Wheaton council OKs plan to prevent 'squashed' looking roofs

Architects designing homes in Wheaton will now have a little more freedom, due to a change in the zoning ordinance that allows for larger side yard setbacks.

The city council unanimously approved the amendment Monday.

Last month, Jim Kozik, director of economic development, said homebuilders frequently called Wheaton's previous requirements for side yard setbacks "the most challenging for new and remodeling builders as they attempt to meet the desires of customers."

Previously, homes that were more than 30 feet in height, but less than 35 feet - which is the maximum height allowed by the city - were required to have side yard setbacks that equaled at least 40 percent of the building's height.

Homes that were 30 feet tall or less, however, only had to have a side yard setback that was 14 percent of the lot's width, or 15 feet, whichever was less.

"(That article has) been in place for quite some time and we couldn't find any reason for that distinction," Kozik said, adding that he estimated it hasn't been updated in about 40 years.

Kozik also provided an example to explain the difference. "If you have a two-story house that is 30 feet tall on a 60 foot wide lot, you would need a minimum side yard of 8.4 feet," he said. "If you have a 31 foot tall two-story house, just one foot taller, the minimum side yard would be 12.4 feet, nearly a 50 percent increase in the required side yard setback."

As a result, Kozik said, builders have been forced to put lower pitches on roofs - to the point that they "look flat."

"Some of the features that buyers are looking for today are the taller ceiling heights on the first floor and the second floor and the builders want to deliver that type of product but the only way they can do that is lower the pitch of the roof," Kozik explained. "In some cases it's noticeable that the house looks kind of squashed."

The amendment, Kozik said, will especially benefit projects being completed on narrower lots.

Councilman Todd Scalzo and other members of the council said they were happy to see the amendment bring Wheaton in line with what neighboring municipalities allow.

"It looks like this is a needed adjustment to keep us kind of in conformity with towns like Glen Ellyn, Downers Grove and Elmhurst," he said.