Zoning Board of Appeals — Skokie, IL
Date: 2022-08-17

STAFF REPORT 2022-03Z: Variation
Community Development Department Council Chambers, 7:30 PM, August 17, 2022


To: Brian ODonneil/ Chairman/ Zoning Board of Appeals
From: Brian J. Augustine/ Zoning Administrator
Re: 9049 Kildare Avenue - Floor to Area Ratio


 General Information
 Location 9049 KEIdare Avenue
 Request Variation in order to construct an addition resulting in a floor to
 area ratio of 0.66.

 Zoning Requirement 0,6 maximum floor to area ratio (118-124(9))
 Petitioner Aaron Cohen and Eiisheva Bernstein
 Existing Zoning & Rl Single-Famity -- Detached residence
 Land Use
 North Rl Singie-FamEiy - Detached residences

 South Rl Single-Family ~ Detached residences

 East Rl Single-Fami!y -~ Detached residences

 West Rl Single-FamiEy - Detached residences

 Assigned to Sea n Arden


SITE INFORMATION
 • The residence was constructed in 1956.



PETITIONER'S SUBMITTAt
The petitioner is requesting a variation in order construct an addition resulting in a floor
to area ratio of 0.66.



APPEARANCE COMMISSION
The petitioner has not appeared before the Appearance Commission for this project.




599957 v1 Staff Report for 2022.03Z
STAFF ANALYSIS
Staff Comment and Review sheets were sent to all pertinent departments. The Forestry
Division and Fire Department had general comments. The Community Development
Department was the oniy department to provide specific comments.



Community Development Department
The Community Development Department recommends that the petitioner's request to
construct the proposed addition be granted,

The proposed floor to area ratio is 0.66 rather than the 0,6 maximum. The lot is 7/872
square feet and the allowabie floor area is 4/723 square feet. The proposed addition
will make the floor area of the home 5/248 square feet.

TypEcaily staff would not endorse a request for this iarge of an increase/ but 808 square
feet of the home is partially below grade and acts more like a basement than a 1st floor.
The zoning ordinance specifies that any floor level that is partially or wholly below
grade counts towards the floor to area ratio if a majority of the floor level is above
grade. This ruie was put in when the floor to area regulations were added about 23
years ago. To staffs knowledge it was added to clarify when a lower teve! would get
counted towards the floor to area ratio.

Over time staff has found that similar houses with sub-grade floors count differently
towards the floor to area ratio due to differences in the percentage of the floor located
below grade. If one house has a basement that is 4 feet above grade and 3.5 feet
below grade it counts as floor area. If a simiiar building has a basement that is 4 feet
above grade and 4 feet 2 inches beiow grade it is not counted as floor area. In this
example the appearance of both homes above grade is the same/ but one has a larger
floor to area ratio than the other.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Based on the proposed Findings of Fact/ Staff recommends that the petitioner's request
to construct an addition be granted,


ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Findings of Fact




599957 v1 Staff Report for 2022-03Z
Proposed Findings of Fact 2022-03Z: Variation
Community Deveiopment Department Council Chambers, 7:30 PM, August 17,2022


  1 Consideration Limitation on the use of the property due to physical, topographical, and
 geologlc features.

 Finding There are no iimitatlons on the property due to physical/ topographical or
 geologic features.

  2 Consideration The applicant can demonstrate that without a variance there can be no
 reasonable use of the property.

 Finding Staff feels the applicant can cleariy have a reasonable use of the property
 without a variation.

 3 Consideration The granting of the variance is not based soleiy on economic reasons.

 Finding The variance request appears to be based on the desire to increase the
 floor area of the residence.

 4 Consideration The necessity for the variance was not created by the property owner.

 Finding Staff feels the necessity for the variance for the variation was not created
 by the owner.

  5 Consideration The variance requested is the minimum variance necessary to allow
 reasonable use of the property.

 Finding Staff feels the variance requested is not the minimum necessary to allow for
 reasonable use of the property.

 6 Consideration The granting of the variance wili not be injurious to the public health/
 safety/ or welfare.

 Finding Staff feels the granting of the variance most likely will not be injurious to
 health/ safety or welfare,

 7 Consideration The property subject to the variance request possesses one or more unique
 characteristics generally not applicable to similarly situated properties

 Finding The building on the property is unique in that a portion of the building is
 counted towards the floor to area ratio that is partially be!ow grade. If that
 floor is slightly more be!ow grade it would not count towards as floor area.




599957 v1 Staff Report for 2022-03Z

LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Skokie Zoning Board of Appeals, Wednesday, August 17, 2022, Village of Skokie, 5127 Oakton Street,
Skokie, Illinois 60077, at 7:30 P.M., to consider the following:
 NEW ACTION TAKEN
2022-03Z – 9049 Kildare Ave
 Approved as presented
Aaron Cohen and Elisheva Bernstein request a variation in order
to construct an addition resulting in a floor to area ratio of 0.66
 8-0-1
rather than the 0.60 maximum as required by Section 118-124 (9)
of the Zoning Chapter of the Skokie Village Code in an R1 Single-
 Covenant required
Family district.
PIN: 10-15-411-036-0000


FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Plans and related documents are available at the Planning Division office at Village Hall Monday through
Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. 847-933-8447

SPECAL AID: Available upon request for the disable. Call 847/673-0500 or email info@skokie.org.


Interested parties are invited to attend this meeting. This notice is for information purposes only.
Published in the Skokie Review on July 21, 2022.
 Brian L. O’Donnell, Chairman




ZBA Legal Notice – August 17 2022 #599433