Planning & Zoning Commission

​Village of Westmont​ ​Planning & Zoning Commission​ ​February 4, 2026 - Approved Minutes​ ​The​ ​Village​ ​of​ ​Westmont​ ​Planning​ ​and​ ​Zoning​ ​Commission​ ​held​ ​a​ ​special​ ​meeting​ ​on​ ​Wednesday,​ ​February​​4,​​2026,​​at​​6:00​​p.m.​,​​at​​the​​Westmont​​Village​​Hall​​located​​at​​31​​W.​​Quincy​​Street,​​Westmont,​ ​Illinois, 60559.​ ​1.​ ​Call to Order​ ​Chair Doug Carmichael called the meeting to order​​at​​6:00 PM.​ ​2.​ ​Roll Call​ ​Present:​ ​5 -​​Chair Doug Carmichael, Secretary Jill Peterson, Commissioners Michael Lynn,​ ​John F. Simpson IV, Craig Thomas​ ​Absent:​ ​1 -​​Commissioner Conor Donoghue​ ​Vacant:​ ​1​ ​A QUORUM WAS PRESENT TO TRANSACT BUSINESS​ ​Staff:​​Scott Williams (Senior Planner), John Zemenak​​(Village Attorney)​ ​3.​ ​Pledge of Allegiance​ ​4.​ ​Swearing-in of testifying attendees​ ​5.​ ​Reminder to silence all electronic devices​ ​6.​ ​Reminder to sign-in for any public testimony​ ​7.​ ​Approval of the Minutes of the January 14, 2026 regular meeting.​ ​MOTION​​by​​Peterson​​to approve the regular meeting​​minutes from January 14, 2026.​ ​Seconded by​​Simpson​.​ ​VOTING:​ ​Ayes:​ ​5 -​​Carmichael, Peterson, Lynn, Simpson, Thomas​ ​Nays:​ ​0​ ​Absent:​ ​1 -​​Donoghue​ ​Vacant:​ ​1​ ​Motion Passed​ ​8.​ ​Review of Public Hearing Procedures​ ​1​ ​9.​ ​Old Business​ ​PUBLIC HEARING PZC 016-2025​ ​Requests from Compagno LLC (Petitioner), and 2 W Naperville Road, LLC (Owner), for the property at​ ​306 North Cass Avenue, Westmont, Illinois, 60559, for the following:​ ​1)​ ​Preliminary Plan of Subdivision to consolidate five (5) lots into one (1) lot.​ ​2)​ ​Zoning Ordinance Variance to the minimum front yard setback in the R-4 General Residential​ ​District.​ ​3)​ ​Zoning Ordinance Variance to the minimum lot area per dwelling unit in the R-4 General​ ​Residential District.​ ​4)​ ​Zoning Ordinance Variance to the minimum outdoor open space in the R-4 General Residential​ ​District.​ ​5)​ ​Major Site Plan Approval.​ ​Chair Carmichael reopened the public hearing for PZC 016-2025, and also opened a new public hearing​ ​for the zoning map amendment, the first item under new business.​ ​10.​​New Business​ ​PUBLIC HEARING PZC 016-2025​ ​Request from Compagno LLC (Petitioner), and 2 W Naperville Road, LLC (Owner), for the property at​ ​306 North Cass Avenue, Westmont, Illinois, 60559, for the following:​ ​1)​ ​Zoning Ordinance Map Amendment to rezone three (3) lots of the five (5) total parcels of the​ ​subject property from R-3 Single-Unit Residential District to R-4 General Residential District so​ ​that all parcels in the proposed development are uniformly zoned.​ ​Staff Comment:​ ​Scott Williams, Senior Planner, explained the purpose of the two public hearings being opened and​ ​heard simultaneously, and discussed the map amendment request.​ ​Presentation:​ ​Michael Gatto, petitioner, presented the revisions made to the development in response to the​ ​commission’s recommendations from the previous meeting, some of which provided the commissioners​ ​with options.​ ​Williams presented the revised staff report, discussing the revisions proposed by the petitioner, and​ ​recommended conditions of approval.​ ​Public Comment:​ ​Rick Derer, owner of the neighboring property to the north, raised concerns about the visual impacts of​ ​the proposed development on his property. Commissioner Simpson asked about his preference for​ ​fencing along the shared property line. Derer responded solid. Williams explained the location of the solid​ ​fence.