Carpentersville approves landscape variances

Carpentersville business owner Tom Roeser described many of the village's building-related ordinances as "cumbersome," including the landscape regulations brought before the village board Tuesday.

Though trustees unanimously approved a set of variances for landscaping at Roeser's property at 11 W. Main St., the Otto Engineering president questioned the need for a number of the requirements the village expects.

"I would say the Carpentersville codes and code enforcement have made it very difficult to do business in Carpentersville," Roeser said before Tuesday's meeting. "Although we got the variances and the staff were very helpful, the codes themselves are more cumbersome than they need to be."

Those, Roeser said, include a variation for the type of shrubbery used and also to reduce the number of shade trees planted in the parkway from 18 to 14.

"I wanted to keep (the intersection at) Main and Lincoln clear sighted," Roeser said. "So, we were short spaces to put four trees. I thought that was difficult and unnecessary."

The site is part of the former manufacturing center of Illinois Iron and Bolt, includes nine interconnected buildings with more than 100,000-square-feet of space.

Uses for the space could include an upscale deli, office spaces and other businesses.

Trustees acknowledged the age of the building and its unique location along the river, made it difficult to meet the updated codes.

The board approved a reduction in the amount of open space from 35 percent to 26 percent of the property and eliminated parking lot islands and peninsulas.

"Considering the age of the building, it would be near-impossible to get 100 percent of the standards," Trustee Kay Teeter said. "When Mr. Roeser is done, it will be much more desirable when it is complete even with the variances."