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 variance for the fence “in all locations” and deny the material variance for the front-yard exposure on Belvedere Road; Commissioner Grimes seconded. The motion passed on a roll call vote: Haines — yes; Grimes — yes; Hogue — yes; Young — yes; Bill — yes.

The approved action lets the property maintain a 10-foot fence height where the commission found that height supports the applicant’s stated security needs, but the commission ruled the front 15-foot strip facing Belvedere Road must comply with the code’s ornamental-material requirement (4 feet and ornamental material). Rachel explained that chain-link fencing is allowed in side and rear yards and may be up to 6 feet in those areas.

Applicant statements and context Tony Lockett, vice president of operations for Fansteel Inc., said the company uses the site for storage and needs security. He testified the contractor completed work after a misunderstanding and that Fansteel had since reprimanded the contractor. Mike Noonan, the applicant’s attorney, asked the commission to find the variance standards were met, saying the property sits close to the street in a commercial/industrial corridor and that a 4-foot ornamental fence would not provide the security Fansteel says it requires.

Public comment and staff notes Lynn Florian, a nearby resident, told the commission she walks past the property and urged the panel to consider alternatives to chain link, calling chain link “ugly” and saying the corridor is a gateway into the city. Rachel told commissioners there had been prior coordination on other Fansteel properties; some neighboring properties have temporary permits or are in the process of being brought into compliance. A licensed zoning officer said the code-compliance fines have not been waived and a hearing on the property is scheduled; the officer described the matter as continued pending the outcome of the hearing.

Next steps and clarifications Rachel said the building permit for 1212 Belvedere Road remains on hold pending the variance paperwork; staff will work with the applicant to update the permit and site plan. The commission’s action grants the height relief the applicant sought but requires the front 15-foot strip facing Belvedere Road to be replaced or redesigned to meet the 4-foot ornamental requirement. The adjudication hearing on the code-compliance citation remains scheduled and a fine is pending determination by the hearing officer.

Additional details from the record - Fence installed: 10-foot chain-link along front, side and interior lot lines (applicant photos and code-compliance photos noted dates in November and December). - Front-yard requirement: 15-foot front-yard setback requires a maximum 4-foot ornamental fence in B-3 zoning; chain-link is allowed beyond that 15-foot front-yard area and in side/rear yards up to 6 feet. - Timeline: fence construction began in early November; stop-work order issued Nov. 6; permit applied Nov. 6 after stop-work notice; meeting with staff Nov. 14; reinspection Dec.; pre-application in March; variance application filed in April. - Addresses referenced: 1212 Belvedere Road (subject property); staff identified other Fansteel properties on the corridor (including 1516 and 1421 Belvedere) that have been or are being regularized. - Applicant estimate: roughly 200 feet of frontage along Belvedere Road (approximate).