​ ​2​ ​Laurel Rugen, Westmont resident, voiced concerns about the height of the apartment building and​ i​mpacts on the intersection and neighboring properties.​ ​Commissioner Comments:​ ​Lynn:​​Commissioner Lynn recommended increasing the​​design of the balconies and windows to​ ​enhance the east facade. John Zemenak, Village Attorney, explained that some leeway can be given to​ ​approved site plans, as long as it does not substantially change the project.​ ​Lynn and Gatto discussed the tile material and quality, retaining walls, the location of the front fence, and​ ​the windows.​ ​Simpson:​​Simpson recommended extending the solid fence​​on the north side of the property to match​ ​the building line of the adjacent property. Carmichael invited Mr. Derer back to the podium to address​ ​Simpson’s suggestion. Derer was in favor of extending the fence. Williams noted that the landscaping in​ ​the plan may need to be adjusted.​ ​Simpson was in favor of having landscaping along the front property line instead of a different fence​ ​style. Secretary Peterson noted that in the winter, Cass Avenue gets salted frequently, which may​ ​negatively impact landscaping at the front of the development. Williams explained that if landscaping is​ ​placed there, staff can make sure the plants are salt-tolerant.​ ​Simpson voiced concerns about not having visitor parking for delivery trucks. Gatto replied that even if​ ​space was reserved for delivery trucks, they likely would not use it.​ ​Simpson asked about the balcony railing options. Gatto explained that the east balconies are flush with​ ​the building wall, giving a sense of screening, but a more solid railing could be used on the east facade.​ ​Lynn said that he would prefer all railings to be the same.​ ​Carmichael asked for a consensus on the balcony style. Williams summarized that the preference​ ​appears to be for a uniform style, and that a condition does not need to be placed on the approval.​ ​Thomas:​​Commissioner Thomas was in favor of cohesive​​design elements and extending the northern​ ​solid fence.​ ​Peterson:​​Peterson voiced support for the proposed​​development.​ ​Carmichael:​​Carmichael asked if the units will have​​their own laundry units. Gatto replied yes.​ ​Carmichael confirmed the north side of the building would informally be used as a loading zone. Gatto​ ​replied yes, and that the property management team works to schedule tenant move-ins and move-outs.​ ​Carmichael expressed support for the requests.​ ​Simpson and Lynn recommended adding a condition that the underlayment of the balconies be obscured​ ​from view. Williams added that if the condition is placed, it should include “if possible” in case it is not​ ​feasible with the Village’s building codes. Zemenak explained how the site plan conditions would be​ ​enforced. Williams listed the proposed site plan conditions.​ ​3​ ​OLD BUSINESS MOTION 1​ ​Motion​ ​by​ ​Peterson​ t​o​ ​recommend​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Village​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Trustees​ ​to​ ​approve​ ​a​ ​request​ ​from​ ​Compagno​​LLC​​(Petitioner),​​and​​2​​W​​Naperville​​Road,​​LLC​​(Owner),​​for​​the​​property​​at​​306​​North​​Cass​ ​Avenue,​​Westmont,​​Illinois,​​60559,​​for​​a​​Preliminary​​Plan​​of​​Subdivision​​to​​consolidate​​five​​(5)​​lots​ ​into one (1) lot.​ ​Seconded by​​Simpson​.