Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

Uh, May 5th, 2026, 7:00. Let's call the order. No. Yeah, let's uh call the order. Let's do a little roll call for the planning commission hearing. Sorry, coming off a baseball game. Freezing my tail off, so. Okay, I was like Um Commissioner Tantillo? Here. Commissioner Bylina? Here. Commissioner Hartley? Here. Commissioner Gormley Barnes? Here. Commissioner Minshall? Here. Commissioner Lucenti? And Chairman Gregskovich? Here. And if we can all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. This is more on my face than usual. Thanks Andreas for sending out the package early. Trust everybody received it. Uh, we'll be entertaining a motion to approve the February meeting minutes. Um take your time. If you haven't reviewed them already, let me know if there's any corrections or misrepresentations.

I move to approve the minutes of February. Let the record show Commissioner Minshall has made a motion to approve the February meeting minutes. I second the motion. Seconded by Commissioner Tentillo. All in favor of approving the February 2026 meeting minutes as they have been published in this agenda, say I. I. I. All opposed? Let the record show motion carries. And uh we'll move on to uh our public hearing. And uh I need to entertain a motion to open the public hearing. I'll move to open the public hearing. Thank you, Commissioner Gormley Barnes. Second? Second. Seconded by Mr. Minshall. Public hearing is now open. Uh what do we have before us, Andres? Before us we have a petition number 20226 of 2026-01, which is located at 11315 Hiawatha Lane. This is their request is for a variation for the demolition of an existing detached detached garage and the construction of a new detached garage with larger dimensions at the same location. For further information and introduce this topic, uh Brennan Fleischer, who is our administrative intern, will be the one He is the one that did all the the variation, sent in the packet, and so he'll be introducing this topic, um if you so wish him to do now. Please.

Brennan. Hello. Hi. Um before you is the uh analysis for 11315 Hiawatha. Staff recommends uh the Planning and Zoning Commission to move forward with the requested variance for reconstruction. Um Um as long as the construction is as substantially similar to the proposal as can be. Um [clears throat]

A little background. On March 11th, petitioner Alan Watson applied for a variation to demolish his current garage and reconstruct it. Um The reconstruction will enlarge the garage. Um The current garage size is 18.35 by 31.95 ft. It was constructed in 1975. And the new garage would be 30 by 40 ft, um which would fit a new parking spot. The garage would still be um 3 ft from the lot line. Um So, moving to the uh facts the relevant code that I found applicable to the variance request was municipal code section 43-219 special usage reconstruction or enlargement of an existing detached garage on R1 lots on which a residence already exists said lots having a total width of 70 less than 70 ft at any point of the buildable area may be permitted provided that a hardship can be demonstrated and that the use is not detrimental to the village as a whole or adjacent properties. Furthermore, 6E of section 42-219 states unattached private garages constructed after May 14th, 1984 must be in the buildable area of the lot unless granted a variance by the board. And finally, municipal code section 42-224 building width no building shall be of greater width than the 75% of the

lot at the building setback lines but not less than a total of 25 ft combined setback space allowance. Uh something I wanted to note is while the code states that this could either be a special use or variance request, staff found that it made more sense to be a variance to so that way it's attached to the lot instead of being attached to the person being that it's a garage. Um So, staff found that um there have been three variance requests in 1975 for garages, however, none of them are applicable to this case. Um however, being that this is a reconstruction of an existing garage, um and we found there weren't any detriments to the neighborhood, um the fact that the garage pre-dates 1984, and it's in the same general location, that it meets all the findings of fact and So, the staff recommends you guys approve. I mean, you all approve. Thank you. Do we have representatives from the We have the applicant? Yes. Anything that you would care to add to staff presentation? No, that was good. Wonderful. And how long have you lived at the residence? I think we're going to ask him questions we need Oh, thanks. Do you want to go out here? Yeah. Oh, no, no. About 8 years now. 8 years? Yeah. Great. Can you make sure it's on, too? It's a little clicker button. He has to introduce himself. Yeah. Yeah. Let's

