Park Ridge planning commission splits on rezoning; PUD recommendation fails in majority vote

The Park Ridge Planning and Zoning Commission heard a continued hearing Tuesday on a multi-parcel redevelopment that would add a boutique hotel, event space, restaurants and multifamily housing at addresses including 809 West Tuohy Avenue, several 3rd Street parcels, and 842–850 Garden Street. Commissioners split 4–4 on a map amendment to rezone the assemblage from R-2 to B-4 and recorded a majority "no" vote on the related planned-unit development (PUD).

Chair Hanlon opened the meeting by reminding the public the commission is a recommending body; final approval rests with city council. The map amendment motion (MA-26-05) produced a 4–4 roll call split and the chair said that tie will be forwarded to the city council for its consideration. On the PUD (PUD-26-03) motion to recommend approval, the roll call recorded two "yes" votes and five "no" votes with one abstention; based on that tally the commission did not recommend approval.

Developers presented a revised plan responding to prior feedback. The applicant said the residential component had been reduced from 52 units to 37 and the hotel portion increased slightly to 95 rooms. The team emphasized design changes including a 10-foot setback on the fourth floor, a reoriented event space and traffic circulation features intended to limit cut-throughs on neighborhood streets. The applicant also offered a $250,000 escrowed fiscal contribution to be released at the city's direction and said the development will include 140 parking spaces (70 below grade and 70 above).

Neighbors repeatedly pressed commissioners on height and density. Several residents noted the residential building is shown in the packet at about 51 feet and the hotel at approximately 61.5 feet—both over a 40-foot limit in R-2—and asked whether the substantive public benefits justified the number of exceptions requested. Attorney Tyler Manek, speaking for the applicant, said the PUD process exists to enable creative arrangements that can produce public benefits, and that the team had retained an independent appraiser who opined the project would not harm neighboring property values.

Because the commission's role is advisory, both cases will proceed to the city council's agenda; the council will have final authority to adopt, amend or reject the map amendment and the PUD or to attach conditions. The city's staff and attorney will draft any conditional language (for example conditioning rezoning on project commencement or completion) for council consideration.