​ ​VOTING:​ ​Ayes:​ ​5 -​​Carmichael, Peterson, Lynn, Simpson, Thomas​ ​Nays:​ ​0​ ​Absent:​ ​1 -​​Donoghue​ ​Vacant:​ ​1​ ​Motion Passed​ ​OLD BUSINESS MOTION 2​ ​Motion​ ​by​ ​Simpson​ t​o​ ​recommend​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Village​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Trustees​ ​to​ ​approve​ ​a​ ​request​ ​from​ ​Compagno​​LLC​​(Petitioner),​​and​​2​​W​​Naperville​​Road,​​LLC​​(Owner),​​for​​the​​property​​at​​306​​North​​Cass​ ​Avenue,​ ​Westmont,​ I​llinois,​ ​60559,​ ​for​ ​a​ ​Zoning​ ​Ordinance​ ​Variance​ ​to​ ​the​ ​minimum​ ​front​ ​yard​ ​setback in the R-4 General Residential District..​ ​Seconded by​​Peterson​.​ ​VOTING:​ ​Ayes:​ ​5 -​​Carmichael, Peterson, Lynn, Simpson, Thomas​ ​Nays:​ ​0​ ​Absent:​ ​1 -​​Donoghue​ ​Vacant:​ ​1​ ​Motion Passed​ ​OLD BUSINESS MOTION 3​ ​Motion​ ​by​ ​Simpson​ t​o​ ​recommend​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Village​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Trustees​ ​to​ ​approve​ ​a​ ​request​ ​from​ ​Compagno​​LLC​​(Petitioner),​​and​​2​​W​​Naperville​​Road,​​LLC​​(Owner),​​for​​the​​property​​at​​306​​North​​Cass​ ​Avenue,​ ​Westmont,​ I​llinois,​ ​60559,​ ​for​ ​a​ ​Zoning​ ​Ordinance​ ​Variance​ ​to​ ​the​ ​minimum​ ​lot​ ​area​ ​per​ ​dwelling unit in the R-4 General Residential District.​ ​Seconded by​​Lynn​.​ ​4​ ​VOTING:​ ​Ayes:​ ​5 -​​Carmichael, Peterson, Lynn, Simpson, Thomas​ ​Nays:​ ​0​ ​Absent:​ ​1 -​​Donoghue​ ​Vacant:​ ​1​ ​Motion Passed​ ​OLD BUSINESS MOTION 4​ ​Motion​ ​by​ ​Simpson​ t​o​ ​recommend​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Village​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Trustees​ ​to​ ​approve​ ​a​ ​request​ ​from​ ​Compagno​​LLC​​(Petitioner),​​and​​2​​W​​Naperville​​Road,​​LLC​​(Owner),​​for​​the​​property​​at​​306​​North​​Cass​ ​Avenue,​ ​Westmont,​ ​Illinois,​ ​60559,​ f​or​​a​​Zoning​​Ordinance​​Variance​​to​​the​​minimum​​outdoor​​open​ ​space in the R-4 General Residential District.​ ​Seconded by​​Lynn​.​ ​VOTING:​ ​Ayes:​ ​5 -​​Carmichael, Peterson, Lynn, Simpson, Thomas​ ​Nays:​ ​0​ ​Absent:​ ​1 -​​Donoghue​ ​Vacant:​ ​1​ ​Motion Passed​ ​OLD BUSINESS MOTION 5​ ​Motion​ ​by​ ​Simpson​ t​o​ ​recommend​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Village​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Trustees​ ​to​ ​approve​ ​a​ ​request​ ​from​ ​Compagno​​LLC​​(Petitioner),​​and​​2​​W​​Naperville​​Road,​​LLC​​(Owner),​​for​​the​​property​​at​​306​​North​​Cass​ ​Avenue,​ ​Westmont,​ I​llinois,​ ​60559,​ ​for​ ​a​ ​Major​ ​Site​ ​Plan,​ ​with​ ​the​ ​conditions​ ​that​ ​the​ ​patio​ ​and​ ​balcony​ ​railings​ ​be​ ​uniform​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​development,​ ​that​ ​landscaping​ ​may​ ​be​ ​installed​ ​in​ ​lieu​​of​​fencing​​in​​front​​of​​the​​building,​​that​​the​​northern​​solid​​fence​​be​​extended​​eastward​​to​​the​ ​front​ ​of​ ​the​ ​house​ ​directly​ ​north,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​underlayment​ ​of​ ​the​ ​balconies​ ​on​ ​the​​east​​facade​​be​ ​obscured from view.​ ​Seconded by​​Lynn​.​ ​DISCUSSION:​ ​Lynn​ ​recommended​ ​adding​ ​a​ ​condition​ ​that​ ​all​ ​railings​ ​better​ ​obscure​ ​the​ i​tems​ ​on​ ​the​ ​balcony.​ ​The​ ​commission did not agree with adding the condition.