real quick raise your hand. Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Yes. Wonderful. My name is Alan Watson. I live at 11315 Hiatt Arthur Lane. Um I'm looking for a variance for the garage because of the hardship of the lot size and the layout. That'll be 30 by 40, three-car garage, and that's practically all the information. Mr. Watson, I know we we spoke um back when it was in Lake Forest a while ago. Um didn't you also uh kind of as part of this project also were looking at improving some of the drainage back there. Yes. Okay. I was I was just trying to remember. I believe that's what it was. So, that was one of the one of the as staff's analysis with it was that um not only would not be a detriment, it might also have a boon to helping with the drainage on that side of Hiawatha, which can be a little challenging with the grade going. Basically, there's Mr. Watson's um garage, and then it drops off about I don't 10 15 ft. It's a very It's a very pretty steep incline. So, I wanted to bring that and note that as part of the public hearing that there might be some additional benefits to the the neighborhood as well. And the purpose of the construction is to store cars, nothing else.

Yeah, vehicles and storage for lawn mowers and stuff. No residential above planned?

No. And it's currently a two-car and you're It's a one one and a third. It's a one-car and it's falling apart, so we don't park any vehicles in it. You know, it's just storage at the minute. And when you bought the house, the structure was there? Yeah. Wonderful. Uh question for staff, maybe for Brandon. Is there Is there anything in the zoning that limits the size of a garage? I I don't I should know that, but I don't. As long as it's within the buildable area, there's no explicit um size max. Okay.

Yeah, it does It depends It depends on the the zoning of it. Um yeah, so we don't have to There is There is for R1 specifically, we don't allow more than three stalls, but it's kind of a a catch-22 because if you're going to add any space, you have to add a full stall, which is a 9 by by minimum amount. So, that's why I'm Watson going from one car to go to this is he need to add he needs to add at least 9 by 20 for an off an off-street parking space. And this Can I ask a question? I live just down the street in a equally non with a house with an equally non-conforming garage. So, this will be me in a few years. Um It's It's going to be placed closer to the house. So, is the is the Are the doors going to be facing to the west? Like you'll you'll pull in Yes, from the right.

on your western driveway and then turn in the backyard and go into the garage. Okay. Will the Will the other driveway that's on the east lot line be removed then? Or it won't be usable anymore, right? No, I won't be able to get into the garage.

Yeah, up to the edge of the house, the north side of the house, that'll be about, you know, for any cars, like visitors and stuff, to park, and that's it. Okay. So, over time you could actually reduce the amount of asphalt area potentially just because you wouldn't be able to use it to access the garage. And is it just Is it just um Maybe it's just the way that this was written or or drawn, but do you intend to keep the deck on the back [snorts] That's all going to go away, right? Because you'll have to regrade.

is That's definitely deteriorating. It has Okay. I think it's just by chance that the line is hitting on the drawing right there. Okay. Any other questions for the petitioner or staff. So, after after this decision, then it then it comes to you for the full like review of the building with the building code.

Yeah, so what will happen is if this is recommended, we'll get the ordinance together for it, and then once it gets approved, um then the everything for construction-wise will come to us, you know, construction, engineering, all that, and with the relief that you've granted, which essentially is it being substantially similar to location and what it's going to look like, we'll we'll modify it to meet the building code. Or it won't be modified, but it'll meet the building codes everything is going over there. Right, so they need to do some regrading and the foundations, like all that stuff gets gets figured out by the engineers.

yeah, and I mean like crossing our fingers, hopefully this doesn't happen, but if something for some reason, you know, he needed to move it, you know, a foot or two to the west, you know, we wouldn't have to come back here because it'd be an engineering thing saying, "Okay, it's substantially similar. The intent here is to allow him to do this in that general vicinity and that over there." And then staff could, you know, and staff, the engineers, and everything can make that work, so. So, Diane, your question, there will be a subsequent staff review of the actual construction documents that we don't Right.

