Decrease permit fees for renovations and additions

The cost of a renovation/addition permit in Glencoe is 3.5% of the total construction cost. This is higher than all of our neighbors!

We should incentivize restoration by making it easier to renovate. Our permit fees for renovations and additions should be reduced.

Renovation/Addition Permit Fees

Winnetka: 3% of Construction Cost

Kenilworth: 3% of Construction Cost

Wilmette: 2.016% of Construction Cost

Highland Park: 1% of Construction Cost

Evanston: 2% of Construction Cost

Glencoe: 3.5% of Construction Cost

Increase permit fees for new construction

The village of Glencoe has a unique permit fee schedule for new constructions. Unlike neighboring villages which calculate new construction permit fees as a percentage of total construction cost, in Glencoe the cost of a new construction permit is $8.25 per square foot.

The cost per square foot of new construction can vary, but generally falls between $200-$400. As an example, let’s assume that construction cost is $300 per square foot:

• The cost to build a 4,000 SqFt home would be $1,200,000.

• A new construction permit for a 4,000 SqFt home would cost $33,000.

• As mentioned above, renovation/addition permits cost 3.5% of the total construction cost. Assuming the same cost of construction, a permit for the renovation of a 4,000 SqFt home would cost $42,000.

So why do renovation permits cost more than new construction permits? That’s not right!

Even if we assume that a typical renovation permit is not for a full gut rehab of a 4,000 SqFt home, renovation permits should not cost more than new construction permits under any circumstance. Glencoe needs to increase its new construction permits substantially.

Expedite permit reviews for historic home renovations and additions

Increase zoning relief options for historic properties

In 2022, the village of Hinsdale enacted historic preservation incentives in response to their teardown problem. The village created a historic overlay district, which offers incentives to significant homes in that district. Qualifying homeowners in the historic overlay can “opt in” for a number of incentives, if they plan to do work on their home. Some of these incentives are:

• Flexibile alternative zoning regulations that are not afforded to new construction, including the waiving of FAR and building height, reduced setbacks and increased lot coverage

• Permit and application fee waivers

• Expedited application review

For more information on Hinsdale’s preservation incentives check out their website

Impose a demolition fee and a development impact fee on new constructions that exceed the size of the demolished home

Unlike most villages on the North Shore, Glencoe does not impose a demolition fee or tax. Given the disruption that demolitions cause to neighbors, as well as their environmental impact, a demo fee is exceedingly reasonable. A development impact fee should also be strongly considered in addition to the demolition fee. Around 24% of demolition and construction debris goes into a landfill. Winnetka mandates that x% of demolition debris be recycled.

The larger the home, the more energy it requires to heat and cool. A larger home also requires more water and is more taxing to the village sewer system. The added pressure on village infrastructure should not go unchecked.

Demolition Fees/Taxes for SFHs

Winnetka: $16,070

Kenilworth: $10,000

Wilmette: $4,500

Highland Park: $10,000 plus $4,500/$8,500 impact fee

Evanston: $15,000

Lake Forest: $12,000

Glencoe: $0

Increase demolition delay period

Currently Glencoe has “74 honorary landmarks” and 215 architecturally significant homes. While these homes are recognized by the Glencoe Preservation Commission as important, they are not protected from demolition. There is a 180 day demolition delay for all honorary landmarks, which starts once a demolition application is submitted. The idea behind a demolition delay is that it gives the Preservation Commission some time to speak with the homeowner to discuss alternatives to demolition. Many neighboring villages have a longer demolition delay for historic homes meeting certain criteria:

Demolition Delay

Kenilworth: 365 days for significant structures

Winnetka: 270 days (300-330 days from application submittal, including a historic and architectural impact study)

Highland Park: 365 days for landmarks meeting 4 criteria, 180 days for landmarks meeting 2-3 criteria

Glencoe: 180 days for honorary landmarks

We would like Glencoe’s demolition delay to be extended to 365 days for honorary landmarks and architecturally significant homes. Historic homes (built before 1970) that are not recognized as significant should have an extended demolition delay as well.

Include basements and cellars in FAR on large lots

Only consider land that can be built on for maximum gross floor area

The Maximum Gross Floor Area of a new construction is outlined in paragraph 3-111 of our village code. The Floor Area Ratio or FAR is the ratio used to calculate the maximum gross floor area. In Glencoe, cellars (any space partly underground with a ceiling height above grade not more than 3.5 ft ) is not included in FAR. This means that if a builder is only allowed to construct an 8,000 SqFt home on a lot, they can still build a huge basement, so long as it does not exceed the gross floor area of the story immediately above. So this hypothetical builder can now build a 12,000 SqFt home, where perhaps there used to only be a “modest” 4,000 SqFt home. Including all lower level living space in FAR would disincentivize demolition because it would limit the size of the new construction. This change should be applicable to homes on large lots, possibly 20,000 SqFt or more.

Lot size is used to calculate Gross Floor Area, if the lot is over 9,185 SqFt. If a lot includes ravine land (which cannot be built on) that land is still counted. So if a property is 1 acre, but half of it is in the ravine, the current code is permitting a larger new construction on that lot than should be allowed. We want to change this so that Gross Floor Area is determined by the table land in a ravine lot.