Board of Appeals grants variance for rear sunroom at 2312 East Lake Bluff Boulevard

The Village of Shorewood Board of Appeals voted to grant a variance of the village lot-coverage rules Monday to allow a rear sunroom addition at 2312 East Lake Bluff Boulevard that increases principal-structure coverage to 31.6%.

The board said the lot's irregular shape and an attached-but-not-internal-access garage created an exceptional circumstance that justified a limited departure from Section 5-35-19(E)(5) of the village code and would not cause substantial detriment to neighboring properties.

Justin Burris, lead building inspector, told the board the property is an interior lot in the R-5 single-family district and “the existing lot is nonconforming with respect to the minimum lot area. The R-5 District requires that lots are at least 6,000 square feet, and this lot is 5,247 square feet.” Burris said the applicant's proposed plans had been reviewed by the Design Review Board and the packet included a zoning review, plans and photos.

Architect Josh Eyre, sworn and speaking for the property owners, said the lot's nonrectilinear shape, including a 400-square-foot cut-out at a corner of the parcel, pushed calculated lot coverage to 31.6%. Eyre said, “if that 400 square foot was part of the property, we would be within the limit,” and that a smaller, compliant sunroom would be “too small” to be usable.

Board members discussed whether the lot's physical constraints were unique to this parcel, and Chair Wendy Smith noted the clerk's office had not received objections from neighboring property owners. After deliberation, the board approved the motion to grant the variance. John Tuenhoff abstained; Wendy Smith, Steven Isaacson, Scott Waligora and Kevin Matthews voted in favor.

The clerk will provide the applicants written confirmation of the board's decision and instructions for next steps in permitting.