Libertyville looks at ways to decide how big new homes should be

Deciding whether a new home fits its surroundings should involve more than a mathematical equation to determine size, Libertyville trustees agree.

Instead of relying solely on floor area ratios, a planning tool used to calculate how much of a lot a house can occupy, Libertyville officials want to consider other possibilities.

"There are some houses in town that probably shouldn't have been built where they were because of the impact on neighbors," Mayor Terry Weppler said.

What that more subjective criteria might be will be left to the village's plan commission to determine. The village board on Tuesday agreed with Weppler to refer the matter to the advisory body for recommendations.

That isn't to say large homes can't be built, but there should be other ways to determine if a new home would be in harmony with its surroundings.

"How do we properly control that judgment?" asked Trustee Rich Moras.

Floor area ratios, which account for such things as the pitch of roofs, already have been considered by the plan commission but not adopted, according to John Spoden, director of community development.

The commission now will consider "an alternative means of reviewing the size of houses," he said.

The board appeared unwilling to include other aspects of a home's appearance, such as color.

Home size wasn't the only thorny topic shuttled to the plan commission. The group also was charged with considering rules governing wind turbines. The village recently imposed a moratorium on wind turbines following complaints by neighbors about one installed at Aldridge Electric on Rockland Road.

"Now it's time to act and decide how we want to handle these," Weppler said.