Village planners to draft ordinance easing permit requirements for small backyard structures

Trustees and plan commissioners directed village planning staff to develop draft ordinance language to streamline permitting for small, prefabricated accessory structures such as “mini-sheds” and basic backyard buildings, and to consider setback reductions for small lots.

Deputy planning staff noted that other municipalities allow carve-outs for small structures (for example permitting reduced side/rear setbacks of 5–10 feet and relaxed permit requirements for structures under a size threshold). The board discussed trade-offs including aesthetics, enforcement capacity and neighbor impacts.

Why it matters: The conversation responds to frequent resident inquiries about whether small storage sheds, chicken coops or similar nonfoundation structures should require the same building-permit process as full accessory buildings. Staff and trustees flagged enforcement limitations and the need to preserve neighborhood character. Trustee Chad suggested staff bring sample ordinances from other municipalities; staff warned that accessory-building rules are scattered throughout local codes and that drafting will require careful cross-checking.

Outcome: The board directed the planner to produce draft ordinance language and examples from other jurisdictions for a future meeting. No formal vote was recorded; direction was by consensus.

Next steps: Planning staff will prepare draft ordinance language that may include a square-footage threshold, lot-size thresholds, and reduced side/rear setbacks for qualifying small structures; staff will also list enforcement protocols and proposed permit/inspection workflow for the board to consider.