Kane County Commission denies rezoning request after residents and staff warn C2 would allow broad commercial uses

The Kane County Commission on June 30 denied a request to rezone Parcel 878-7-8-30 from Residential-5 to Commercial-2, rejecting a change residents and staff said would open the site to commercial uses beyond the family’s stated needs.

Residents who live across the street from the property asked the commission to reject the change during the meeting’s public-comment period. “I am against the passage of this rezoning because it is a terrible way to go about getting this family extra RVs,” said Mary Mackelhome, a neighbor who said her family has owned cabins in Duck Creek Village for more than 21 years. Several others, including Tracy Sanford, described the parcel as longstanding family “Heritage Acres” used for reunions and seasonal gatherings since 1978 and urged the commission to preserve that use.

Planning staff told the commission the parcel has significant ordinance history. Shannon, the county planner, said travel trailers were historically a conditional use in forest-recreation zoning and that a Recreational Vehicle Ordinance adopted in 2013 addressed how RVs are handled in county rules. Shannon also said the Planning Commission unanimously recommended denial and clarified that temporary-use permits are handled at the Planning & Zoning level and do not go to the full commission.

Commissioners said the family’s temporary-use permit covered the current season and gave the county time to explore alternatives, but several commissioners agreed that changing the parcel to Commercial-2 would be inappropriate adjacent to residential properties. Commissioner Myers moved to deny Ordinance O2026-18. The chair called for a vote and commissioners present voted in favor of denial.

Why it matters: A straight Commercial-2 designation would allow a broad range of commercial activities on the parcel for years; neighbors said the change would amount to spot zoning and could enable uses unrelated to the family’s stated short-term needs. Planning staff encouraged residents to participate in a separate Planning & Zoning meeting next month where the county will review RV ordinance language and potential acreage-based solutions that could address the family’s needs without broad commercial rezoning.

What’s next: The denial preserves the parcel’s Residential-5 designation. Staff said the family can continue this season under its temporary-use permit and encouraged affected residents to attend the upcoming Planning & Zoning discussion about potential ordinance edits.

The motion to deny was made on the record as: "deny Ordinance O2026-18, amending the zoning of Parcel 878-7-8-30 located on the edge of Mary Lake Subdivision from Residential-5 to Commercial-2." The minutes record the commission voting to deny; individual roll-call votes and counts by name were not specified during the public roll call in the transcript.

(Reporting staff: Kane County Planning staff; Commission meeting, June 30, 2026.)