Commission recommends rezoning, variances for existing four‑unit building to ease sale

The Machesney Park Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously May 27 to forward a positive recommendation to the Planning and Economic Development Committee for Ordinance 17‑25, a zoning map amendment to change a lot from single‑family residential to multifamily (R‑3), and Ordinance 18‑25, variances for lot area and site coverage for an existing 4‑unit building.

Carrie, a planning staff member, told commissioners the property contains “an existing 1 story 4 family building here, which was built over 50 years ago,” but that the lot is zoned single‑family and does not meet the code’s numerical requirements. “One of the requirements in our rezoning is that there be at least 2,900 square feet of lot area per unit,” she said, and “here, there’s only about 2,271 square feet of lot area per unit.” She also said the code limits site coverage to 40 percent and that “your pavement, parking, and building area account for over 66% of the lot area.”

The staff report recommended approval of both the rezoning and the variances to make the existing configuration lawful so a buyer could obtain financing. Steve Hawkins, who identified himself as the property owner/applicant, was sworn in and provided his address for the record but offered no additional changes to the staff presentation.

Discussion among commissioners was brief. A motion to approve the rezoning and to approve the associated variances with conditions carried on a roll call vote; the commission agreed the findings of fact supported the recommendation. The items will go to the Planning and Economic Development Committee on June 2 at 5:30 p.m. for further consideration.

Because the property is already developed as a four‑unit building, staff framed the request as allowing the existing use to be legally consistent with zoning so a sale and mortgage could proceed.