[PAGE 1] DRAFT Plan Commission Meeting Minutes Date: March 5, 2026 Skokie Village Hall, 5127 Oakton Street, Council Chambers PLAN COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Paul Luke - Chair Sigalle Shpayher, Boyd Black, Scott Berman, Cindy Franklin, Jeff Burman, Dick Witry, and Ross Mathee PLAN COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Talia Gevaryahu STAFF PRESENT: Kate Portillo, Planning Manager, Kelsea Nolot, Corporation Counsel, and Jose Acosta, Planning Coordinator. 1. CALL TO ORDER A quorum being present, Chair Luke called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. 2. ROLL CALL Attendance was taken by roll call. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion to approve the minutes of the February 15, 2026 meeting was made by Commissioner Witry and seconded by Commissioner Jeff Burman. Ayes: 8 Nays: 0 Abstain: 0. The motion passes. 4. NEW BUSINESS a. 7450 McCormick Boulevard: Case 2026-01P: Planned Development Site Plan Approval Kate Portillo noted that the request was formally withdrawn by the petitioner on March 4, 2026 and would not be moving forward. b. 7120 Laramie Avenue: Case 2026-02P: Site Plan Approval Commissioner Shpayher made a statement that she has children who are students at the school, but this would not influence her ability to hear the petition or vote impartially. Corporation Counsel confirmed that proper notice had been provided for the case. Jose Acosta presented the staff report for the case. Hillel Torah requests site plan approval for improvements to the school. The property is zoned R-2 single family residential and is located along Laramie Avenue, just south of Touhy Avenue. The VOSDOC#638631 DRAFT Plan Commission Meeting Minutes March 5, 2026 [PAGE 2] DRAFT school has operated at this location since the 1960s and was purchased by Hillel Torah in 2012 after years of renting the space from the Hebrew Theological College. The proposed improvements include a 2,485 square foot building addition along with facade improvements visible from Laramie Avenue and landscaping improvements around the outdoor playground on the northeast corner of the site. The project also proposes to enclose two existing interior courtyards within the building and seal coat and restripe the north parking lot. The school will provide 39 on-site parking spaces plus access to approximately 60 additional spaces through an existing parking easement agreement with the Hebrew Theological College. The existing driveway and student drop-off loop will remain unchanged, and school operations will continue as before. The addition will primarily accommodate administrative and security improvements, including new office areas, a centralized reception area, and a secure vestibule at the main entrance to improve visitor management and building security. The petitioner requested two items of relief; from impermeable surface coverage requirements to permit 68% coverage rather than the 50% maximum allowed in the R-2 district, and from bicycle parking requirements to allow parking for 2% of student enrollment (8 spaces) rather than the required 10% (35 spaces based on current enrollment of 355 students). The existing impermeable coverage iss already approximately 67.2%, so the relief would memorialize the existing condition. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District determined that no additional stormwater control measures are required. Staff found the proposed amount of bicycle parking reasonable given that most students live more than two miles from campus and arrive by private vehicle or organized drop-off arrangements. Commissioners asked if there were parking concerns in the area, and for confirmation that the easement restrictions were intended to preserve shared parking access between the school and college while not restricting perimeter fencing. Stuart Brodsky and Jennifer Slaski of Wight & Company along with Larry Goldman presented on behalf of Hillel Torah. They shared the school's long-term commitment to the site and described the project as the final phase of ongoing improvements that have included science labs, STEM facilities, and other upgrades over recent years. They explained that the addition would fill in existing impervious paved areas and bring administration to the front entrance for better oversight and security. The design would extend the building's updated appearance across the front facade and improve accessibility. The team also clarified that the existing courtyards are open-air concrete structures used mainly for storage, with boarded-up light wells. The 800 square feet of courtyard space would be fully enclosed with roofs and converted to office spaces and a resource room for students. VOSDOC#638631 DRAFT Plan Commission Meeting Minutes March 5, 2026 [PAGE 3] DRAFT Chairperson Luke inquired about traffic management during drop-off and pickup times. The school confirmed they currently use monitors and work with the Skokie Police Department to control traffic flow, and this would continue. Staff recommended approval based on positive findings that the use is appropriate for the location, will have no adverse effects on adjacent properties, and is adequately served by public facilities. The proposed improvements conform to zoning code requirements except for the specific relief requested. No members of the public spoke regarding the case. A motion to approve Site Plan Approval Case 2026-02P with requested relief was made by Commissioner Scott Berman and seconded by Commissioner Shpayher. The motion passed unanimously. 6. PUBLIC COMMENT None 7. ITEMS FOR COMMUNICATION Commissioner Witry provided the Illinois House and Senate bill numbers currently under consideration related to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and suggested Commissioners review prior to the next meeting. The Commission discussed anticipated attendance and absences at the March 19, 2026 meeting, with an interest in full attendance for the next ADU discussion. Staff advised that the appropriate action would be another date certain continuation should the Commission choose to do so at the March 19, 2026 meeting. 8. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Jeff Burman moved to adjourn, and Chairperson Luke adjourned the meeting at 7:59 PM. Respectfully submitted by Kate Portillo, Planning Manager VOSDOC#638631 DRAFT Plan Commission Meeting Minutes March 5, 2026