Burr Ridge board clears special‑use fence for corner lot after resident and plan‑commission debate
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Summary
After a debate over backyard loss and visual impact, the Burr Ridge Board of Trustees voted unanimously to direct staff to prepare a special‑use ordinance approving a five‑foot fence on a corner residential lot at 383 61st Street, following a 6–1 plan‑commission recommendation.
The Burr Ridge Board of Trustees voted 6–0 on March 9 to direct staff to prepare an ordinance approving a special use for a five‑foot fence on a corner residential lot at 383 61st Street.
Homeowner Cassandra Cagle appeared before the board and said she preferred the fence line be moved from the plan commission’s proposed position so it would sit closer to her patio and preserve usable backyard space. "I would be willing to support this if it was down here at the patio," Cagle told trustees during the discussion.
Plan Commissioner Joe Petrich told the board the plan commission recommended the fence as shown in the commission packet, noting the commission vote was 6–1 and that there were no recorded neighbor objections at the time of the hearing. "One commissioner wanted to push the fence further east," Petrich said, but the majority supported the west‑facing location because no adjacent neighbor had objected on the record.
Trustee Franciz asked whether the neighboring lot to the south had been notified; staff said they had mailed notice but had not received a response. Board members discussed the visual impact from Garfield and whether moving the fence 25 feet would unduly reduce the homeowner’s backyard. The petitioner said moving the fence that far would consume about half the yard; trustees cited the plan commission’s 6–1 recommendation as persuasive.
After discussion, Trustee [motion mover] made a motion to direct staff to prepare the special‑use ordinance; the motion was seconded and passed on a recorded roll call vote of six 'yes' votes, zero 'no' votes. The board’s approval directs staff to draft the ordinance for future publication and final adoption.
The board also reviewed related technical issues during the exchange: staff noted stormwater-management requirements for corner lots and that the petitioner’s proposed fence aligns with the village’s permitted dimensions. The petitioner was thanked and welcomed by the mayor following the vote.
The matter will return in ordinance form once staff prepares the required documentation and notifications.
