Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | November 4, 2025

The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, considered a series of homeowner requests for zoning variances and a map amendment for a farm property, frequently voting to approve projects despite staff recommendations for denial. The commission greenlit a controversial plan to split a farmhouse from agricultural land in Wilton Township and approved two separate requests for oversized garages, one of which was formally opposed by the Village of Mokena. However, the board denied a request for a much larger accessory building in New Lenox Township after a neighbor raised concerns about its massive scale. A procedural extension for a solar farm in Green Garden Township was also approved.

Garage Built Without Permit Gets Approved: The commission granted two variances to Edward West for a property at 21718 S. Collen Court in Troy Township, allowing him to bring a detached garage into compliance. West had constructed the 1,524-square-foot building without a permit and partially on a neighbor’s property. He has since purchased the neighboring land and sought variances for accessory building area (from 1,800 to 2,787 square feet) and height (from 25 to 28 feet). Despite a staff recommendation for denial, the commission approved the request 5-0.

Naperville Shed Setback Granted: Homeowners John and Katherine Palermo received approval for a variance at their property at 11S476 Whittington Lane in unincorporated Naperville. The request reduces the required north side yard setback from 10 feet to 6 feet to accommodate a new 8-by-12-foot shed. The applicants stated the location was chosen to maximize usable yard space after other areas were ruled out due to a septic field and utility easements. Staff recommended denial, but the commission approved the variance.