Waukegan panel approves 10-foot height variance but rejects chain-link along Belvedere Road

The Waukegan Planning and Zoning Commission on May 8 approved a height variance allowing a 10-foot fence at 1212 Belvedere Road but denied the applicant’s request to use chain-link fencing along the 15-foot front-yard strip facing Belvedere Road.

The decision affects a fence Fansteel Inc. installed without an approved variance or final permit. Rachel, a planner with the Planning and Zoning Department, told the commission the company installed a 10-foot chain-link fence and received a stop-work order on Nov. 6 after construction began without a permit; a formal violation letter followed on Nov. 7. Rachel said the property is in the B-3 zoning district, and the first 15 feet of the lot is required to have a 4-foot ornamental front-yard fence.

Why it matters: the front 15 feet along Belvedere Road is a visible gateway into Waukegan and is subject to a stricter ornamental-fence standard; the commission balanced neighborhood appearance and the applicant’s security needs when crafting the motion.

What the commission decided and why Commissioner Hogue moved to adopt the findings of fact, approve the requested height…