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Record of Proceedings

Planning, Building, Zoning, and Environment Committee Meeting - April 30, 2026

Committee Meetings — Thursday, April 30, 2026

BodyLake County, Illinois

SessionCommittee Meetings

DateThursday, April 30, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:06:36

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:12

Welcome to the Planning Building Zoning and Environment Committee today, April 29th, 2026, calling the meeting to order.

0:22

In addition to being able to attend in person, remote attendance has been made available to the public via Zoom at the link on the agenda.

0:30

This meeting is recorded through Zoom.

0:33

Per county rules in the Open Meetings Act, attendance via remote means is permitted to for qualifying reasons as long as the majority of committee members are physically present.

0:45

We do have a quorum.

0:46

We have been notified in advance by member compost that he requested to participate electron electronically due to a work reason.

0:57

A physical quorum is present, so he may be marked as present and is eligible to vote on matters before the committee today.

1:05

As a reminder to members attending remotely, please ensure your camera is on at all times.

1:12

Okay.

1:16

Can you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?

1:20

I pledge allegiance of the United States of America.

1:25

And to the Republic for which it stands.

1:35

Okay.

1:36

Can I get a roll call, please?

1:40

Um you say here.

1:51

Thanks, Chair Peterson.

1:53

Present.

1:54

Member Schlick.

1:55

Here.

1:55

And Member Waffen.

1:58

Thank you.

1:59

Is there any agenda to the agenda?

2:02

No addenda to the agenda.

2:04

Do we have public comment?

2:06

No public comment.

2:08

Okay, no chairs remarks today.

2:11

I guess my remarks would be I was very pleased to see that there was a lovely article in the Herald.

2:19

It was actually an editorial praising Lake County, Cook County, the count the collar counties for successful stormwater projects.

2:31

And they say that it is money well spent.

2:35

Um so that was nice to hear.

2:37

Um to get some kudos for something that we are doing well.

2:42

And I was very pleased to see that.

2:45

Um based on a lot of the rain we've had, it has worked because we've had a lot less flooding this month, and we're very happy about that.

2:55

Um finished business.

2:59

No unfinished business.

3:01

Okay.

3:01

We're gonna go to new business, the consent agenda 8.1.

3:05

Can I get a motion, please?

3:07

Motion by member Keniznik, second by member Frank.

3:10

All in favor?

3:12

Aye.

3:13

Motion passes.

3:14

We're moving on to the regular agenda 8.2.

3:18

We're gonna welcome PBND director Eric Wagner and Deputy Director and Zoning Administrator Krista Barkley Braun.

3:31

Okay.

3:35

Okay.

3:37

Official.

3:38

Okay, Eric, give me one second.

3:40

Okay.

3:40

So this is an ordinance adopting the 2024 International Council ICC International Existing Building Code as amended and amending the 2024 ICC International Building Code, the 2024 ICC International Residential Code, and the 2023 National Fire Protection Association 70 National Electrical Code.

4:04

And can I get a motion, please?

4:05

Motion by Member Frank, second by member Schlick.

4:08

Okay, Eric, you're on.

4:10

Thank you.

4:10

Thank you.

4:11

So uh Christine Either walked with the amendments this morning.

4:15

Um, and uh any feedback and questions from our committee.

4:21

Our our plan is to come back with uh amendments uh for action that's the uh follow up if necessary, otherwise we're taking back site.

4:35

Uh good morning, everybody.

4:37

Um Eva Done, I'm the building official of the planning building and development division, and I'll be proposing today the amendments uh to currently adopted international residential code, international building code, and national electrical code, and also a new adoption of international existing building code, and as we follow vocal in depth.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████████████████41%

Water And Wastewater Management███████████████████████████████████████39%

Procedural████████8%

Environmental Protection████4%

Economic Development███3%

Housing██2%

Public Engagement██2%

Emergency Management█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Planning, Building, Zoning, and Environment Committee Meeting - April 30, 2026

The Planning, Building, Zoning, and Environment Committee met on April 30, 2026, to discuss and adopt several ordinances related to building codes and stormwater management. The committee approved the consent agenda, adopted amendments to multiple building codes, and endorsed the Manitou Creek Fish Lake Drain Watershed Plan. Staff also provided updates on data centers, housing initiatives, and recent flood mitigation successes.

Consent Calendar

Item 8.1 (Consent Agenda): Approved unanimously by voice vote (motion by Member Keniznik, second by Member Frank).

