McHenry County zoning board to forward impervious‑coverage variation for Sands Road warehouse expansion to County Board

At a McHenry County zoning hearing, members recommended forwarding an applicant’s variation request to allow higher impervious coverage for a warehouse expansion on Sands Road to the County Board, with a condition that “best management practices as outlined in the stormwater management ordinance shall be followed.”

The variation seeks to increase site impervious coverage from an original proposal of about 75% down to a revised plan showing approximately 67% coverage; county staff noted an administrative variation would allow up to 55% coverage. The applicant agreed to reduce proposed pavement (described in the hearing as a 7,000-square-foot reduction from the original proposal) and to a stormwater condition intended to address neighbors’ runoff concerns.

Neighbors at an earlier hearing raised concerns that runoff from the expanded pavement and roof area would flow down a steep slope toward a lower parcel owned by Crystal Lake…