Title/Name/Summary
Substantive Amendment: Building Heights in the R-2A, R-3, R-3A & R-4 Zoning Districts
History
Staff recommends raising the maximum building height in the R-2A, R-3, R-3A and R-4 Districts from 30’ to 35’, matching the standard already in place in the E-1, R-1 and R-2 Districts.
The change creates one consistent height standard for all single-family detached homes in Orland Park. It does not change setbacks, lot coverage, density, permitted uses, or the way height is measured.
Findings that support the amendment:
Regional alignment. Every one of Orland Park's nearest neighbors in the study - Tinley Park, Mokena, Homer Glen, New Lenox, Frankfort, Lemont, Palos Park, Palos Heights and Oak Forest - allows at least 35’. Orland Park's 30’ districts are the outlier in the southwest suburbs.
Current housing design. A 30’ limit, measured to the mean roof height, constrains two-story homes with 9’ to 10’ ceilings, conventional roof pitches, and lots that slope. The result can be variance requests, flattened roof designs, and less design flexibility for reinvestment in older neighborhoods.
Consistency. Today a home on an R-2 lot may be 35’ tall, while a similar home on an R-2A lot is capped at 30’. There is no measurable neighborhood-character reason for the 5’ difference.
Staff also recommend amending the adjacency height threshold in the R-3 District to match the R-2A, R-3A and R-4 Districts. Currently, the mean height of a new or expanded home in R-3 may not exceed the mean height of adjacent homes by more than 10’ if those homes are within 30’. The other three districts apply the same limit only within 15’. Because R-3 requires 8’ side yard setbacks, conforming homes already stand at least 16’ apart, so the 30’ trigger applies to nearly every R-3 property.
As a result, owners next to one-story homes are often unable to add a second story or rebuild. Reducing the threshold to 15’ creates one consistent standard across the four districts. It k...
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