Homeowner seeks impervious-surface variance for pool and deck; commission tables request

Anthony Binion, the property owner at 2840 Willow Road, asked the Village of Homewood Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 20 for a variance from the village maximum impervious-surface limit to accommodate a wood deck, an above-ground pool and a small concrete grill pad.

Binion told commissioners the backyard includes a pre-existing full basketball court built by a prior owner that already consumes a significant share of the lot’s coverage; he said removing the court would be costly and estimated remediation at “$20,000 and above.” Commissioner questions focused on construction details and drainage: Binion said the pool would be above-ground and the proposed deck would be slatted, which staff confirmed typically does not count as impervious surface if open to the ground.

Commissioners and staff urged the applicant to explore lower-cost alternatives to full removal, including trimming a narrow strip from the court to save about 147 square feet (roughly a 1.3 percent reduction in coverage), switching the pad material to interlocking/permeable pavers, or installing buried pipe storage to slow runoff. Chair Bransky and the commission also suggested a building-department engineering review for the pool’s proximity to the house.

Rather than vote on the variance that night, the commission voted to table the case to give the applicant time to work with staff and contractors on feasible options and updated calculations. Member Kapp moved to table; Member Castaneda seconded, and the motion passed on a roll call vote with all members present voting yes. The item may return at the Aug. 27 meeting or at a subsequent hearing after renotification if required by procedure.

"I would say it's very common for the deck to be in our neighborhood," Binion said when describing his plan, and later confirmed he and his family are “open to doing all different types of things” to address runoff concerns.

Next steps: staff will assist the applicant in recalculating lot coverage with possible modifications, coordinate any necessary engineering input from the village building or engineering departments and advise on whether a revised application would require renotice.