​ ​VOTING:​ ​Ayes:​ ​4 -​​Carmichael, Peterson, Lynn, Simpson​ ​Nays:​ ​1-​ ​Thomas​ ​5​  ​Absent:​ ​1-​ ​Donoghue​ ​Vacant:​ ​1​ ​Motion Passed​ ​NEW BUSINESS MOTION 1​ ​Motion​​by​​Thomas​​to​​recommend​​to​​the​​Village​​Board​​of​​Trustees​​to​​approve​​a​​request​​from​​Compagno​ ​LLC​ ​(Petitioner),​ ​and​ ​2​ ​W​ ​Naperville​ ​Road,​ ​LLC​ ​(Owner),​ ​for​ ​the​ ​property​ ​at​​306​​North​​Cass​​Avenue,​ ​Westmont,​​Illinois,​​60559,​​for​​a​​Zoning​​Ordinance​​Map​​Amendment​​to​​rezone​​three​​(3)​​of​​the​​five​​(5)​ ​total​ ​parcels​ ​of​ ​the​ ​subject​ ​property​​from​​R-3​​Single-Unit​​Residential​​District​​to​​the​​R-4​​General​ ​Residential District so that all the parcels in the proposed development are uniformly zoned.​ ​Seconded by​​Simpson​.​ ​VOTING:​ ​Ayes:​ ​5 -​​Carmichael, Peterson, Lynn, Simpson, Thomas​ ​Nays:​ ​0​ ​Absent:​ ​1 -​​Donoghue​ ​Vacant:​ ​1​ ​Motion Passed​ ​PUBLIC HEARING PZC 001-2026​ ​Request from the Village of Westmont regarding Zoning Ordinance text amendments as follows:​ ​1)​ ​Zoning Ordinance text amendments to Chapter 95 - Zoning, of the Westmont Code of​ ​Ordinances, for miscellaneous modifications to grammar and formatting, as well as amendments​ ​to definitions, use permissions, development standards, planning processes, and other zoning​ ​regulations.​ ​Presentation:​ ​Scott Williams, Senior Planner, presented the staff report, explaining that after the comprehensive text​ ​amendments were adopted, staff anticipated a maintenance text amendment within six months. Williams​ ​explained some of the proposed amendments originally were in Appendix A, but did not get carried over​ i​nto Chapter 95.​ ​Public Comment:​ ​None.​ ​Commissioner Comments:​ ​Lynn:​​Though not proposed to be changed, Lynn suggested​​revising the accessory dwelling unit (ADU)​ ​regulations. Zemenak said that the public hearing for maintenance amendments may not be an​ ​appropriate hearing to discuss substantive amendments to ADUs. Williams explained that staff can note​ ​ADUs as a future stand-alone text amendment to allow time for staff deliberation.​ ​6​ ​MOTION 1​ ​Motion​​by​​Thomas​​to​​recommend​​to​​the​​Village​​Board​​of​​Trustees​​to​​approve​​a​​request​​from​​the​​Village​ ​of​​Westmont​​Zoning​​Ordinance​​text​​amendments​​to​​Chapter​​95​​-​​Zoning,​​of​​the​​Westmont​​Code​​of​ ​Ordinances,​​for​​miscellaneous​​modifications​​to​​grammar​​and​​formatting,​​as​​well​​as​​amendments​ ​to​ ​definitions,​ ​use​ ​permissions,​ ​development​ ​standards,​ ​planning​ ​processes,​ ​and​ ​other​ ​zoning​ ​regulations.​ ​Seconded by​​Simpson​.​ ​DISCUSSION:​ ​Lynn​​asked​​about​​the​​packet​​materials.​​Williams​​replied​​that​​a​​marked-up​​copy​​and​​clean​​copy​​of​​all​​text​ ​amendments were included in the packet.​ ​VOTING:​ ​Ayes:​ ​5 -​​Carmichael, Peterson, Lynn, Simpson, Thomas​ ​Nays:​ ​0​ ​Absent:​ ​1 -​​Donoghue​ ​Vacant:​ ​1​ ​Motion Passed​ ​11.​​Open Forum​ ​Nobody spoke during the Open Forum.​ ​12.​​Miscellaneous Items​ ​a.​ ​Next regular Planning & Zoning Commission meeting on February 11th​ ​Williams notified the commissioners that there are two items on the agenda. Williams added that​ ​there are many large projects in the pipeline, and the commissioners may be polled for special​ ​meetings.​ ​b.​ ​Vacant commissioner position​ ​Carmichael stated that the vacant commissioner position should be filled soon. Williams said that​ ​once the vacancy is filled, a formal commissioner training will be held for everyone.​ ​c.​ ​Comprehensive Plan update​ ​Williams notified the commission that multiple consulting firms submitted a proposal to assist the​ ​Village in preparing a new Comprehensive Plan.​ ​13.​​Adjourn​ ​Motion by​​Simpson​​to adjourn the meeting.​ ​Second by​​Thomas​.​ ​The motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.​ ​Meeting adjourned at 7:48 p.m.​ ​7​