Got it. Right, to address some of the issues with the the grade drop-off and all of that kind of stuff that's going to make it a little bit complicated, but it's the only thing we're looking at is the placement of it is is approved by us, and then the rest gets worked out. Yeah, it's the the placement, the size, and essentially allowing him to rebuild it. Mhm. Anything else for the petitioner? If not, I'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing. Mr. Tentillo, Commissioner Tentillo, is there something that we missed? Okay. All right. Well, I'd like to entertain closing the public hearing before we enter into I move to close the public hearing. Thanks, Commissioner Minchoff. Second? Second. Seconded by Mr. Palena. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. So, um let's deliberate. So, I'm noting

[snorts]

staff's uh presentation in the package for the findings of fact, um particularly going through the nine elements that we're supposed to consider when considering a um variation. We can review them uh if we'd like, or uh it is halfway through the the package if uh you guys haven't reviewed it already, but um consistent with staff's recommendation, it appears as though um this would fall within a reasonable approval of a variation. I certainly don't want to lead anybody anywhere, but it uh sure does look as though um this would this would qualify as something we should consider. Um anything that we need to talk about as a commission? Um If uh if uh we need to socialize anything, let's do it. Otherwise, um next uh next next uh action would be a motion for approval. I'll make the motion to approve. I have a question. Wonderful. Mr. So, um the garage expansion is not going to go farther back. Is that our assumption there? It's not going to move closer to the rear lot line. Correct. No, it's going to as I said, substantially similar to what it was. Basically, the southeast corner of the the current property is the way it's drawn on the on the plans. Will be everything will stay in line with that. So, it's not going to move any further. I'm trying to remember what it was actually. It's not going to go towards near any nearer to the side lot line or

the rear lot line. It'll just go a little bit further towards the front and the Okay. west. And and the deck remains in the plans? Um as Mr. Watson noted that no, he is going to get rid of that. Okay, good. And then the fence that's there, is that a legacy approval? Is there a fence there? I was not aware of that. I see a fence in the photo. In the photos, there is. It's just it's like a Is that part of the deck? On the deck. Here. Oh. I don't I was not aware of that.

Oh, the cowboy fence? Aren't the the split It's a split rail. It's a cowboy fence? They They were a lot They were allowed if they were there. There's some interesting things that I found out this week about the how the about the fence code. Things Commissioner Tentillo Um apparently, the last two changes to the code that were the fence neither were done with a public hearing. So, those might not be legal. Uh anyway, the point of the meeting, don't worry, it's not anything here. And we'll be taking care of that sooner rather than later. Um the point of it is is that uh we will examine the property for any sort of code compliance issues as need be when it happens. Is that And then what? We will take all necessary steps to bring everything into compliance. It's not a problem.

[snorts] Okay. We do have a motion to approve. their fence? Do we know if that's your fence? I think it's our fence, but that's coming It's coming out. We We don't like the fence. Ah. [laughter]

There's your answer. You guys [snorts] actually came at us for it a while ago and then re- recinded it or whatever the right term is. This was a long time ago um for the lattice that you that I don't know why those are there to be honest with you, but they're all coming We were waiting to do all of this work to get rid of all the old structures that were probably there in the '50s, '60s, '70s, something. I second the motion. Motion by uh Commissioner Latke, second by Mr. Tintillo. Let's see if we can do it uh All in favor of This has to go to the board, right? Yeah, so that So this one's relatively simple, so I probably I won't be not be bringing it back to you as an ordinance. Um so I'll just go to the board on the next board meeting to try and get it there. All in favor of making a recommendation to the board for petition number 2026-01 located 11315 Hiawatha Lane a variation in findings of fact uh for the demolition of existing detached garage and the construction of new detached garage with larger dimensions at the same location. All in favor say I. I.

