Lee County planning commission recommends county board consider zoning hearing officer and adds oversight, term‑limit language

At a Lee County Regional Planning Commission meeting, members reviewed petition 25 PC 78, a text amendment from the Lee County Zoning Administrator that would replace references to the Zoning Board of Appeals in the county's Title 10 zoning code with a newly created position, the zoning hearing officer, and add a procedure for amending previously approved special use permits.

The proposal would authorize the county board to appoint an attorney-licensed zoning hearing officer under 55 ILCS 5/5-12015, give that officer the powers formerly assigned to the Zoning Board of Appeals, and remove the existing quorum requirement for hearings. The draft also creates a two-track amendment process for special use permits: minor field adjustments that can be decided administratively and major amendments that require notice and a public hearing before the county board. The zoning administrator said amendments must be sought after county board approval of the original special use but before issuance of a building permit.

The change aims to address conflicts of interest and perceived bias that the zoning administrator said have arisen in a small community. "By adopting a zoning hearing officer who would be a licensed attorney who's licensed to practice in the state of Illinois, we're hoping that it'll bring a more black and…