Planning committee advances variances, rezoning, special-use permit and subdivision plat to April 20 board meeting
April 06, 2026 | Machesney Park, Winnebago County, Illinois
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The Planning and Economic Development Committee on April 6 moved four land-use items to the village board with positive recommendations, clearing the way for final consideration at the April 20 meeting.
Staff told the committee that a homeowner at 6677 Kargo in the River Key subdivision proposes a rear-yard patio and inground pool that would require bringing fill onto the lot next to a canal. According to staff, the project’s engineer showed a plan to remove an equal volume of fill elsewhere on the parcel so there would be “zero net change to the flood water storage capacity and literally no impact to the flood plane.” Because village code requires greater compensatory excavation than is physically possible on that lot, the owner applied for Ordinance 09-26, a variance from the compensatory-storage requirement. Staff recommended approval and the Planning & Zoning Commission also recommended approval; the applicant did not appear. The committee voted to forward the variance to the board with a positive recommendation.
The committee next considered Ordinance 10-26, a zoning-map amendment to reclassify 802 Darwin Drive from agricultural to single-family residential. Staff said the parcel is nonconforming under its current zoning and that rezoning would make the lot conforming and allow it to be subdivided for future infill housing. Staff recommended approval and the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval; the committee forwarded the ordinance to the board with a positive recommendation.
Related to the Darwin Drive rezoning, the committee reviewed Resolution 27-R26, a tentative-and-final plat for the Vanderway subdivision. Staff said the plat would create three single-family lots — one for the existing home at the west end of the property and two vacant lots for new construction — and that public water and sewer are already available. Utility providers reported no concerns. Staff recommended approval with conditions: payment of a fee-in-lieu of parkland dedication equal to $1,050, correction of the property-owner certificate on the plat, and a right-of-way permit requirement when new water/sewer connections are made. The Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval with those conditions; the committee forwarded the resolution to the board with a positive recommendation.
On Harlem Road, staff described Ordinance 11-26, a special-use permit request for an open auto-sales lot at 1023 Harlem Road, just east of the new North Park Fire Station. The applicants — who operate an existing auto repair business at the site — asked to display a small number of vehicles for sale in addition to repair work. Staff noted that the board had approved a similar special-use permit for a previous occupant in 2020 but that the prior use was never established. Staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval with conditions. An applicant identifying themselves as Janeles provided a name and address for the record; the committee voted to forward the item to the board with a positive recommendation.
No reports were offered and no members of the public spoke during the public-comment period. The committee adjourned after the motions were approved.
Next steps: each item will appear on the village board agenda for April 20 for final action.
Staff told the committee that a homeowner at 6677 Kargo in the River Key subdivision proposes a rear-yard patio and inground pool that would require bringing fill onto the lot next to a canal. According to staff, the project’s engineer showed a plan to remove an equal volume of fill elsewhere on the parcel so there would be “zero net change to the flood water storage capacity and literally no impact to the flood plane.” Because village code requires greater compensatory excavation than is physically possible on that lot, the owner applied for Ordinance 09-26, a variance from the compensatory-storage requirement. Staff recommended approval and the Planning & Zoning Commission also recommended approval; the applicant did not appear. The committee voted to forward the variance to the board with a positive recommendation.
The committee next considered Ordinance 10-26, a zoning-map amendment to reclassify 802 Darwin Drive from agricultural to single-family residential. Staff said the parcel is nonconforming under its current zoning and that rezoning would make the lot conforming and allow it to be subdivided for future infill housing. Staff recommended approval and the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval; the committee forwarded the ordinance to the board with a positive recommendation.
Related to the Darwin Drive rezoning, the committee reviewed Resolution 27-R26, a tentative-and-final plat for the Vanderway subdivision. Staff said the plat would create three single-family lots — one for the existing home at the west end of the property and two vacant lots for new construction — and that public water and sewer are already available. Utility providers reported no concerns. Staff recommended approval with conditions: payment of a fee-in-lieu of parkland dedication equal to $1,050, correction of the property-owner certificate on the plat, and a right-of-way permit requirement when new water/sewer connections are made. The Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval with those conditions; the committee forwarded the resolution to the board with a positive recommendation.
On Harlem Road, staff described Ordinance 11-26, a special-use permit request for an open auto-sales lot at 1023 Harlem Road, just east of the new North Park Fire Station. The applicants — who operate an existing auto repair business at the site — asked to display a small number of vehicles for sale in addition to repair work. Staff noted that the board had approved a similar special-use permit for a previous occupant in 2020 but that the prior use was never established. Staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval with conditions. An applicant identifying themselves as Janeles provided a name and address for the record; the committee voted to forward the item to the board with a positive recommendation.
No reports were offered and no members of the public spoke during the public-comment period. The committee adjourned after the motions were approved.
Next steps: each item will appear on the village board agenda for April 20 for final action.
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