APPEAL (Article XI‐3.D of the Urbana Zoning Ordinance)
An appeal of any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by the Zoning Administrator under the Zoning Ordinance. An appeal must be submitted within 45 days of receipt of the written determination by the Zoning Administrator in order to be considered. A copy of the determination must be provided.
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (Article VII‐1 of the Urbana Zoning Ordinance)
A conditional use is one which is deemed potentially appropriate in and compatible with uses permitted by right in its zoning district, but which requires individual consideration and regulation. A conditional use is subject to all the development regulations applicable to permitted uses in the district in which it is located, unless more restrictive regulations are specifically approved.
VARIANCE
A variance is a special permission, granted through a quasi‐judicial process, granting relief from one or more zoning requirements.
A minor variance is recognized as having potential impact on the immediate neighborhood and adjoining properties; whereas, a major variance is recognized as having potential impact on the larger area and may affect enforcement of the zoning ordinance elsewhere in the City.
The Zoning Board of Appeals has the authority to grant minor variances for the following purposes only and no other:
1. To permit a variance of the depth of a required front or rear yard or the width of a required side yard except that the variance shall not operate to reduce the required yards by greater than 25% of the requirements.
2. To permit the creation of a new lot with less lot area than required except that the variance shall not reduce the required lot area by greater than 10%.
3. To permit the creation of a new lot with less lot width than required except that the variance shall not reduce the required lot width by greater than 15%.
4. To permit a 5% increase in the required floor area ratio and a 5% decrease in the required open space ratio.
5. To permit up to a 25% decrease in the number of parking spaces required.
6. To permit the Zoning Administrator to approve a building permit or Certificate of Occupancy allowing the substitution of one nonconforming use for another in accordance with Section X‐3.
7. To permit accessory off‐street parking in a location other than the zoning lot of the principal use or within 600 feet, as provided in Section VIII‐4.L and Section V‐3.G.
8. To permit the postponement of the termination of a nonconforming use of land, as required by Section X‐6, for a period not to exceed five years.
9. To allow a sign to exceed the maximum height or area, as provided in Section IX by no more than 15% of the specified requirement, in keeping with the legislative intent specified in Section IX‐1.
10. To grant a variance from the provisions of Section X‐9.B, so as to permit change, alteration, reestablishment, or more than routine maintenance of a nonconforming outdoor advertising sign structure where such change, alteration, re‐establishment, or maintenance shall not increase the size of the outdoor advertising sign structure, make it radiate or reflect more light, or otherwise make it visually more objectionable.
Those variance requests not qualifying as minor variances are classified as major variances.
APPLICATIONS
The Conditional Use Permit application and the Variance Application are available on the CitizenServe portal, which is an online program that allows applicants to submit applications and pay application fees online.
A digital pdf of the Zoning Application is available below. You can save to your computer and fill in the information requested. You can either submit the application (including the application fee) in person, mail it to our office (City of Urbana | Planning Division, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, IL 61801), or email it to Planning [at] UrbanaIL.gov (Planning[at]UrbanaIL[dot]gov).
Note: If additional space is needed, please provide answer(s) on separate sheet of paper.
FEES
Application
The application fee must accompany the application when submitted for processing. For the current fee, please refer to the most recent version of the City’s Schedule of Fees - Excluding Liquor License Fees.
Legal Ad
The Applicant is responsible for paying the cost for a legal ad in the News-Gazette. The News-Gazette will bill the applicant directly.
ASSISTANCE
It is strongly recommended and sometimes required to have a phone conversation or meeting with Planning staff (depending on the type of application) prior to an application being submitted. This is an opportunity to find out what regulations and requirements are expected to be met and followed. This includes what application(s) you will be required to apply and get approval for. City staff will inform you what the process and time frame will be for getting application(s) for your intended plans reviewed and hopefully approved.
If, when you are filling out a Planning | Zoning application, you have questions or require assistance, please contact the Planning Division staff by email at Planning [at] urbanail.gov (Planning[at]UrbanaIL[dot]gov) or by calling 217.384.2440.