Waukegan Planning & Zoning Commission recommends approvals for driveway variance, banquet-hall hours and three development requests

The City of Waukegan Planning & Zoning Commission met in public session and took final votes to recommend approval on several zoning and conditional-use items that will next appear before the city’s Community Development Committee and City Council.

The most immediate decisions: the commission recommended approval of a variance to permit replacement of a second driveway at 919 Commonwealth Avenue; voted to amend a 2017 conditional-use permit allowing Club La Bodega at 701 Pine Street to extend operating hours from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. with supplemental conditions and a 90-day review; recommended approval of a setback variance to reconstruct a nonconforming building at 506 10th Street; and recommended approval of a conditional-use permit for a 33-unit, age-restricted (55+) residential building at 3670 Casimir Pulaski.

Why it matters: The actions affect property owners and nearby residents: variances and CUP amendments change what uses and hours are permitted in neighborhoods, while the senior housing proposal would add affordable senior units and taxable development to a vacant lot. The Club La Bodega amendment drew the most public comment and generated a stipulation from the commission to review neighborhood impacts…