Board approves variance for attached addition at 17531 Joliet Road, noting legal drain constraints

The Westfield Board of Zoning Appeals approved variances requested to construct an attached addition for garage and personal storage uses at 17531 (Juliet/Joliet) Road, a roughly one‑half acre parcel in the AGSF‑1 zoning district.

Ryan Collingwood of the community development department presented the petition and said the applicant seeks side‑yard setback relief and modifications to minimum lot acreage, frontage and width to bring a legal nonconforming lot into compliance for the proposed addition. Staff noted the item had been continued from the December meeting and said the department received no public comments on the renewed filing.

Staff highlighted a legal drain that runs parallel to the lot’s south boundary and explained the drain carries a 75‑foot easement (measured as 75 feet on either side of the drain) that constrains placing the addition on the south side of the property and informed the board why the proposed location is necessary. Staff also noted an addition visible on an older aerial is already permitted and under construction but not shown on the provided aerial imagery.

With no in‑person or emailed public comments, the board voted to approve the petition with the conditions noted in the staff report and subsequently approved findings of fact for the file.

What happens next: the project will proceed under the approved variances and must comply with the staff conditions and permitting process; the drain easement and related constraints remain relevant to final placement and construction logistics.