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Commission recommends approval of synagogue driveway relocation amendment, citing safety and emergency-access benefits
Summary
The commission recommended approval to city council of a special-use amendment for 1301 Clavey Road to remove the driveway onto Clavey and provide a new access onto a Park District private road; the petitioner said the change improves emergency access and security and aims to be in place before high-holiday services.
The Plan and Design Commission on July 21 recommended that city council approve an amendment to a 2009 special-use permit for the property at 1301 Clavey Road, home to a synagogue, to remove an existing driveway onto Clavey and relocate access to a private Park District road to the north.
Senior planner Carl Burhop summarized the proposal and said staff had worked with the fire department and the Highland Park Park District. The applicant presented a revised option (labeled option 2 in staff materials) that closes the Clavey Road access, adds landscaping, and establishes a gated connection to the private park road with a Knox box for emergency access. Burhop said the applicant had addressed prior fire-department comments.
Larry Mason, representing the applicant (Macomb Sola Lakeside), described safety and security motivations and noted the timing: the applicant seeks to complete phase 1 improvements before the upcoming high-holiday season. Mason emphasized emergency-service maneuverability and cited the need for a turnaround large enough to accommodate the city’s largest ladder truck.
Commissioners asked that outstanding fire-access details be resolved to the satisfaction of the fire department; staff and counsel clarified that adequate fire access is a code requirement and that the final engineering details could be refined before council action. The commission adopted the findings of fact and recommended approval to city council by unanimous roll-call vote.
Staff noted that final approvals from the Highland Park Park District will be required before any work on Park District property, and that minor plan adjustments to ensure fire-truck maneuvering may be made during final engineering.