Discussion Items

Building Code Adoption and Amendments (Item 8.2): Planning, Building, and Development (PBD) staff presented an ordinance to adopt the 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) and amend the 2024 International Building Code, 2024 International Residential Code, and 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC). Key amendments included:
- Reducing fence registration threshold from 7 feet to 6 feet to simplify permitting.
- Electrical code clarifications: requiring removal of abandoned wiring in accessible areas, additional securing requirements for non-metallic sheathed cable (Romex) in attics and crawl spaces, and allowing arc-fault circuit interrupter exceptions when wiring is encased in metal conduit.
- The new codes take effect July 12, 2026; projects submitted before that date will follow prior codes.
- Members Keniznik, Wasik, and Frank asked clarifying questions. Member Wasik sought to distinguish between residential and commercial applicability; staff confirmed the IEBC applies only to commercial projects. Member Frank asked for terminology clarification on code adoption standards.
Director’s Report (Item 8.3): Director Eric Wagner provided updates on:
- Research into data center regulations, with a report expected early summer 2026.
- Finalizing two amendment packages: one for sustainable development incentives and a comprehensive set of general amendments to streamline planning and development processes, including promoting housing. These will go to ZBA public hearing later in 2026.
- Housing Lake Phase II: deepened discussions with CMAP and outreach to housing partners following adoption of a memorandum of understanding.
Stormwater Management – Manitou Creek Fish Lake Drain Watershed Plan (Item 8.4): Executive Director Kurt Wolford and Watershed Planning Supervisor Mike Priscella presented the adoption of a watershed-based plan. Highlights:
- The 50-square-mile watershed in western Lake County includes over 20 local government units and 49% unincorporated land.
- The plan identifies 83 flood problem areas, 18 impaired lakes, and over 1,000 structures in flood hazard zones.
- A site-specific action plan lists over 700 potential projects with an estimated cost range of $85–201 million. Implementation is voluntary.
- Public engagement included over 160 comments, a record for SMC.
- Members discussed flood mitigation successes. Kurt Wolford recounted recent positive feedback from local officials that stormwater projects are reducing damage during the current Fox River flood event. Member Frank requested better documentation of return on investment for stormwater infrastructure. Member Wasik noted wetland restoration’s flood storage benefits, citing a project in Third Lake.
Executive Session and Minutes Review: The committee entered executive session to review minutes from October 8, 2025 (Item 11.1) and periodic review of closed session minutes (Item 11.2). Both were approved by roll call votes.

Key Outcomes

Ordinance adopting the 2024 International Existing Building Code and amending the 2024 International Building Code, 2024 International Residential Code, and 2023 National Electrical Code – Passed (motion by Member Frank, second by Member Schlick; all in favor).
Ordinance adopting the Manitou Creek Fish Lake Drain Watershed Plan as an amendment to the Lake County Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan – Passed (motion by Member Schlick, second by Member Wasik; all in favor).
Approval of executive session minutes from October 8, 2025 – Passed (motion by Member Keniznik, second by Member Wasik; all in favor).
Approval of periodic review of closed session minutes – Passed (motion by Member Schlick, second by Member Wasik; all in favor).

The meeting adjourned. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 6, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the Planning Building Zoning and Environment Committee today, April 29th, 2026, calling the meeting to order. In addition to being able to attend in person, remote attendance has been made available to the public via Zoom at the link on the agenda. This meeting is recorded through Zoom. Per county rules in the Open Meetings Act, attendance via remote means is permitted to for qualifying reasons as long as the majority of committee members are physically present. We do have a quorum. We have been notified in advance by member compost that he requested to participate electron electronically due to a work reason. A physical quorum is present, so he may be marked as present and is eligible to vote on matters before the committee today. As a reminder to members attending remotely, please ensure your camera is on at all times. Okay. Can you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. Okay. Can I get a roll call, please? Um you say here. Thanks, Chair Peterson. Present. Member Schlick. Here. And Member Waffen. Thank you. Is there any agenda to the agenda? No addenda to the agenda. Do we have public comment? No public comment. Okay, no chairs remarks today. I guess my remarks would be I was very pleased to see that there was a lovely article in the Herald. It was actually an editorial praising Lake County, Cook County, the count the collar counties for successful stormwater projects. And they say that it is money well spent. Um so that was nice to hear. Um to get some kudos for something that we are doing well. And I was very pleased to see that. Um based on a lot of the rain we've had, it has worked because we've had a lot less flooding this month, and we're very happy about that. Um finished business. No unfinished business. Okay. We're gonna go to new business, the consent agenda 8.1. Can I get a motion, please? Motion by member Keniznik, second by member Frank. All in favor? Aye. Motion passes. We're moving on to the regular agenda 8.2. We're gonna welcome PBND director Eric Wagner and Deputy Director and Zoning Administrator Krista Barkley Braun. Okay. Okay. Official. Okay, Eric, give me one second. Okay. So this is an ordinance adopting the 2024 International Council ICC International Existing Building Code as amended and amending the 2024 ICC International Building Code, the 2024 ICC International Residential Code, and the 2023 National Fire Protection Association 70 National Electrical Code.

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