I. All opposed? Hearing none, motion is approved to recommend to the board. Okay. Thank you. You're very welcome. We will attempt to get that on the May 14th board meeting. So, Brandon's going to be very busy tomorrow writing an ordinance. Okay. That takes Andre, do you want them to sign the guest list or are you okay with that? I think we're I think we're good with the with the way they are. It takes care of public hearings and new business. Um I do have some I do have a couple of state

old business. Or it I just just kind of an update and I apologize I didn't get to sign here. We we had this um kind of finalized it earlier this week. Namely yesterday then. Uh in June, we will be having a So, the Let me back up. The zoning code that you have been that you were reviewing over the past year, you all remember you saw the zoning code periodically over the past year. I don't know if you're like if me that partially blocked it out. Um but uh that has been done. We have gotten the final version of it. And as the part of as part of it to get that passed, we will need to have a public hearing on it. Um when in discussing with both Gavin and Village Administrator and um Mayor Wittenberg, um we are looking to have a combined committee of the whole and planning zoning commission as a public hearing on that zoning code and then we'll have our planning consultant here to go through it all in the same time um which will then take care of it. So, the plan is to do that in the third week of June. So, we'll be sending out some dates of the third week in June. I like Wednesdays cuz nobody does anything on Wednesdays, but no one ever agrees with me. Um but Do you need a quorum for that? I'll have to double-check exactly what the quorum requirements are cuz if we have both the board and the PCC there, I don't know if we have to have a quorum of both of them or I'll have to double-check. Um but the whole point of it is to have it so that way it's just going to be that focused on that. It can walk we can the planning consultant will be here in person to walk through it, answer any further questions. And then at that time it'll be a adopted in the July meeting. We hope to get you the final final versions of it. Right now it's

currently under legal review. Staff reviewed it. You've have seen all the pieces of it. Um it's currently under legal and we're going to get that to the board as well so they can review it cuz I know they they love looking at that. Um at the same time we might be incorporating the final um fence public hearing as well with it. We might incorporate cuz right now we need to have a public hearing for the fences. Um my apologies. I thought we could do that at the board level. Apparently legal has told me that it should have come back that our code is a slightly strange and it makes it so that all those public hearings have to be at the planning zoning commission level. So, my apologies to you on that one. Um that was my error. Uh and so we might be incorporating that as the full zoning. So, it might be the entire zoning code with the fence updates. Speaking of fences cuz I know we all absolutely love them. Uh may in this next board meeting next Thursday should be the final uh, consensus at the board to in force the consensus on the final form of what those fence updates will look like when we uh, do incorporate them in there. So, I want to give you all those heads up. Essentially this, you know, we have a lot of big projects that are going out that are all coming to a head at once and um, you know, you've been instrumental in it uh, and I wanted to let you know that we are going to be having that meeting. So, look forward an email or other messages about finding an exact date in that third week in June. Is there any questions on that? So, that the the consultant is going to make a presentation at that point and then the public hearing will be on the same Yes. night. Okay. All right. Is it going to be available for people to review like on the website prior to that with some kind of summary of We what the big changes are? Yeah, we're Well, that's what we're looking at is doing a summary memo, of course, of what all the big changes are, the major major points on it. Um, we'll probably try to

get that up at least a week ahead of time. Of course, always the public hearing will be uh, recorded just like this meeting is. Um, and that way anyone can review that as well. And that gives us enough time to go from that third week in June into the July 9th board meeting. So, we'll have plenty of time to see it. If you wish to discuss anything, you'll have a board you'll have a a uh, July PCC as well right before it before that. Though it is the July 4th early split, so you might not be here, but that [snorts] way we have the time for us. That's why we're kind of looking at the time frame of it of of fitting that all together. So, this isn't going to be a workshop. It's strictly a presentation. It will be a it will be a presentation as part of the public hearing. So, uh, sort of like how the budget goes, they open the public hearing. Kind of like you actually it's like kind of like here, we open the public hearing, instead of Brandon it'll be our consultant, Chantel Powers. It'll be a very long, they'll answer questions, anyone can ask any questions.

there will be questions asked. Yes, it'll be going through the it'll be through the whole process just like we had right now, and then we'll close it. That meeting won't make any decisions because it's just meant to be that public hearing.

