Preservation of Single-Family Neighborhoods |
Recently, both the Planning and Development Commission and the Board of Trustees reviewed a petition filed by the Village of Oak Lawn seeking to re-zone property from R-3 (multi-family) to R-1 (single-family) in an area characterized as a single-family neighborhood.
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Preserving the Essential Character of Single-Family Neighborhoods
Officials from the Village of Oak Lawn took the initiative to preserve the essential character of the zoning in the surrounding neighborhood near 92nd Street and Cicero Avenue. The property that was re-zoned is the last lot on a residential side street just before you enter the commercial districts to the east. The single-family neighborhood is located to the west of the property that was re-zoned. Maps of the re-zoned area are included below.
The Board of Trustees voted UNANIMOUSLY on May 10, 2016 to re-zone a property from R-3 (multi-family) to R-1 (single-family), apparently agreeing with items 1-4 of the FINDINGS OF FACT-JUSTIFICATION FOR THE GRANTING OF A VARIATION.
Keep in mind that the reasons stated in the petition for re-zoning were those given by the petitioner, the Village of Oak Lawn, who clearly felt that not re-zoning it to single-family would negatively affect the essential character of the surrounding neighborhood and its residents.
Petition to Re-Zone
The pages included below can be found within the Board of Trustees agenda media packet for the meeting held on May 10, 2016 and were obtained from the official website of the Village of Oak Lawn...
Reasons Given by Village Officials Seeking Re-Zoning...
1.) What practical difficulties or particular hardship prevents you from fully complying with all applicable requirements of the Village Code without the variation(s)?
The current single-family home at 4815 W. 92nd St. was built on a lot designed specifically for single-family use. It has been operated as a single-family home for decades, and the current owner, who recently purchased the home, plans to use it as a single-family home. Additionally, the existing use and zoning of nearby property within the neighborhood are used for single-family purposes, and the community has undertaken this plan for land use development in the surrounding neighborhood.
2.) Why can the property not yield a reasonable return without the requested variation(s)?
The existing uses and zoning of nearby property is similarly aligned for single-family zoned purposes. Additionally, we firmly believe surrounding property values would decrease if this lot were to remain zoned as multi-family for a multitude of reasons, namely, that the destruction of property values would not support the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the public, particularly the residents in the surrounding neighborhood.
3.) What unique circumstances, not caused by your own actions, make the requested variation(s) necessary?
The existing uses and zoning within the surrounding neighborhood is zoned for single-family use, and great care has been taken by these residents, as well as the Village, to plan its land use development as a single-family zoned area. Further, it is significantly more important for the community to have this lot zoned as single-family and not multi-family for many of the reasons detailed above. In addition, however, continued use of this lot as multi-family would overcrowd the immediate area and put unnecessary stress on the residents in the surrounding neighborhood.
4.) Why will the requested variation(s), if granted, not alter the essential character of the surrounding neighborhood?
The essential character of the surrounding neighborhood is zoned for single-family use, is zoned accordingly, and is utilized for single-family residences. Therefore, the current zoning for this lot as multi-family is in contradiction to the essential character of the zoning in the surrounding neighborhood. Therefore, not re-zoning it to single-family would negatively affect the surrounding residents.
The current single-family home at 4815 W. 92nd St. was built on a lot designed specifically for single-family use. It has been operated as a single-family home for decades, and the current owner, who recently purchased the home, plans to use it as a single-family home. Additionally, the existing use and zoning of nearby property within the neighborhood are used for single-family purposes, and the community has undertaken this plan for land use development in the surrounding neighborhood.
2.) Why can the property not yield a reasonable return without the requested variation(s)?
The existing uses and zoning of nearby property is similarly aligned for single-family zoned purposes. Additionally, we firmly believe surrounding property values would decrease if this lot were to remain zoned as multi-family for a multitude of reasons, namely, that the destruction of property values would not support the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the public, particularly the residents in the surrounding neighborhood.
3.) What unique circumstances, not caused by your own actions, make the requested variation(s) necessary?
The existing uses and zoning within the surrounding neighborhood is zoned for single-family use, and great care has been taken by these residents, as well as the Village, to plan its land use development as a single-family zoned area. Further, it is significantly more important for the community to have this lot zoned as single-family and not multi-family for many of the reasons detailed above. In addition, however, continued use of this lot as multi-family would overcrowd the immediate area and put unnecessary stress on the residents in the surrounding neighborhood.
4.) Why will the requested variation(s), if granted, not alter the essential character of the surrounding neighborhood?
The essential character of the surrounding neighborhood is zoned for single-family use, is zoned accordingly, and is utilized for single-family residences. Therefore, the current zoning for this lot as multi-family is in contradiction to the essential character of the zoning in the surrounding neighborhood. Therefore, not re-zoning it to single-family would negatively affect the surrounding residents.
Location of the Re-Zoned Property...
Compare the Single-Family Neighborhoods...
Opposition to Anthem Memory Care Petition
There has been substantial opposition raised against the petitions submitted by Anthem Memory Care where area residents feel that the proposed approximately 43,000 square foot two-story memory care facility will forever alter the essential character of the surrounding neighborhood which is zoned for single-family use, is zoned accordingly, and is utilized for single-family residences with the exceptions of two churches on Central Avenue, a private school on Central Avenue and its bus depot that abuts the single-family residences.
The same justification used to approve a petition to re-zone to single-family use should be followed to deny a petition seeking a special use variation from single-family use.