Park Ridge council delays rezoning for 36–40 Prairie Ave., citing parking and process questions

Park Ridge’s City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to postpone a final decision on rezoning two Uptown lots at 36 and 40 Prairie Avenue from single-family (R2) to multifamily (R4) until Feb. 17, following extended council debate and multiple public commenters who urged more information on parking and school capacity.

Councilmember Joseph moved to delay the vote, saying the additional time would allow Planning & Zoning to complete its review of the developer’s planned-unit development (PUD) application and give the city’s parking study time to be published. The motion passed by roll call, 7-0; a second was recorded in the meeting notes but not named in the public record.

Why it matters: The zoning change would convert two roughly 1.5-acre lots from single-family uses to zoning that permits townhouses or a multi-story residential building under R4 rules. The rezoning was linked in city files to a developer proposal for a 39-townhouse PUD; Planning & Zoning recommended the map amendment unanimously (8-0), but the PUD remains under separate review and was continued by the commission.

Council and staff debate: Director Austin told the council that changing the map to R4 would give the property owner by-right development rights under the R4 code, and that the Uptown Master Plan anticipated this block would transition to R4 or a mixed-use district. Austin said District 64 indicated it had capacity for the 39-townhouse scenario that the developer proposed, and staff estimated that a by-right townhome layout could yield roughly 21–22 units on the lots; taller apartment or condo designs under R4 could yield substantially more units depending on setbacks, open-space rules and parking arrangements.

Councilmembers pressed staff on timing and consequences. One councilmember characterized acting on the map amendment before a concrete PUD plan as “a little bit of a cart before the horse,” asking whether rezoning would lock in higher land value or remove leverage to negotiate community benefits with the developer. The city attorney and staff said the map amendment and PUD are legally separate: the commission’s public-hearing recommendation required a council agenda placement within 30 days, and the council can either act, continue the item, or couple it with the PUD review.

Neighborhood concerns and public comments: Roughly a dozen residents from nearby Fairview-area condominiums and houses spoke during the public-comment period. Tony Harrington of 16 South Fairview said many neighbors who attended the Planning & Zoning hearing assumed they could comment on the associated project and urged the council to delay so residents could see the PUD and the parking study together. Steve Rayblick, also from Fairview Station North, told the council the Uptown Master Plan language supports R4 but reiterated that long-term parking and circulation strategies should inform any rezoning. Resident Michael Harzak warned that existing neighborhood parking is “very, very tight” and urged a reduction in density if the project proceeds.

Several commenters also questioned the completeness of the Planning & Zoning record (minutes and published materials) and argued that the ordinance’s whereas clauses overstated the public benefit; one commenter said the P&Z exhibit noted the proposed amendment ‘‘primarily benefits the property owner.’’

Parking study timing: Councilmembers and residents expect the city’s parking study report in February; staff confirmed consultants provided a high-level briefing in December and a written report is slated for February. Councilmembers said they wanted the report’s concrete recommendations and data available when evaluating the rezoning and the PUD’s mitigation measures.

What passed: The council did not take final action on the rezoning ordinance. Instead it adopted a motion to postpone consideration to the Feb. 17 meeting so the PUD can be further vetted at Planning & Zoning (public hearing set for Jan. 27) and the parking study can be reviewed by council and the public.

Other business: Earlier in the meeting the council approved the consent agenda, including a $372,188.65 budget transfer to increase a purchase order to Midwest Construction Partners Inc. for the Salt Dome project and several code and liquor-license ordinance updates; the consent agenda passed by roll call without requests for separate discussion.

Next steps: The PUD application for the 39-townhouse plan is scheduled for a Jan. 27 Planning & Zoning hearing; the rezoning may return to council at or after the Feb. 17 meeting depending on P&Z action and the availability of the parking-study report.