Riverwoods — The Riverwoods Plan Commission on Aug. 8 recommended that the Village Board adopt a text amendment to define “animal shelter” as a special use in the R‑1 district and recommended granting a special use to Orphans of the Storm for a revised expansion plan, subject to conditions on stormwater controls, woodland mitigation, signage and noise monitoring.

The commission’s recommendation requires the project to comply with all applicable village ordinances (including the watershed development rules) and NPDES/stormwater requirements, to grant a 15‑foot easement along the county right‑of‑way for future water main work and potential bike‑path construction (with the village responsible for any relocation of the existing berm and retaining wall), and asks the Village Board to consider a numeric limit on animals as part of the final ordinance. The commission also requested a ground sign at the west parking‑lot entrance and explicit provisions for how the village will address future noise complaints.

Why it matters: Orphans of the Storm is a long‑standing animal welfare organization adjacent to residences on Riverwoods Road. The expansion would reconfigure outdoor dog yards, add building area and change drainage and site disturbance patterns. Neighbors raised concerns about runoff, noise, signage and refuse location; staff and outside engineers flagged tight margins on impervious‑area and disturbance thresholds that could trigger required stormwater detention if field changes increase pavement or compacted surfaces.

Applicant changes and staff concerns
The applicant presented revised drawings showing multiple changes from the prior submission: a photometrics plan, a single synthetic turf product (referred to in the record as “canine grass”), reconfiguration and reduction of some exterior dog yards, a smaller rain‑garden footprint replaced by a shallow ditch to reduce disturbance, updated tree‑preservation calculations after an on‑site arborist visit and revised construction phasing. The applicant said the net change in building area was small — about a 100‑square‑foot net increase — and that the synthetic turf area totals about 3,700 square feet.

Village engineering staff and the project civil engineer, Jim Baxa of Ewald Hamilton, said the applicant reduced impervious coverage to roughly 0.5 acres to stay beneath the village threshold that would trigger stormwater detention, but cautioned that the design sits “right at that threshold.” Baxa said that small field adjustments during construction (walkways, dog‑run paving, equipment access) could push the project over 0.5 acres and that the limits of disturbance were conservatively shown at 2.8 acres (the village’s cutoff is 3.0 acres). “You’re right at that threshold,” Baxa told the commission, adding that staff wanted a buffer and that final construction‑fence locations be surveyed and fixed before major work begins.

Drainage and materials
Engineers and the applicant described the synthetic turf installation as placed over a stone aggregate base; the team told the commission the product allows liquids to infiltrate the base but that the village would treat the product conservatively in its calculations (counting it as impervious for regulatory purposes). Staff asked how urine and routine washdown of dog runs would be handled; the applicant said solid waste will be collected and removed, that most animal bathroom events will occur indoors under the new layout, and that drains for outdoor holding areas were graded to flow toward the building rather than out to adjacent soils.

Trees and wetlands
The project team reported that roughly 60 trees were surveyed and that some trees previously reported as healthy had died or declined; the tree‑preservation plan was revised and additional tagging/survey work was underway. The record shows the village’s wetlands reviewer raised no objection to the revised plan; the applicant removed a larger rain‑garden in the northeast corner after the on‑site review to reduce tree loss and disturbance, replacing it with a less invasive ditch.

Noise, holding capacity and neighbor concerns
Staff noted the number of outdoor caged holding units on the south side increased from eight to 11 and said that could increase outdoor noise even though berms, a solid PVC perimeter fence and insulated overhead doors are proposed to reduce sound transfer. Neighbor Bayoung Mooseo of 2240 Riverwoods Road submitted a written comment read into the record asking the commission for action plans addressing surface runoff, winter‑season noise when trees are bare, directional signage for increased traffic, and refuse‑bin siting. Mooseo’s letter said in part, “Increased runoff water volume may exasperate the flood stagnant water situation,” and asked for clearer signposting to prevent wayward visitors.

Other site details and operations
The revised plans show three small “dog houses” or playhouse‑style shelters set within outdoor yards to provide separation for individual animals, revised fencing alignments, a masonry dumpster enclosure approximately 7 feet high and located about 290 feet from the neighbor’s house, and rooftop equipment (RTUs) screened behind low walls. The photometric submittal showed most perimeter illumination below 1 foot‑candle; staff noted three or four locations slightly exceeded that level and asked that final fixtures comply with the village standard.

Construction phasing and continuity of operations
The applicant said construction will occur in phases while the shelter remains open; the total schedule was estimated at about 18–20 months, with the first two phases roughly 8–10 months each and a shorter final phase for demolition and final site work. The plan calls for dedicating the west parking lot to construction during phase 1 and then shifting operations and construction acreage as buildings are demolished and rebuilt.

Commission recommendations and votes
The commission voted by roll call to recommend the text amendment and then to recommend granting the special use with the conditions listed above and additional items staff specified: final plan compliance with watershed and NPDES rules, woodland mitigation review, a 15‑foot easement for future water main/bike‑path needs (with the village paying for any surface relocation), a ground sign at the west lot, incorporation of the applicant’s operating narrative and a recommendation that the board “consider imposing an absolute limitation on the number of dogs and cats” while allowing reasonable operational exceptions (for example, a mother with puppies).

Next steps
Staff will assemble a Plan Commission report for the Village Board. The commission and staff said they expect further refinement of impervious and disturbance calculations, a final tree tagging report and a village ecologist memo before the case reaches the board. The commission recommended that the board consider any numeric cap on animals and that it write final ordinance language that incorporates operating hours, event rules and other items discussed at the hearings.

The Village Board will receive the Plan Commission recommendation and the project materials; staff indicated additional clarifications are expected before final board action.

Sources: transcript of the Riverwoods Plan Commission meeting, Aug. 8, 2025; applicant presentation materials submitted to the village (revised site plans, photometrics, landscape/tree survey).