Planning commission approves reduced side-yard setback and backs recommendation on brick waiver for Holly Court home

The Orland Park Planning Commission on April 15 approved a variance to reduce the minimum side-yard setback for a single-family home at 14725 Holly Court and voted to recommend that the Village Board grant a second variance that would waive facade brick requirements so the homeowners can rebuild the house as it existed before a 2024 fire.

The petitioners, Marie and Tony (last name on the record), seek two variances: (1) reduce the R3A district side-yard minimum from 8 feet to 6.7 feet to allow reuse of the existing foundation, and (2) eliminate the Land Development Code requirement that face brick or stone cover at least 50% of exterior walls and 90% of each first-floor elevation. Development Services staff recommended approving the setback variance but recommended denying the brick/design variance because financial reasons alone generally cannot support a design variance under the code.

The house was built in 1968 and was considered legal nonconforming before it was substantially damaged in a February 2024 fire and later demolished. Staff…