Zoning Board of Appeals

Village of Lombard Village Hall 255 East Wilson Ave. Lombard, IL 60148 villageoflombard.org Minutes Wednesday, January 24, 2024 7:00 PM Village Hall Board Room Zoning Board of Appeals John DeFalco, Chairperson Mary Newman, Raymond Bartels, Keith Tap, Michelle Johnson, Brian Conway and Zach Meadows Staff Liaison: Anna Papke Zoning Board of Appeals Minutes January 24, 2024 Call to Order Mr. Conway called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance Mr. Conway led the Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call of Members Present 4 - Mary Newman, Michelle Johnson, Zach Meadows, and Brian Conway Absent 3 - John DeFalco, Raymond Bartels, and Keith Tap Also present: Anna Papke, AICP, Planning and Zoning Manager of Community Development A motion was made by Ms. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Meadows to appoint Mr. Conway as the Acting Chair. The motion passed by an unanimous vote. Public Hearings 240030 ZBA 24-01: 224 W. Crystal Avenue The petitioner requests that the Village approve the following variations on the subject property located within the R2 Single-Family Residence District: 1. A variation from Section 155.407(F)(1) to allow a front yard setback of twenty-nine (29) feet, where a front yard of thirty (30) feet is required; 2. A variation from Section 155.407(F)(3) to allow an interior side yard setback of five (5) feet where an interior side yard of six (6) feet is required; and 3. A variation from Section 155.407(F)(3) to allow an interior side yard setback of eight (8) feet where an interior side yard of nine (9) feet is required. (DISTRCT #1) Lindsay Espinosa, petitioner, and Anna Papke, Planning and Zoning Manager, were sworn in by Acting Chair Conway to offer testimony. Ms. Espinosa presented the petition. She said she has lived in Lombard for seven years. She would like to build an addition onto her house to accommodate her growing family. The existing house was Village of Lombard Page 1 Zoning Board of Appeals Minutes January 24, 2024 built in the 1950s. The proposed addition includes adding a second story and a small expansion along the front façade to provide more living space. She said she would like to be able to stay in Lombard and the addition will make this possible. Acting Chair Conway asked if anyone from the public or the ZBA had any questions or comments for the petitioner. Acting Chair Conway asked if Ms. Espinosa had received any feedback from her neighbors regarding her plans. Ms. Espinosa said she had received positive feedback from several neighbors. Ms. Newman noted the addition would primarily consist of the second story going straight up from the existing house. Mr. Meadows asked for clarification on the plans for the first floor. Ms. Espinosa said there will be a small increase in the first floor footprint, plus the addition of a roofed-over porch on the front. Mr. Meadows asked if there is an existing porch. Ms. Espinosa said there is but it does not have a roof. She added that the new porch would allow for a reconfiguration of the front door to allow better access. Acting Chair Conway asked if anyone from the public or the ZBA had any additional questions or comments. Hearing none, he asked for the staff report. Ms. Papke presented the staff report, which was entered into the record in its entirety. The subject property is developed with a single-family home. The existing single-family home does not meet the required interior side yard setbacks on either side of the property. The property owner would like to build a second-story addition onto the residence. The second story addition will maintain the existing interior side yard setbacks. The property owner also plans to modify the first floor to square off the front façade. Because the existing house does not sit square to the front property line, the altered front façade requires a front setback variance to allow for a 29-foot setback for a portion of the altered façade. Staff finds the requests for the variances are due to the unique circumstances on the subject property. The subject property is a 50-foot-wide lot platted in the 1920s, developed with a residence built in 1951. Village records suggest the house was consistent with codes in Village of Lombard Page 2 Zoning Board of Appeals Minutes January 24, 2024 place at the time of construction. Current lot width and side setback requirements were adopted after the house was constructed. Given the smaller lot width and existing conditions, the petitioner is unable to meet the current side setback requirements. Similarly, the need for the front yard setback is due to the location of the existing house, which does not sit square relative to the front property line. There is also a slight curvature in the Crystal Avenue right-of-way that affects the front setback of the existing house. Staff finds these unique circumstances meet the standards for variances and recommends approval of the request subject to the conditions in the staff report. Acting Chair Conway asked if there were any questions or comments on the staff report. Mr. Meadows asked whether the 50-foot wide lot was truly unique. He asked how many other lots in Lombard were 50 feet wide. Ms. Papke said staff had not done an analysis, but she estimated around 20% of the lots were 50 feet wide, or otherwise less than the required 60 feet in the R2 District. Mr. Meadows said he was not sure this would qualify as unique, and referenced standard b in the staff report. Ms. Papke said the uniqueness was a result of the combined characteristics of the lot width and the setbacks of the existing house on the property. Ms. Newman noted that the current Zoning Ordinance was passed after the house was constructed. Acting Chair Conway asked if there was additional discussion. Hearing none, he asked for a motion from the Board. Ms. Newman made a motion to recommend approval of the petition. Ms. Johnson seconded the motion. The Zoning Board of Appeals voted 4-0 that the Village Board approve the petition associated with ZBA 24-01, subject to the following four (4) conditions: 1. The addition shall be constructed in substantial conformance to the plans submitted by the petitioners as noted in this IDRC report; 2. The petitioner shall apply for and receive a building permit for the proposed addition; 3. The petitioner shall satisfactorily address all comments noted within the Inter-Departmental Review Committee Report; and 4. This approval shall be subject to the construction commencement time provisions as set forth within Sections 155.103(C)(10). The motion carried by the following vote: Village of Lombard Page 3 Zoning Board of Appeals Minutes January 24, 2024 Aye: 4- Mary Newman, Michelle Johnson, Zach Meadows, and Brian Conway Absent: 3- John DeFalco, Raymond Bartels, and Keith Tap Business Meeting Approval of Minutes A motion was made by Mr. Meadows, seconded by Ms. Johnson, to approve the minutes for the August 23, 2023 meeting with noted corrections. The motion passed by a unanimous vote. Planner's Report Unfinished Business New Business Adjournment A motion was made by Ms. Johnson, seconded by Ms. Newman to adjourn the meeting at 7:23 p.m. The motion passed by a unanimous vote. Village of Lombard Page 4