Title
Ordinance amending Chapter 151: Unified Development Ordinance of the Lake County, Illinois Code of Ordinances relating to certain nature-based topics.
Staff Summary
• The Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) conducted a public hearing on July 28, 2022 to consider proposed zoning text amendments focused on wildlife rehabilitation, ecotherapy, and animal exhibition uses.
• The amendments would establish a new ‘ecotherapy’ use within the Community Services use category and a new ‘Entertainment-oriented Animal Exhibition Facility’ use within the Outdoor Recreation and Entertainment use category. Also included are revisions to the Wildlife Rehabilitation use category. The ZBA unanimously recommended approval of the proposed amendments as presented and reflected in Exhibit A.
• Upon subsequent review at its September 28 meeting, the PWPT Committee recommended approval of the amendments as proposed and reflected in Exhibit A. 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 prepared draft ordinance text amendments which would permit wildlife rehabilitation, ecotherapy, and entertainment-oriented animal exhibition facilities as conditional uses in certain unincorporated zoning districts subject to restrictions, and recommended that the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) conduct a public hearing to obtain public input and evaluate the proposed amendments for potential adoption; and
WHEREAS, in order to facilitate such public engagement and policy evaluation, the Public Works, Planning and Transportation Committee was of the opinion that necessary steps should be taken by the Lake County Board to initiate the public hearing process; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County Board directed the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals to conduct a public hearing on the proposed amendments on May 10, 2022; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing has been held by the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals 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 by a vote of 5 - 0 that the proposed text amendments specified as Exhibit A be approved; and
WHEREAS, your Public Works, Planning and Transportation 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 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 be made effectively 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 October 11, 2022.