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Vernon Hills panel recommends rear-yard setback reduction for 7 Mayflower Road
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Summary
Paul and Sandy Lindauer asked the planning commission to approve a reduced rear-yard setback so they can add a one-story, first-floor living room onto their home at 7 Mayflower Road; the commission voted to recommend approval to the village board and will forward the item for board consideration on May 5.
The Vernon Hills Planning & Zoning Commission on the evening of the meeting voted to recommend approval of a variance reducing the required rear-yard setback at 7 Mayflower Road so homeowners Paul and Sandy Lindauer can build a one-story first-floor addition.
The Lindauers told the commission they have lived in the neighborhood since 1984 and want to add a roughly 14-foot-deep by 20-foot-wide first-floor living area so that they can remain in their home as they age. “We'd like to try to proactively plan for a future that we could live in that place as long as we could,” Paul Lindauer said while describing the design and neighborhood context.
Staff noted the petition and site plan received on March 10, 2026, and identified nearby variances already granted on the block. Commissioners asked routine questions about the proposal’s footprint, whether a new patio or rear exit was planned, and about a deteriorating fireplace the owners intend to remove as part of the work.
Neighbors’ responses: staff said the record included letters of support from adjacent property owners that covered immediate neighbors and across the street; the packet and the discussion indicated four neighboring letters plus the applicant’s participation. Commissioners noted the variance standards in Section 21.5 of the zoning code were included in the record and discussed consistency with prior approvals on the block.
Outcome and next step: The commission moved to recommend approval of the requested variations from Appendix C (rear-yard setback) to permit the addition that would reduce the rear setback to approximately 20.67 feet (compared with the 30-foot requirement cited in the staff report). The motion carried on roll call (commissioners recorded support) and the chair said staff will package the commission’s recommendation for the Village Board; the item was projected to be included on the May 5 board agenda for final action.
The commission’s recommendation is advisory; final approval of any zoning relief will come from the Village Board when the item is considered at that meeting.
