The Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals met on Jan. 2, 2025, approved meeting minutes and transcripts from Nov. 7, 2024, and took procedural actions to continue two petition items to the board’s next regular meeting on Feb. 6, 2025.

The board approved the minutes and transcripts from the Nov. 7, 2024 hearing that included petitions 24‑p‑1630, 24‑p‑1631 and 24‑p‑1633. The board also noted that the Lee County Board of Commissioners had acted on related petitions (24‑p‑1629, 24‑p‑1631 and 24‑p‑1633) prior to the zoning hearing; a board member asked for confirmation and the record notes those county board actions as approved.

Old business: Petition 24‑p‑1632 — Jeffrey A. Lewis (763 Forest Park Drive). The petition, filed for a variance from Title 10, Chapter 9, Section 3 (bulk regulations) to modify side and rear yard setback requirements for an addition to an existing accessory building, was continued at the petitioner’s request. Zoning staff said the parcel is approximately 0.92 acres and that Lewis had asked for a continuance because he had a medical appointment and wanted to be present; the board moved to continue the petition to the February meeting.

New business: Petition 24‑p‑1635 — Jake Kastner (905 Stony Point Road). The petition sought a map amendment to rezone four parcels (totaling about 52.16 acres) from R‑2 (single‑family residential) to AG‑1 (agricultural) for the purpose of allowing poultry (chickens) on one parcel and designating the other parcels as forestry conservation. The petitioner was not present. Staff told the board the four parcels lie within 1.5 miles of the city of Dixon, which requires the petition be reviewed by the Dixon City Planning Commission before the zoning board acts. Staff said the city had expressed concern that the proposal might be interpreted as a larger livestock operation; the petitioner will appear at the city planning commission and return to the Zoning Board of Appeals at its February meeting. The board voted to continue the petition to Feb. 6, 2025.

The board recessed to its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025.

Votes at a glance: Approved minutes/transcripts from Nov. 7, 2024; continued petition 24‑p‑1632 (Jeffrey A. Lewis) to Feb. 6, 2025 at the petitioner’s request; continued petition 24‑p‑1635 (Jake Kastner) to Feb. 6, 2025 to allow city review; recessed until Feb. 6, 2025. The transcript records motions carried in each case; numeric roll‑call tallies are not specified in the excerpt.