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Petitioner Zachary Rawlings seeks variance to build taller garage; neighbors object
Summary
Zachary Rawlings requested permission to raise a detached garage’s height from the 15 ft limit to about 22 ft, citing safety and storage needs for heavy equipment. Neighbors objected to the scale and visual impact; the hearing record closed and the officer scheduled a recommendation for March 18.
Zachary Rawlings told a DuPage County zoning hearing officer on March 4 that he is seeking a variance to increase a new detached garage’s height from the 15-foot limit to approximately 22 feet to accommodate vertical clearance for heavy equipment used in hobby metalworking.
Rawlings said the proposal is primarily for safety and storage: his retired father will relocate nearby and requires space for metal mills and lathes that cannot safely be moved through a home. He described plans to use the maximum 1,200 square feet allowed for an outbuilding under current zoning, allocating roughly 400 square feet to a garage, 400 to a woodworking shop, and 400 to metal-shop space and a small bathroom.
"We're trying to replace my existing detached garage with a larger one," Rawlings said. He explained that with a 15-foot overall height limit the usable vertical clearance after floor and rafter losses would leave only about 4½ feet of headroom in the upper level, which he said would make safe handling of long lumber and heavy machinery difficult.
Neighbors voiced objections. Joyce Johnston said the proposed 22-foot structure would "dwarf" the one‑story Cape Cod and ranch homes on the block, change the neighborhood's character, and could hurt home values. Richard Johnston, who said he has lived on the street for more than 50 years, also objected and cited local history of earlier nonconforming garages.
Rawlings responded that he would share elevation exhibits with neighbors and planned to re-side the property to improve appearance. The officer closed the hearing record and said he will render a recommendation on March 18 at 3:00 p.m.; that recommendation will be forwarded to the county development committee and then to the full county board for final action.
