The village planning staff presented a package of minor text and process amendments to the zoning code and municipal code and asked the trustees for direction before a public hearing scheduled for July 28.

Planner Siren said the amendments are intended to clarify standards, close technical loopholes and streamline review processes. Proposed changes include explicitly prohibiting the use of fill to increase maximum building heights; allowing more flexibility to connect utilities to accessory buildings (for example, running service to a pole at the back of a lot rather than from the primary dwelling); clarifying pool setback language to match the building code 10-foot setback; and allowing above-ground-pool decks to equal pool height where appropriate.

Process changes would ease lot-combination reviews (requiring only village-board review rather than a full Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing), extend special-use and planned-unit-development approvals from 180 days to 365 days with an option for a further extension for good cause, change site-plan-review timelines from 30 to 60 days to align with noticing requirements, and extend the preservation-commission landmark-hearing window from 30 to 60 days to accommodate legal notice schedules. Planner Siren also said the code would be amended to exempt a small village-owned area used for public services from the list of prohibited building materials for village-owned public-service buildings.

The Preservation Commission recommended approval and the Planning and Zoning Commission prioritized the items for public hearing. Trustees generally praised the package as “housekeeping” that strengthens consistency and reduces administrative burden; the board will receive the amendments after the July 28 public hearing and is expected to consider adoption in August.