Westmont board approves rezoning and easement variance for 4108 North Grant Street

The Westmont Village Board on March 6 approved rezoning 4108 North Grant Street from B2 (General Business) to R3 (Single-Family Detached) and granted a variance to reduce the minimum required access easement width from 30 feet to 20 feet.

The rezoning and variance were presented by Director Hennerfein, who said the parcel was annexed in February 2007 by the Lincoln dealership and was intended then to serve as dealership parking. The lot later became landlocked after site changes associated with adjoining development, he said. The petitioners provided a 20-foot access easement across a narrow parcel to connect the lot to the residential side of Grant Street; the village code requires 30 feet.

Vanessa Favia, who identified herself as representing the seller K4K LLC, a subsidiary of Cars 4 Kids, told the board the organization had difficulty selling the property under its current zoning and that rezoning would allow a buyer to build a single-family home. “We believe that the change will benefit the neighborhood, and it is in accordance with the comprehensive plan for Westmont,” Favia said.

Trustees asked staff about the lot’s history and the surrounding annexation pattern, including whether adjacent backyards and the cul-de-sac are or will be in the village. Hennerfein said the parcel otherwise meets R3 dimensional standards and the only outstanding nonconformity was the width of the access easement. An audience member asked whether potential buyers were aware of the substandard access; Hennerfein replied that only the access width was substandard and the lot is otherwise buildable.

Trustee Nero moved approval; Trustee Scales seconded. A roll call vote followed and the motion passed.

The ordinance approving the rezoning and the variance will allow the owner to sell the parcel with the 20-foot driveway access to Grant Street, consistent with what petitioners said is the comprehensive plan vision for the parcel.