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Panel backs amended variance for 1800 Shore Acres pool and deck, citing reduced bluff impact
Summary
The commission recommended that the Village Board approve an amended variance for 1800 Shore Acres to permit a larger deck footprint, a concrete slab under the deck, and an extended brick screening wall; applicants say the redesign removes intrusive piers and reduces exposure to the bluff.
The Lake Bluff Joint Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously recommended June 17 that the Village Board approve an amended variance for the property at 1800 Shore Acres that modifies a 2025 approval.
Applicants and CNM Development representative Jeff Tandola described three discrete changes: a concrete slab beneath the deck to house pool mechanicals, a slightly larger deck footprint, and a brick stem/screening wall on the deck’s ground level. Staff said one additional setback variation related to the swimming pool was also added to the application and reviewed with the commission.
Tandola told commissioners the adjustments aim to align a supporting wall with existing brick pillars on the house and to provide a backyard elevation that allows cabinetry and a gate; he emphasized that “the objective here was not to create more space underneath here,” characterizing the changes as primarily alignment and aesthetic improvements. The applicants also said the spa currently sits on a concrete foundation on the slope and will be removed and reinstalled in-ground as part of the work.
Engineering and applicants said the design replaces existing concrete piers that are shifting on the slope with a steel cantilever system anchored into a subterranean retaining wall; applicants and the referring engineer, Jeff Hanna, said this approach reduces intrusion on the ravine. Commissioners noted the ravine is roughly 30 feet deep and that applicants must include restoration and demolition methods in permit documents; staff confirmed the application was referred to the village engineer for review.
After discussion, the commission moved and voted unanimously to forward a recommendation of approval. Staff will place the item on the Village Board agenda for June 22; applicants were asked to be available for the Board’s hearings.
Why it matters: The amended variance affects bluff/ ravine-adjacent construction in a sensitive area; commissioners flagged restoration and permit-level review as conditions to ensure the work meets village ravine regulations and erosion-control requirements.
