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Greendale board adopts revised design-guidelines ordinance, adds appeals path to Village Board
Summary
After a public hearing on updates to zoning and design guidance for the Greendale Original neighborhood, the Village Board approved an ordinance revising Chapter 17 and added an amendment to allow appeals of Plan Commission conditional‑use decisions to come before the Village Board.
The Village of Greendale board approved an ordinance on March 4 revising Chapter 17 of the municipal code to update terminology and procedures for R4 and R5 residential districts and to codify updates to the Greendale Original home design guidelines.
Manager Haw told the board the ordinance replaces references to “special uses” with “conditional uses,” adds a flexible review and special‑exception process and inserts language that demolition of an original home would be permitted only if the Plan Commission finds the structure irreparably damaged or unsafe and that no feasible rehabilitation exists. The update reflects Plan Commission and Historic Preservation Commission input, staff said.
At the public hearing, original‑home residents urged clearer outreach and more flexibility. Jackie Kramer, a resident of Clover Lane, said the detailed guidelines can feel “like an HOA” and asked for grandfathering so owners could rebuild previously existing, nonconforming features after a disaster. “If we want to paint them a certain color, we should be able to paint them a certain color,” she said.
Trustees debated whether to codify the guidelines and how appeals should proceed. Several trustees raised concerns that a one‑step Plan Commission approval process could limit elected officials’ involvement in appeals. The board approved an amendment to the ordinance to add a formal definition of “guidelines” and to provide that appeals of conditional‑use decisions will be heard by the Village Board rather than routing automatically to the zoning board of appeals.
The amended ordinance passed on roll call with no recorded negative votes. Staff said state law permits owners of legal nonconforming structures to rebuild to the preexisting condition in many cases, but owners who altered properties after the 2004 guidelines may need to pursue a late approval to regain legal nonconforming status.
The board’s action moves the updated design guidelines and zoning code language into the municipal code and directs staff to implement the revised appeal procedure and definitions. The Plan Commission will continue to review conditional uses under the updated process, and the Village Board will be available to hear appeals per the new language.
