Title/Name/Summary
143rd Street Phase I Study - 143rd Street and Wolf Road Intersection Improvement / Section 106 National Historic Preservation Act Review
History
QUICKFACTS
Project
143rd Street Phase I Study - 143rd Street and Wolf Road Intersection Improvement / Section 106 National Historic Preservation Act Review
2018-0739
Purpose
To review a local historic asset to the Orland Park community and its relationship to and impact by the proposed improvements to the 143rd Street and Wolf Road intersection in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which is part of the larger Village-led Phase I Engineering Study of 143rd Street from Wolf Road to Southwest Highway.
Requested Actions: None
Project Attributes
Address: 14299 Wolf Road
P.I.N.(s): 27-05-302-004-0000
Size: .5 acres (21,780 square feet)
Comprehensive Plan Planning District: Orland Grove Planning District
Comprehensive Land Designation: Neighborhood Mixed Use
Existing Zoning: E-1 Estate Residential District
Existing Land Use: Office
Surrounding Land Use:
North: BIZ General Business District - Retail Shopping Center
South: E-1 Estate Residential District - (across 143rd Street) Automobile Service Station
East: BIZ General Business District - Retail Shopping Center
West: BIZ General Business District - (across Wolf Road) Financial Institution
Preliminary Engineering: N/A
OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND
Phase I Study for the 143rd Street Widening Project
The Village and Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. (CBBEL) have been working with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways to finalize plans for a Phase I study of the 143rd Street corridor widening project. The project will generally consist of widening 143rd Street from a two (2) and three (3) lane cross section to generally a five (5) lane cross section, extending from Wolf Road to Southwest Highway. Intersection improvements are proposed at Wolf Road, 108th Avenue, Crystal Tree, West Avenue, and Southwest Highway with an 8-foot multi use path on the north side of 143rd Street and a 5-foot sidewalk along the south side of 143rd Street. The multi-use path and sidewalk will tie into other existing Village facilities at the beginning and end of the project.
The proposed intersection improvement to Wolf Road and 143rd Street is a part of the ongoing Phase I study for 143rd Street corridor. Wolf Road south of 143rd Street, 143rd Street from Wolf Road to Southwest Highway, and Southwest Highway are marked as Illinois State Route 7. IDOT has jurisdiction of 143rd Street and the south leg of Wolf Road, while Cook County has jurisdiction of the north leg of Wolf Road.
Because federal funding is involved with this project, the Village and CBBEL are proceeding through the federal project development review process, which requires compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Section 106 of the NHPA requires federal and state agencies to take into account the effects of their actions on historic properties listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and allow consulting parties an opportunity to comment on projects.
As part of this process, various environmental and cultural components of the project are reviewed by IDOT and other state agencies. Whenever an archaeological survey is involved and/or when a historic property is in or directly adjacent to a project area, IDOT is required to coordinate with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the Historic Preservation Division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). IDOT must obtain agreement from the Historic Preservation Division of IDNR on any impacts to historic properties or resources.
The Historic Preservation Division of IDNR looks to the Village of Orland Park, as a Certified Local Government, for guidance on significant impacts to historic properties. Per Section 3-102 of the Land Development Code, the Plan Commission carries the obligations and duties of the Village’s historic preservation program. The Commission’s comments and input related to the impacts of the 143rd Street corridor project on identified cultural resources are required as part of the federal project development procedures.
From a review of historic buildings and structures within the project area, Yunker Schoolhouse has been identified as warranting consideration for the National Register of Historic Places (NHRP). IDOT has directed the project team to examine measures that avoid impacting the Yunker Schoolhouse and other historic resources within the project area. The IDOT memo regarding Historic Property Avoidance is attached for reference.
Because Yunker School has been identified as a historic resource, special consideration of the design of the intersection is required to evaluate the impact to the property. The impacts to the remaining historic resources identified by IDOT will be evaluated at a later date.
The Yunker Schoolhouse
The Yunker Schoolhouse is located at 14299 S. Wolf Road, at the northeast corner of the Wolf Road and 143rd Street intersection. The building is the oldest remaining one room schoolhouse and the only one room school house that sits in its original location in Orland Park.
Originally constructed in 1910, the building served as a one room schoolhouse for School District 134 and features a National (Vernacular) Gable-Front style with rusticated concrete block walls, a two-columned entrance portico, and a school bell housed in a cupola. The front of the building is marked 1910 and “School District 134” is carved in the door lintel. In 1957, the school closed following the consolidation with the newly created School District 135. The property is no longer used as a school, but serves as an office building and is currently listed for sale.
The structure was surveyed in 2009 by McGuire Igleski and Associates, which found the building to be in “Good” condition with “High” integrity. The 2009 survey also noted that the building was eligible for local landmark designation and to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 2009 historic building survey form is attached for further review.
