Title
Ordinance amending Chapter 151: Unified Development Ordinance of the Lake County, Illinois, Code of Ordinances relating to logistics facilities in unincorporated Lake County.
Staff Summary
• The Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment (PBZ&E) Committee previously directed staff to initiate the text amendment process for regulations regarding logistics facilities.
• Following a recommendation by the PBZ&E Committee, the Lake County Board directed the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to hold a public hearing to consider the proposed text amendments.
• The Lake County ZBA conducted a public hearing on February 26, 2026, for consideration of the matter and unanimously recommended that the proposed amendments (with minor modifications) be approved.
• The recommended amendments have been formatted into a document ready for codification as reflected in “Exhibit B” and will become effective upon County Board adoption.
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, on August 12, 2025, the Lake County Board directed the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals to conduct a public hearing upon staff’s completion of draft amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Planning, Building and Development Department prepared draft ordinance text amendments related to regulation of logistics facilities in unincorporated Lake County; and
WHEREAS, the state law requires a public hearing to amend the text of the Lake County Code of Ordinances; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals conducted a public hearing on the proposed amendments on February 26, 2026, pursuant to the Statutes of the State of Illinois on the petition of the County of Lake, which seeks to amend the text of Chapter 151 of the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances; and
WHEREAS, your Zoning Board of Appeals, after reviewing the testimony presented at the public hearing on the aforesaid petition, has submitted its report thereon to the County Board and recommends by a vote of 6-0 that the proposed text amendments specified as Exhibit A be approved; and
WHEREAS, your Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment Committee duly considered the proposed text amendments aforedescribed and recommends that the text amendments as specified in Exhibit A be approved.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that the amendments to Chapter 151 of the Lake County, Illinois, Code of Ordinances as attached in Exhibit B 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 April 14, 2026.