DuPage County hearing officer recommends conditional use for shed in Bloomingdale Township with two-year limit

DuPage County Zoning Hearing Officer Robert Cartel recommended May 7 that a conditional use be granted for case Z25O13 (Aspen Inc.) to allow an existing shed to remain approximately 2.6 feet from the rear property line where a 3-foot setback is required.

Cartel said the homeowner’s testimony was sufficient to meet the standards for conditional-use relief and that he was adopting a written recommendation, with an amendment, to approve the request. "I have determined that my recommendation is to grant that conditional use," Cartel said during the hearing.

Cartel added a two-year time limit to the relief and read his written rationale: "The 2 year proposed period of relief is intended to permit this owner to obtain a tenant for the property, for the tenant to establish some regular use of the shed, and for the county to determine whether the actual use of the shed is consistent with the testimony presented at the hearing and the condition set forth in the relief." He said the owner proposes to rent or sell the currently vacant property and that the two-year period will allow the county to evaluate actual use once it commences.

The record shows the shed has existed at the location for at least five years, according to Cartel’s summary of testimony. Cartel said the written recommendation was reviewed and amended and that he was adopting that document as his recommendation. There was no public comment recorded and no additional business was taken at the hearing.

The recommendation is the hearing officer’s formal action for transmittal according to the hearing record; the transcript does not record a vote by a legislative body on the matter.