In the past, the Village has reached out to the property owner to designate the historic property as an Orland Park Landmark per Section 5-110 of the Land Development Code. Because the owner has not wished to landmark the building, this historic asset is not considered an Orland Park Landmark at this time.
The property was forced annexed into the Village in 2009 and currently is zoned E-1 Estate Residential District. In 1999, when located in unincorporated Cook County, a cell tower was constructed on the property. A commercial strip mall, zoned BIZ General Business District, surrounds the property to the north and east.
Prior Review at the Plan Commission - Alternative #1
On September 12, 2017, a public meeting was held at the Plan Commission to solicit input on the first preliminary design concept for 143rd Street and Wolf Road intersection, hereafter referred to as Alternative #1 (Legistar File # 2017-0660). The original preliminary plan design for Alternative #1 is explained in greater detail in the next section.
Several residents attended the public meeting to discuss the impacts to the Yunker Schoolhouse site. There was a discussion over the effects to sight lines and visibility, impact to the condition of the building with a roadway so close to the structure, and if bollards or protective measures would be used to protect the building from potential vehicle collisions. The property owner was also present at the meeting and noted his concern that the roadway would be directly adjacent to the front stoop of the schoolhouse, the amount of land to be acquired for right-of-way, and possible issues in establishing an accessible route near the front door. The Commission discussed the possibility of pushing 143rd Street to the south toward the gas station property so that there would be an additional setback area in front of the building. Overall, the Plan Commission expressed that they would like to see the building preserved.
Based on the comments provided at the Plan Commission meeting last year, CBBEL and the Village, with input from IDOT, have evaluated additional design options at the intersection to minimize impacts to the Yunker Schoolhouse site. The revised intersection design concept plan, Alternative #2, seeks to lessen the impacts to the Yunker Schoolhouse site resulting from the widening project.
Staff is now requesting public input on the revised design concept for the Wolf Road and 143rd Street intersection. This public meeting is being conducted to obtain any feedback or comments related to the project.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION & CONTEXT
Two preliminary design concepts for the intersection have been developed. The original design, Alternative #1, was presented at the Plan Commission meeting on September 12, 2017. A revised design, Alternative #2, is currently being presented at thus November 13, 2018 meeting to solicit public input on the impacts to the Yunker School. Both of the plans are discussed in detail below.
SITE PLAN
In both Alternative #1 and Alternative #2, additional right-of-way will need to be acquired to install the proposed improvements. The building location will not change in, but the overall lot size will be decreased. Currently, the subject site’s property lines effectively extend to the street centerlines of the 143rd Street and Wolf Road. A permanent easement for both roadways is located on the property, which is indicated by the red right-of-way lines on both plans.
In Alternative #1, the building setback proposed between the front entrance portico of the Yunker Schoolhouse and the right-of-way line for 143rd Street is essentially reduced to zero (0) feet. The building will be setback less than five (5) feet from Wolf Road. A short walkway in front of the building would connect to a 9.5 foot wide sidewalk directly adjacent to the 143rd Street roadway curb. The 9.5 sidewalk then transitions into a proposed bike path to the east along the north side of 143rd Street. In this scenario, IDOT would likely require a metal railing or fence to be installed between the roadway and sidewalk/bike path to create a safe pedestrian/bicyclist barrier along the street. A segmental block retaining wall, similar to the approximately two (2) foot tall wall that exists today, would be installed at the right-of-way line behind the proposed sidewalk in order to provide pedestrian accommodations at the intersection. A seven (7) foot side sidewalk will extend along Wolf Road to the north, located between five (5) and twenty-five (25) feet away from the building.
In Alternative #2, the impacts to the Yunker School site have been minimized. The revised design concept effectively provides an additional setback area from the building to the 143rd Street and Wolf Road curb lines as well as multi-use path along 143rd Street. As shown on the plans, the north curb line for 143rd Street and the east curb line for Wolf Road adjacent to the property have been held in their current location. However, a larger turning radius at the intersection has been utilized to accommodate a multi-unit truck making the right turn without jumping the curb, which will shift the curb line approximately ten (10) feet to the northeast into the site. The right-of-way lines will effectively be relocated to the current location of the roadway easements, indicated by the red line on the plan. The proposed right-of-way line for Alternative #2 is indicated in pink and the prior proposed right-of-way line for Alternative #1 is indicated in green.
This roadway alignment effectively shifts 143rd Street ten (10) feet to the south and Wolf Road ten (10) feet to the west. To accommodate these changes, the driveway to the gas station across the street will be relocated to the east and the parking spaces for the bank along Wolf Road will be relocated further to the west.
