Planner previews R2 setback text amendment ahead of March hearing; developers present sketch

Abby Heckman, the village planner, told the Board of Trustees at the Feb. 17 study session that staff are preparing a text amendment to the R2 zoning regulations to address side-yard setbacks for detached single-family homes and that the Plan & Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposal on March 3. Heckman said the hearing notice ran in the News-Gazette on Feb. 14 and that the public packet will be available Friday, Feb. 27.

Heckman said the proposal is limited to detached homes in the R2 district and that developers Rob and Jake Frerichs of Unlimited Homes provided a sketch to illustrate how the changes would appear if adopted. "They have provided a sketch to help provide clarity of how the changes would look if approved," Heckman said during her remarks.

Trustee Schriver asked whether the petitioner could pursue a site-specific change instead of a text amendment. Heckman replied that a site-specific change would typically require a variance and that the petitioner would have to demonstrate a hardship to obtain one. Village Attorney Joe Chamley agreed that, under the current ordinance, a variance approach would be unlikely or not possible for the circumstances described.

Heckman closed the discussion by emphasizing the narrow scope of the draft amendment—changes would apply only to detached single-family homes in the R2 zoning district—and encouraged trustees to direct questions to staff or to bring concerns to the Plan & Zoning hearing.

The Plan & Zoning Commission public hearing is scheduled for March 3; Heckman said the packet for that meeting will be posted Feb. 27. The study session included no formal vote on the amendment; the item was informational and will proceed through the commission process.