Committee overturns Planning & Zoning denial; appeals panel recommends larger barn for Crete property

The Will County Land Use and Development Committee voted to overturn a Planning & Zoning Commission denial and recommended that the full county board approve a variance allowing a larger accessory building on a Crete Township property at 24948 State Line Road.

The committee’s vote reverses a 3–2 denial at the Planning & Zoning Commission and sends the appeal to the full county board, where a three‑fourths majority of the board will be required to grant the variance. Committee members debated whether granting the variance would reward past violations or improve the situation by providing proper shelter for the animals.

Applicant and proposals: Hernando Torres, speaking on behalf of the owner, asked for a variance to allow animal‑confinement structures and other accessory buildings totaling 4,253 square feet; the R‑1 zoning district normally limits accessory building area to 1,800 square feet. Torres told the committee he planned a 64‑by‑50‑foot barn with five stalls, tack room and hay storage, and said he had reduced his herd after earlier enforcement contact.

Neighbors’ concerns: Multiple nearby residents — several of whom testified in person — described problems they attribute to the property owner’s prior actions: loud late‑night music, burning of material that produced offensive odors, alleged damage to a shared fence line and the removal of berry bushes on a shared border. Neighbors said they feared a larger barn would make it easier for the property to host large gatherings in the future.

Committee discussion: Committee members acknowledged the neighborhood tensions but also noted that an enclosed, purpose‑built barn would address several problems mentioned in neighbor testimony — specifically, uncontrolled animals, inadequate shelter and yard‑line mess. One committee member summarized the tension succinctly: “You’ve really ticked your neighbors off. You gotta fix this,” and urged the applicant to address outstanding concerns.

Formal outcome: The committee voted to overturn the Planning & Zoning Commission decision (committee vote recorded as 5–1) and to recommend approval of the larger accessory building, subject to the county process; the matter is now set to go to the full county board where 17 of 22 votes will be needed to permit the variance.

Sources and evidence: The transcript includes testimony from Hernando Torres describing the barn size and intended interior uses and multiple neighbors who described noise, burning and fence disputes. County staff summarized the standard accessory building limit for R‑1 and noted that several nearby properties already exceeded accessory building allowances.

Ending: The committee’s action does not itself grant the zoning relief; it forwards the appeal with a positive recommendation to the full county board. Neighbors and committee members will have an opportunity at the full‑board level to make their case.