Title
Ordinance amending Chapter 151 of the Lake County, Illinois, Code of Ordinances relating to posted notice requirements in unincorporated Lake County.
Staff Summary
• Staff has conducted research regarding posted notice requirements for public hearings to be held for Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) applications such as variation requests and Conditional Use Permits and has proposed amendments to alter current requirements for posted notices to allow for the use of reusable signs to improve sign durability and reduce overall waste and cost for noticing the public.
• Following a recommendation by the Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment (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. At the conclusion of the public hearing on August 28, 2025, the ZBA recommended approval of the proposed amendments as presented in the ZBA Resolution, attached.
• The recommended amendments have been formatted into a document ready for codification as reflected in “Exhibit B”. The Ordinance will become effective upon County Board adoption of “Exhibit B”.
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 Lake County Code requires periodic review to maintain relevancy and address changing conditions; and
WHEREAS, the Planning, Building and Development Department has prepared draft ordinance text amendments related to posted notice requirements in unincorporated Lake County in order to minimize the production of single-use signage for public hearings; 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 the proposed amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County Board directed the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals on July 8, 2025 to conduct a public hearing on the proposed amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals conducted a public hearing on the proposed amendments on August 28, 2025 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 hearings on the aforesaid petition, has submitted its report thereon to the County Board and recommends that the proposed text amendments specified as Exhibit B 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 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 September 9, 2025.