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Palos Park council approves front- and rear-yard variances for 12441 Elm Street
Summary
The Palos Park Village Council unanimously approved Ordinance 2025-O2, granting front- and rear-yard setback variances for a nonconforming home at 12441 Elm Street after a 4-0 ZBA recommendation and a council roll-call vote.
The Palos Park Village Council on Jan. 27 approved Ordinance 2025-O2 to allow front- and rear-yard setback variations for a single-family property at 12441 Elm Street.
The variances were requested to permit construction of an attached garage with a breezeway, a carport and a three-season room. Commissioner Wade, who presented the item, said the required front-yard setback of 65.54 feet would be reduced to 27.75 feet under the proposal and the required rear-yard setback of 50 feet would be reduced to 41.1 feet.
The request stems from the property’s existing nonconforming layout, Wade said, noting that the house already encroaches into the required front setback and that the parcel’s configuration makes compliance with current setbacks impossible. Wade said a previous set of variances approved in 2022 for a different addition had expired after the owner did not pursue construction.
“Because of this, not only is the existing house nonconforming, but it is impossible for any addition to the home to comply with code,” Commissioner Wade said. The Zoning Board of Appeals held a public hearing on Jan. 8 and voted 4-0 in favor of the request, with three members absent, the council packet noted.
Mayor Milovich Walters, speaking during the council vote, said the proposed garage would align with the house’s existing nonconforming setback. “The new garage actually lines up with the existing house,” Mayor Milovich Walters said.
A motion to approve Ordinance 2025-O2 carried on a roll-call vote with Commissioner Patan, Commissioner Wade, Commissioner Reid, Commissioner Polk and Mayor Milovich Walters all voting yes. The ordinance approves the front- and rear-yard setback variations as described.
The council record shows the property is zoned R-1A and is a substandard parcel of about half an acre; the applicant’s proposed south-side addition eliminates the need for a side-yard variance that had been contemplated previously but still requires front- and rear-yard relief because of overlapping setbacks.
The council did not identify any conditions attached to the approval during the discussion. The variance approval restores the applicant’s ability to pursue the described construction after the 2022 approvals expired without being acted upon.
Votes at the meeting also covered separate consent and administrative items.
