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Council approves rezoning and variances for 13 townhomes at Northwest Avenue after debate over PUD and stormwater
Summary
After debate over variances, PUD process and stormwater consequences, the Elmhurst City Council approved Ordinance 8.1 to rezone several parcels and grant setback and lot-area variations to permit construction of 13 townhomes. The vote was 12–1 with two members absent and required the mayor’s vote because of protest letters.
The Elmhurst City Council approved Ordinance 8.1, a rezoning and set of front- and rear-yard setback and minimum-lot-area variances to permit construction of 13 townhomes on parcels commonly described as 240, 241 and 245 Northwest Avenue and 503 West 3rd Street.
Alderman Jensen moved to approve the ordinance; Alderman Nardini seconded. Roll call recorded 12 "yes," 1 "no," and 2 absent; because legal protest letters had been filed the mayor was required by ordinance to cast a vote during the roll call. The ordinance passed by the recorded supermajority.
Debate focused on procedural and technical concerns. Alderman Irby and Alderman Jensen said the council should consider broader review mechanisms — such as a planned-unit development (PUD) process — before approving large variances, arguing that a PUD would surface stormwater mitigation strategies and state-permit implications earlier in the review. Jensen told colleagues he feared the council was handing out large variances and said the community expects zoning maps to be relatively stable; he urged his colleagues to "honor the Elmhurst zoning ordinances and vote no with me" if they shared those concerns.
Supporters of the commission recommendation said the zoning and planning commission (ZPC/DPZ) had reviewed the application and the committee stood by its report. Alderman Nardini said the commission’s work and time invested in the application merited deference from the council.
The ordinance contains multiple variations and map amendments; councilmembers explicitly noted two legal protest letters had been filed, triggering the supermajority requirement under local code. The clerk read the ordinance and the roll call was conducted; the mayor cast the decisive vote as required by the ordinance when protests are on file.
What happens next: With the ordinance approved, approvals at the local zoning level are in place for the project to proceed through permitting and construction steps governed by the city’s development-review process. The council’s debate made clear that some members want future code or procedural changes (for example, clearer PUD thresholds or stormwater review earlier in the process) to reduce similar conflicts going forward.
