The Planning and Zoning Commission met on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order by Vice Chair McDaniel and adjourned at 6:52 PM. The Commission considered two public hearings and approved the minutes of the previous meeting. All votes were unanimous (7-0).
1. Variance to Height Limitations for a Detached Garage at 151 N Wright Street (DEV-0039-2026)
The public hearing opened at 6:01 PM. The petitioner, Brian Spangler, requested a variance to Section 6-2-10:3 of the Naperville Municipal Code to allow construction of an approximately 26-foot tall detached garage on a property in the R2 zoning district and local historic district. The proposed garage would replace an existing structure and include a second-floor home office, fitness area, and storage. The petitioner argued the increased height was necessary to match the cat-slide roof style of the primary residence and maintain aesthetic compatibility with the historic home. Staff noted the design was complementary but did not find evidence of significant hardship warranting the variance. The Commission received one letter of opposition but no live public testimony. During deliberation, several commissioners noted the variance did not meet traditional hardship standards; however, they supported it based on the architectural compatibility with the home and neighborhood. Commissioner Longenbaugh emphasized that comparisons to other existing garages should not be considered as precedent. The motion to adopt the findings of fact and recommend approval carried 7-0.
2. Major Change to PUD and Deviations for Weston Ridge Apartments at 540 Weston Ridge Drive (DEV-0035-2026)
The public hearing opened at 6:23 PM. The petitioner, Weston Ridge LLC, represented by attorney Caitlin Csuk, requested approval of a major change to the Railway Plaza Commercial PUD, along with deviations to increase density from 25 units (one per 2,600 sq ft) to 65 micro-units (one per 1,021 sq ft), increase building height from 43 feet to approximately 47 feet, and allow a wall sign on a residential building. The 1.5-acre site is currently a vacant commuter parking lot zoned R3 but subject to commercial PUD restrictions. The proposed four-story building would include 73 parking spaces (just over one per unit), ground-floor accessible units, a fitness center, community room, outdoor patio, and bike storage. The petitioner highlighted the project's proximity to the Route 59 Metra station and PACE bus service, its contribution to housing diversity and attainability (though no binding affordability restrictions), and its lower traffic generation compared to the former parking lot. Staff found no concerns with traffic, drainage, or compatibility with adjacent industrial uses. No letters of opposition were received; a letter from School District 204 was neutral. Commissioners expressed strong support for the project, noting it utilizes an underused site and is appropriate for transit-oriented development. Some commissioners voiced concern that the affordability was non-binding and expressed hope that attainable pricing would be maintained. The motion to adopt the findings of fact and recommend approval carried 7-0.
Approval of July 15, 2026 Meeting Minutes
The Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes of the July 15, 2026 meeting.
All right, good evening. I'd like to call the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting for August 19th, 2026 to order. Secretary Wright, please conduct the roll call. Abu Baker. Cast ignoring? Here. Langamba? Here. McDaniel. Here. McGowan. Here. Namas? Here. Wright is here. Chairman, we have a quorum. All right. Thank you. The first order of business tonight is public forum. During public forum, members of the public have the opportunity to address the planning zoning commission on issues which are not part of tonight's agenda. Please keep your comments limited to three minutes. Also for the sake of all those in attendance. Please refrain from clapping or shouting out in response to comments made by any speaker. Secretary Wright, do we have anyone sign up for public reporting? More one tonight. Thank you. Next order of business is public hearings. We have two public hearings scheduled for tonight's meeting. For each hearing, we will begin with the staff presentation or introduction, followed by the petitioner's presentation. We will take uh we'll then take public testimony to ensure we have an opportunity to hear from each person wishing to speak. Please keep your comments specific to the request under consideration and try to avoid repetitive comments. Also, for the sake of all those in attendance, please refrain from clapping or shouting out in response to comments made by another speaker. Following all public testimony, the petitioner will provide closing remarks just prior to the closure of the public hearing. No further public testimony will be taken after the petitioner begins their closing remarks or during the planning zoning commission's deliberation. I will now swear in any member of the public wishing to speak. To those who wish to provide testimony, please stand up, raise your right hand and respond. I do. I swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Thank you. Okay. Uh first case on tonight's agenda is DEV 00392026. Public hearing is now open. Isaac Marlot from staff will present the case. Thank you, Chair. Isaac Marlot with the city's planning services team. DEV-0039-2026 is a request submitted by the petitioner for approval of a variance to Section 6-2-10 colon three of the Naperville Municipal Code to allow for the construction of an approximately 26-foot tall detached garage on the property located at 151 North Wright Street. The subject property is zoned R2, single family and low density multiple family district, and is located on the southwest corner of School Avenue and Wright Street. The property is located within the City of Naperville's local historic district. However, accessory structures located within the rear yard, including detached garages, do not require approval of a certificate of appropriateness and are subject only to the standard building permit review process unless staff has identified additional entitlements. The property is currently improved with the single family residence and a detached accessory garage.