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Board grants setback and parking variances for school gym addition on West 10 Mile
Summary
Oak Park's zoning board approved reduced setbacks and a reduction in required on-site parking to allow a school gymnasium addition on West 10 Mile; the applicant said the gym is for curricular use only and will have no spectator seating.
The Oak Park Zoning Board granted variances permitting reduced building setbacks and a reduced parking count to allow a gymnasium addition at a school on West 10 Mile. The board approved the request after the applicant explained the gym will be used for high school curricular activities and not as a spectator venue.
Amy Ackerman of PEA Group told the board the project adds a gymnasium to an existing school building previously used by a preschool and a high school; preschool operations have moved to another site. Ackerman said the requested setback relief would place the new addition about 37.2 feet from the north property line and about 34.24 feet from the west property line, under the 50-foot setback the ordinance requires. She also said the applicant requests 97 parking spaces within the site versus the 272 spaces required under Article 4, Division 1, Section 403, arguing that daytime use and reduced staff levels after the preschool relocated lower expected demand.
When board members asked whether the gym would host after‑school games or visiting schools, Ackerman said "the gym actually is set up truly just for educational purposes," adding there will be no stands or spectator seating and "you're not gonna have other schools coming to compete." She said on‑site circulation and queuing would remain largely unchanged.
The chair called for a motion based on the staff report and the applicant’s presentation; the motion was seconded and approved by the members present. The transcript records affirmative votes from Member Anderson, Member Brown, Member Clyde, Member Levovic, Member Seligson and Member Steinberg. The motion carried, granting the requested setback and parking variances; no amendments or conditions were noted in the transcript.
The variance allows the school to proceed with the gym addition as described in the applicant’s presentation, subject to any staff or administrative follow-up not recorded in the meeting transcript.