Informative, yeah. Yep, and then it'll final adoption will be at the July meeting. That is our current plan. So and so people who watch online that evening and have questions, or people who review it after that meeting and have questions, will they still be able to submit comments or Yeah, they'll be able to submit comments both PZC and the board as There's no action, it's just a presentation. Yeah, there's no I mean no action at that meeting cuz it'll be a it's not a board and a PZC, it's a committee of the whole and a PZC. And it's not July it's not June 2nd is what you're also saying, right? No, it will not be June 2nd. And so the date is to be determined. Yes, it'll be the third week in in June. That's 16th? It'll be the 16th, 17th, or 18th. Cuz I've been told no Mondays, no Fridays. Like I said, I'm always partial to Wednesdays, but no one ever no one ever takes me up on that. You guys are being extremely kind.

[laughter]

You do not need to stay. This is entertaining. You should you should have been here the last 11 months. It was a really entertaining the last 11 months. Well, and I guess the the last question I have is that this is just text amendments to the zoning code. There isn't any situation where someone you know, currently has a property that's zoned B2 and then there's going to be a new map that makes it B3, something like that. This is just tweaking the No, this this will be a This is the full zoning code update. So, we will be changing the zoning code. So, if you happen to be in Arrowhead Trail, that's when that R1A will come in to to make it fit Arrowhead Trail better. Or if you happen to be in Sequoia Hiawatha, that's when that R1B because of all this non-conforming to help try and cut down the amount of things that need variations. Okay, so there will be a new map and people will be able to see my property will now be zoned this and this is what that means. What what's different than what what it was before? Residential speaking, the only ones that change are Sequoia Hiawatha and um Arrowhead Trail to more accurately conform to what the actual properties are. So, they won't have to come out all the time for these things. The the every the non-residentials will have significant change into it, but most of it is just getting rid of getting rid of B1, B2 and B2 because we don't actually use B1 and B2. And then rearranging those a little bit to make it more make more sense. And what's what's the lead time on getting an advanced copy of this? So, we are hoping to get the the full review from legal in the next week or two. So, we're trying to get a full month of time for you with it. That's

not going to be with the memo of it. That's just going to be the full-on clear reading of it. So, we hope to actually get the the legal review within the next week or two so staff can review it so we can forward it on to both the PZ C and the village board to then allow it to for them to read through that, you know, with a fine-tooth comb. And then we'll be looking at trying to get the summary from our uh planning consultant at least up and out with up there a week ahead of time for the for this meeting. And then we won't have that much to do because they're all these variations or variances and we'll all have to deal with them. You think of the past, right? Well, if we look Well, if we look at the if we look at the fence survey, the number one thing people asked us to do afterwards is sheds.

[snorts] Mhm. Sorry. [laughter] Don't want you to get bored on the commission, right? [laughter]

Yeah, I didn't realize that fences and sheds could also be substituted for other words. It's not warm enough for pools. Pools are allowed. Yeah. What else do you have for us? That's That's all I ever I have. I'm just a I guess I I haven't I haven't built brought the building report in a while. I once again, I apologize. Um we have currently sitting at 37 permits for the year. Most of those are over-the-counter type permits, but we are seeing a lot of concrete work going on. It's that time of year. So. General question about solar panels. What does the new code say or do in approving and what steps do you have to take to get solar panels approved as a code currently exists? You have to give us three copies of everything including the architectural wherever you're going to put them. And then I send that to our building code consultants and they tell me. Okay. I was asked that question. I didn't know the answer.

Yeah, I mean if if if you only have any of these technical but like I'm the I always tell people like imagine I'm the process of it. I can tell you these are the things that I need you to give me, but when it starts to to building code questions, that's when you got reach out to Don Morris, just tell him I'm looking to do this at this location in the head park. What do I need to give you? What do I need to do this? You know, what are You know, what are the insulation rating for whatever? And I'm just call them, they'll get back to you pretty quickly, they'll walk you through it. And then that way when you give it to me, then I can give it to them and they basically can just make a check mark and we move along. No correspondence. Any public comments? Anything else from the commission? Okay. Do it. Do it. I move to adjourn. Let the record show Commissioner Minshall made a motion to adjourn. Should stick around for another 10 minutes, but

I I second the motion. Second by I beat me. Until all in favor of adjourning are I. May 5th, 2026 Planning Commission meeting at 7:34. Say I. I. I. Opposed? Motion to

Mhm.