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Longtime Lockport resident says city denied front-deck permit she expected; council says ordinance review possible
Summary
Julianne Buckley told the council she spent $40,000 on home repairs and was denied a permit to add a front deck without a roof; city officials said front porches differ from decks under current code and suggested the council could review policy in strategic planning.
Julianne (Julianne) Buckley, a Lockport resident of 45 years, told the City Council she was denied a permit to install a front deck without a roof after making $40,000 in other home repairs. Buckley said she was told the city allows porches (which have roofs) but not uncovered front decks and that neighbor homes show inconsistent enforcement.
Why it matters: Buckley said the denial forces her to choose a costlier porch (she estimated an additional $5,000) rather than the wood deck she planned and that she believes other homes in town have front decks that she was told were installed illegally.
Council response: The mayor and councilmembers said inconsistent or past illegal work can occur and acknowledged the community’s interest in whether setback and front-yard improvements restrictions remain appropriate. A councilmember suggested the question is appropriate for the city’s strategic planning meeting, where the council can consider whether rules around front porches, decks and visibility should be adjusted.
Details: Buckley said she had intended to build a grade-level wood deck and that a building inspector had questioned the overhead beam only after the city denied a permit for a deck and required a porch. She said other communities she cited — New Lenox and Lemont — do not have similar restrictions. Council members did not promise an immediate code change but said they would consider the issue in a strategic planning discussion.
What’s next: The council indicated staff and elected officials will review whether to discuss the ordinance in strategic planning; no immediate permit reversal was recorded in the meeting.
