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Board approves lakeshore porch and small addition at Clara Lake with shoreline conditions
Summary
Cook County approved a variance allowing an 8x12 addition and porch modification at a legal nonconforming lakeshore cabin on Clara Lake, with staff conditions including a 36‑foot shoreline setback, stormwater plan, and a native vegetative shoreline buffer.
The Cook County Board of Adjustment approved a variance for a homeowner to add an 8‑by‑12 addition and to convert an existing porch into interior living space on a legal nonconforming lakeshore lot on Clara Lake.
Staff told the board the property (Lots 9 and 10 of Lake Clara Plat, recorded in 1962) is a legal lot of record and that the cabin — built in about 1970 — is a legal nonconforming structure under the Cook County Zoning Ordinance. The applicant requested relief from a 100‑foot lakeshore setback and a road‑centerline setback; staff’s site measurements showed the porch would be approximately 36 feet from the ordinary high‑water mark. The County’s Soil & Water Conservation District warned that Clara Lake is relatively small and shallow and urged measures to protect water quality, recommending stormwater management and preservation or enhancement of shoreline vegetation.
Applicant Linda Garrity told the board she planned to direct roof runoff away from the lake using a shed roof, gutters and rain barrels, and that the additions will not extend beyond the current building line. She said the additions are intended to improve functionality (e.g., install a shower and better kitchen facilities) while minimizing lake impacts.
Board members and staff discussed measurement details and confirmed the legally noticed request should be for a 36‑foot shoreline setback; a board member moved to approve the variance with staff’s draft findings and conditions 1–9, filling in 36 feet for the shoreline condition. The motion was seconded and approved. Conditions include a stormwater management plan prior to issuance of a land‑use permit, maintenance of an average 25‑foot native shoreline buffer, limits on vegetation removal within the shore impact zone, and consultation with the Cook County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The board noted staff may revisit ordinance language to clarify processes for legal nonconforming lots and to set clearer administrative authority for similar cases in the future.
