At an informal review July 16, the Village of Lake Bluff Joint Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals advised the project team for 1750 Shore Acres Drive to pursue a lot reconfiguration that would square off the parcel and create a half-acre building lot, moving the new home farther from the road to meet Country Estate (CE) district setback expectations and preserve mature front-yard trees.

Healy Rice, the architect for Shore Acres Drive LLC, presented four layout options for a property the planners described as L-shaped and undersized for the CE district’s usual front- and rear-setback requirements. Rice said the proposed new house would total roughly 2,861 square feet of living area with an approximately 193-square-foot front porch; the design team indicated the parcel’s lot coverage and FAR interact with CE zoning requirements and that a change from the CE 20% lot coverage to the more typical 30% used in other residential districts would make the proposed house fit more easily.

Commissioners and staff provided largely technical guidance rather than a formal determination: board members recommended the owner pursue a subdivision or lot-line adjustment that would yield a roughly half-acre building parcel located farther north on the property so the house could meet a 100-foot front setback and a 40-foot rear setback cited for the CE district. Commissioners emphasized preserving the existing tree canopy in the property’s front area; several commissioners said placing the new house in the lot’s interior would allow most of the mature trees to remain.

Commissioner comments focused on context and long-term neighborhood character. One commissioner said most existing Shore Acres lots are much larger and that a smaller, sited building lot would reduce impacts to neighboring properties and protect trees. The commission and architect discussed using the existing driveway and rotating the house plan so the garage could take advantage of the current access, which would avoid adding a long new driveway and reduce tree loss.

The hearing was informal: no motions or votes were taken. Planning staff noted that a formal subdivision or variance would return to the PCZBA for review; the village attorney has previously advised that the owner holds two billable lots, meaning a future application for a second home may be legally possible. Commissioners encouraged the applicant to submit a tree survey and work with adjacent owners, and several members said they considered the recommended lot-line adjustment the most practical long-term solution for both homes and for protecting the tree canopy.

Next steps: the applicant indicated willingness to explore a lot-line change and to update plans; future formal applications (subdivision, variance, building permits) would be required if the owner proceeds.