Title
Ordinance amending Chapter 151: Unified Development Ordinance of the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances.
Staff Summary
• Planning, Building and Development staff periodically recommend updates to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to respond to new trends and conditions, emulate regulatory best practices, improve the regulatory process, and clarify technical matters.
• Attached are a comprehensive series of proposed amendments to the UDO, relating to accessory dwelling units, sustainable development incentives, and other miscellaneous substantive and housekeeping updates to Chapter 151.
• The Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) conducted a public hearing on September 30, 2026, for consideration of Exhibits A, B, and C and unanimously recommended approval of the amendments as presented. Separately, the Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment Committee (PBZE) has concluded a public hearing on October 28, 2026, for consideration of Exhibit D.
• These separate amendment packets are now combined into a consolidated packet, identified as Group Exhibit 1, to simplify the adoption and codification process. Following PBZE Committee action, the Ordinance will become effective upon County Board adoption of Group Exhibit 1.
Body
ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, the Lake County Board adopted the Unified Development Ordinance of Lake County, Illinois on April 11, 2000; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County Board incorporated the Lake County Unified Development Ordinance into the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances as Chapter 151 of the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances on February 10, 2015; and
WHEREAS, the regulations specified in Chapter 151 of the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances requires periodic review to maintain relevancy and address changing conditions; and
WHEREAS, the Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment Committee was of the opinion that necessary steps should be taken by the Lake County Board to initiate the public hearing process to facilitate public engagement and evaluation of proposed amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Planning, Building and Development Department prepared draft amendments to the text of the Lake County Code of Ordinances related to a comprehensive series of topics and submitted proposed amendments to the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment Committee for consideration at a public hearing; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing was held on September 30, 2026 by the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals pursuant to the Statutes of the State of Illinois on the petitions of Lake County which seeks to amend the text of Chapter 151 of the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances; and
WHEREAS, the Zoning Board of Appeals, after reviewing the testimony presented at the public hearing on the aforesaid petitions, has submitted its reports thereon to the County Board and recommends by a vote of 6-0 on each report that the proposed text amendments specified as Exhibit A, Exhibit B, and Exhibit C be approved; and
WHEREAS, your Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment Committee held a public hearing on October 28, 2026, on proposed amendments to Sections 151.185 through 151.221, specified as Exhibit D, and further duly considered the proposed text amendments set forth in Exhibits A, B, and C and recommends that the text amendments, now consolidated into one document, specified as Group Exhibit 1, be approved.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Lake County Board that the amendments to Chapter 151 of the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances as attached in Group Exhibit 1 be adopted and made effective immediately; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that the Clerk of the County Board shall keep a record of this action.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on November 10, 2026.