The existing five (5) foot wide concrete sidewalk in front of the commercial strip center and the four (4) foot wide flagstone walkway will be replaced with an eight (8) foot wide multi-use path that continues to the east along the north side of 143rd Street. A portion of the four (4) foot wide flagstone walkway will be reconstructed to connect the multi-use path to the remaining stone path and the front building entrance. A section of the multi-use path in front of the building will be placed in a permanent easement, as indicated in the yellow on the plan. Similar to Alternative #1, a seven (7) foot wide sidewalk is proposed along Wolf Road and will extend to the north. However, the sidewalk will be located an additional ten (10) feet to the west, providing extra separation between the building. Additionally, a short segment wall may be needed along the intersection edge of pavement.
Overall, the design changes shown in Alternative #2 allow for a larger setback between the Yunker Schoolhouse building and the 143rd Street curb line, multi-use path to the south, the Wolf Road curb line, and sidewalk to the west. Because this configuration also places the multi-use path further away from the roadway, it will avoid the need for a metal railing or fence along 143rd Street or at the intersection. Alternative #2 also allows for the preservation of large trees on site.
MOBILITY
143rd Street is considered a minor arterial road under IDOT jurisdiction. Wolf Road is also an IDOT minor arterial road south of 143rd Street. Wolf Road is a Cook County minor arterial road north of 143rd Street. Wolf Road south of 143rd Street and 143rd Street east of Wolf Road is marked IL State Route 7
BUILDING ELEVATIONS
There are no proposed changes to the Yunker Schoolhouse building elevations as part of this roadway widening project.
LANDSCAPING
A landscape plan is currently not under consideration. The roadway widening will account for streetscape improvements and pedestrian amenities in the parkways. The final details of these improvements will be planned as part of Phase 2 of the project. This discussion mainly deals with the right-of-way widening and the dimensional impacts to the building. However, it should be noted that the Alternative #1 and Alternative #2 design concepts will both impact the existing trees and landscaping on the Yunker Schoolhouse site. About 4-5 trees would be removed under Alternative #1 and about 2 trees will be removed under Alternative #2.
DETAILED PLANNING DISCUSSION
Proposed Setbacks
Alternative #1
- Front Setback (Front of Building to 143rd Street Right-of-Way) - 0 feet
- Front of Building to 143rd Street Curb Line - 19 feet
- Corner Side Setback (Building to Wolf Road Right-of-Way) - 5 feet
- Northwest Corner of Building to Wolf Road Curb Line - 31.8 feet
- Southwest Corner of Building to Intersection Curb Line - 14.4 feet
Alternative #2
- Front Setback (Front of Building to 143rd Street Right-of-Way) - 19.6 feet
- Front of Building to 143rd Street Curb Line - 29.4 feet
- Corner Side Setback (Building to Wolf Road Right-of-Way) - 18 feet
- Northwest Corner of Building to Wolf Road Curb Line - 43.8 feet
- Southwest Corner of Building to Intersection Curb Line - 28.7 feet
Estimated Lot Size
- Existing - 21,780 square feet (13,068 square feet excluding the existing roadway easements)
- Alternative #1 - Approximately 9,300 square feet
- Alternative #2 - Approximately 12,100 square feet
Zoning District Requirements
In the E-1 District, the minimum lot size required is one acre (43,560 square feet), with a lot width of no less than one-hundred and fifty (150) feet. The required front and corner side setbacks for properties abutting a major or minor arterial street is fifty (50) feet from the property line.
Given the surrounding zoning and land uses, the property has the potential to be rezoned to the BIZ General Business District in the future. A minimum lot area of (10,000) square feet and a minimum lot width of eighty (80) feet is required in the BIZ District. The minimum building setback from all streets is twenty-five (25) feet.
The property will become legal non-conforming to the E-1 Estate Residential District, in which it currently resides. The property will be rendered a legal non-conforming lot even upon a rezoning to the BIZ District in the future. The setback reductions are technical variances. Since they will be the result of roadway widening, they will be considered legal non-conforming and will not require a public hearing to issue variances. This was the policy established by the Village during the La Grange Road widening project for properties similarly affected.
Historical Asset
The Yunker Schoolhouse is a historic asset that contributes to the local heritage of Orland Park. However, it is currently not an Orland Park Landmark and it is not located within a local historic district.
Plan Commission Discussion
Staff is requesting public input on the impacts to the Yunker School house site in relation to the proposed changes to the roadway plans for 143rd Street and Wolf Road intersection improvement as shown on Alternative #2, the revised preliminary design concept.
The comments and feedback discussed at this meeting will be sent to CBBEL, which then will be utilized to finalize plans for formal submittal to IDOT.
The Plan Commission will review the remainder of the proposed improvement with respect to the local historic district at the east end of the project and any additional historic resources identified at a later date. Staff anticipates that the Village will hold a public meeting in early 2019 to obtain public input and feedback for the entire 143rd Street widening project plans.
Recommended Action/Motion
No action required.