Village Hall to hold a public hearing on a variance request for a parking lot at Farmington Lakes Park and to approve the minutes from the previous meeting.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of January 9, 2025 Minutes: The minutes from the January 9, 2025 meeting were approved by a unanimous roll call vote (Commissioners Collins, Hillman, Coon, McCallum, Pager, Pyle, Sather, Thomas).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the public hearing or the public forum portion of the meeting.
Discussion Items
- Farmington Lakes Parking Lot Variance (Project No. 1242.25):
- Applicant: Oswegoland Park District.
- Proposal: Construction of a 23-space parking lot as part of site improvements at Farmington Lakes Park. The applicant requested a variance from Section 8.605 of the Subdivision and Development Regulations, which requires curb and gutter around all parking lots.
- Staff Report (presented by Rachel Riemenschneider, Project Manager): The village engineer reviewed the proposal and determined that stormwater will naturally flow into the rain garden surrounding the parking area and will not negatively affect neighboring properties. Staff recommended approval of the variance.
- Applicant Q&A:
- A commissioner asked about preventing cars from driving off the parking lot into the lawn at the end of the lot. The applicant responded that the area will be planted (rain garden and turf) and that additional trees may be added as a visual barrier. Similar variances were recently granted for Bluegrass and Andover parks.
- A commissioner asked about the project timeline; the applicant stated completion is expected by late fall 2025.
- Informal discussion (after public hearing closed): Commissioners asked about the size of the adjacent pond. The park district representative stated it is 30 acres (the largest lake in Oswego), 10–14 feet deep, and only allows non-motorized boats (canoes and kayaks). No motorized vehicles, including trolling motors, are permitted.
- Oswegoland Park District Report: An update on the district’s new building was provided: carpet and flooring installation is underway, office furniture delivery is scheduled for April 1, and substantial completion is expected April 17, with move-in the following week.
- Development Services Report: The next meeting (April 10, 2025) will have two agenda items, including a previously approved project for Trader Joe's (though the speaker jokingly referred to a store “which shall not be named” – White Hen, Scooters, a bank, and a mattress store).
Key Outcomes
- Motion to Approve Variance: A motion was made and seconded to accept the findings of fact and recommend approval of the variance to Section 8.605 to eliminate curb and gutter requirements for the proposed parking lot at 2031 Farmington Lakes Drive. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote (all eight commissioners present voted in favor).
- Next Meeting: Scheduled for April 10, 2025.
Meeting Transcript
Uh in fact you want to start with appliance appear even if you've got a guess uh we can add the connection with flexible supplies are okay like to call order this meeting of the uh Swegel Planning and Zoning Commission Roll call please and Bradshaw here Tom Collins here Lisa Hillman Rick Coon here Andre McCallum Charlie Pager Joel Pyle Justin Sather Brian Thomas Um First Item on our agenda is review and approval of the minutes from our January 9th meeting if anyone can remember back two months um if no one has any adjustments changes or corrections and motion to approve would be in order. Motion second roll call please Tom Collins Lisa Hillman Rick Coon Yes Andrew McCallum, yes, Charlie Pager, yes, Joel Pyle, Justin Sather, Brian Thomas. And it's approved. Only item on our agenda is a public hearing for Farmington Lakes parking lot variants, project 1242.25. A motion to open the public hearing would be in order. Motion seconded. Roll call, please. Tom Collins, Lisa Hillman, Rick Coon, Andrew McCallum, Charlie Pager, Joel Pyle, Justin Sather, Brian Thomas. Public hearing is now open. Thank you. As Chairman Pager noted, the only item before you this evening is a public hearing for a variance request made by the S. Wegaland Park District. As part of a number of site improvements at the Farmington Lakes Park, they are proposing a parking lot with 23 spaces, and they are requesting to vary from section 8.605 of the subdivision and development regulations, which requires curb and gutter around all parking lots. The village engineer has reviewed this proposal and has determined that stormwater will naturally flow into the rain garden surrounding the parking area and will not negatively affect any neighboring properties. Staff recommends approval of the request for variance to allow a parking lot without curb and gutter. Please also note that we have provided the full site plan showing the improvements planned at Farmington Lakes Park. The remainder of these improvements have been reviewed by staff and consultants through the site plan review process, which only requires staff review and approval. The applicants are here this evening to answer any questions, as is staff. Thank you. Does anyone have any questions for the park district? Is there anyone in the audience who wishes to speak on this topic? Seeing no one, I would entertain a motion to close the public hearing. Roll call, please. Tom Collins, yes, Lisa Hillman, Rick Coon. Yes. And McCallum. Yes. Charlie Pager. Yes. Joel Pyle. Justin Sather, Brian Thomas. Public hearing is now closed. Do members have any questions? Um I have a question. So the fact that we're removing curbs, right, and you're putting um parking blocks, right, at each of all the parking spots. What is to stop cars driving off that portion of the parking lot at the bottom left out into the lawn? Is there an idea maybe parking blocks will be put there to stop cars from backing out and driving in? What's usually done in that scenario? If you would please identify yourself for the record. Yeah, so the end of the parking lot there, um, that is where the water is going to she drain into the rain garden. So there it will be kind of a planted area as well as the turf. So it it won't be very um easily accessed for a vehicle to drive through there. So you're saying there's a bullshit. Correct. Right. And we've also talked about even increasing the amount of trees, put those on the as as a visual barrier to the end of the parking lot. Correct. Yeah, we've just did this at uh asked for a variance at Bluegrass and as well as at Andover recently as well. Questions. My only question is uh when will all this be done?
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