Planning commission unanimously recommends conditional use permit for Ripple Brook athletic complex with dark-sky, stormwater and parking conditions

The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the village board approve a conditional use permit (CUP) for Stage 1 of an athletic complex at the Ripple Brook site, subject to the staff report’s conditions plus two additional requirements added by the commission.

The decision came after an extended staff presentation and public questioning of technical conditions. Staff emphasized that approval may be based on applicant submittals or on the imposition of reasonable conditions — examples included completion of a traffic impact analysis and installation of any required intersection or safety improvements, as-built photometric documentation for field lighting, and required stormwater approvals from DNR and local authorities. "A stormwater permit would be one example" of the kinds of conditions the commission can require, staff said.

Why it matters: the recommendation is advisory — the village board will make the final determination — but the commission’s vote advances the project toward construction by signaling that the planning body found substantial evidence (or acceptable conditions) to mitigate key impacts such as drainage, lighting, noise and parking.

Key conditions and technical points - Lighting and dark-sky metrics: Commissioners added a requirement that lighting be installed consistent with the photometric plans and with dark-sky principles; the applicant agreed to provide fixture specifications and as-built photometric verification so compliance can be confirmed after installation. Speaker 8 urged adding explicit dark-sky language and the commission adopted that addition. - Stormwater and drainage: Staff and the engineer noted the project must obtain DNR and local stormwater approvals. An engineering update referenced a recent DOT upgrade to the Highway 164 culvert under Ripple Brook (from a 30-inch corrugated metal pipe to a roughly 53-by-83-inch elliptical concrete arch), and staff said they have contacted DNR and DOT to confirm whether hydrology/hydraulics were run as part of the DOT project. - Traffic and parking: Stage 1 plans show 176 on-site parking spaces; commissioners pressed whether that will be adequate for tournaments and how overflow would be handled. The commission required a traffic impact analysis; required improvements identified by that study must be installed prior to the use if triggered by the study. Applicant representatives said they have exceeded standards for Stage 1 and can find additional space if needed on remaining acreage. - Hours and noise: The commission aligned field operating hours with the village noise rules so the plan’s operating window will conform to the local ordinance (code 10.032) on amplified sound and time limits (weeknight and weekend cutoff times discussed and set to match village limits). Enforcement of time/noise limits rests with the village. - Temporary storage containers: Commissioners required that any temporary storage containers proposed for equipment be treated as accessory structures subject to building-permitting standards (foundations, exits, fire-code compliance) rather than unmanaged shipping containers. - Phasing and approvals: Staff reiterated that the CUP approval recommendation applies only to Stage 1 (the athletic fields); subsequent phases will require separate site-plan approvals and additional CUP or site-plan reviews.

Vote and next steps A commission member moved to recommend approval of the CUP subject to the staff report conditions and the two added conditions; another commission member seconded the motion. The chair called the vote and the motion carried unanimously. The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the village board, which retains final authority to grant or deny the CUP.

Context and outstanding items Staff noted that several technical items remain to be completed before any field use: the traffic analysis, as-built photometric testing after lights are installed, and required stormwater permits from DNR/local agencies. Commissioners also flagged site-specific flood concerns for Lot 16’s southern end and noted that county basement/dry-basement standards provide an additional layer of protection for below-grade construction. The applicant and staff agreed to provide the requested specifications, studies and permit documentation to support the board’s review.

The commission handled other business after the CUP recommendation, including inspector/DPW follow-ups, address corrections for properties on Big Bend Road and an update on a small LRIP road grant; the commission scheduled its next meeting for 2026-05-21 at 7PM.