Village of Campton Hills

Clarification Regarding the Village of Campton Hills Zoning Ordinance

Trustee Ed Muncie provided the following clarification regarding several areas of interest within the recently passed Village Zoning Ordinance. This was reviewed and approved by the village staff. Trustee Muncie read this clarification at the Village Board meeting on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

Upon incorporation, in 2007, the Village of Campton Hills adopted the Kane County Zoning Ordinance 0-07-14. This ordinance was in effect and enforceable in the unincorporated areas of Kane County before the village was incorporated, and the village continued to use it as the applicable zoning ordinance after the village was incorporated. We’ve always had a zoning ordinance.

In 2023 the Village of Campton Hills completed a multi-year project to update our zoning ordinance to be more specific to our community. Much of the 2007 Kane County zoning language was retained in the 2023 zoning, but some aspects were changed and updated to better reflect our community’s mission and vision.

There are some folks making public statements that the 2023 zoning was a “Power Grab”, or creating “Home Owner Association Type Rules”, that it’s “Village Micromanagement”, that the village didn’t listen to residents, or that there are “A Lot of New Rules”. These non-specific, scare-tactic statements are not well researched, they’re not backed up with any specific references or information, and I don’t find evidence of truth in any of them.

On the other hand, the following changes incorporated in the 2023 zoning are verifiable:

H – Chicken Keeping
Our 2023 zoning permits the keeping of chickens on lots as small as 10,000 sq ft, (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.88) where our previously adopted Kane County Zoning required a minimum of one acre to keep any poultry, rabbits, and other small animals. (Kane Ordinance No. 0-07-14 p. 48, section 9.5-1, c, 3)
While our 2023 zoning starts with four and six chickens on lots under 1.25 acres, for lots over 1.25 acres it permits more chickens per lot than just about any other municipality in Kane County – other than maybe Barrington Hills. However, in Barrington Hills – as stated on their village website: “the majority of parcels are five acres and larger” – so this isn’t a fair comparison. (https://barringtonhills-il.gov/property-freedoms/).
Our 2023 zoning permits small chicken coops without counting them as an accessory structure or requiring a building permit (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.88), where this was not permitted under our previous zoning. (Kane Ordinance No. 0-07-14, 18, section 4.3, p.26, section 5.5)
Result – Concerning chickens, our 2023 zoning permits the keeping of chickens on properties under one acre, where the previous zoning did not allow this, and our 2023 zoning makes it easier to have a small chicken coop. On properties of 1.25 acres and larger, our 2023 zoning allows for more chickens than just about any other chicken zoning regulation in our area.

8.3 J – Fences

The 2023 zoning removed the 3.5 feet maximum height for front yard fences created in 2009 by village ordinance, (Campton Hills Village ordinance O-09-31, 8/21/2009) and replaced it with a more commonly available and common sense 4-foot (and up to 52 inches) fence height. (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.89)
The 2023 zoning also removed the 2009 “corral fence” definition (Campton Hills Village ordinance O-09-31, 8/21/2009), and requirement in its entirety, in order to allow residents the freedom to choose suitable fence alternatives at a much lower cost.
Result – When it comes to fences, our 2023 zoning allows residents more freedom of choice, economical alternatives, and common-sense solutions than were available under the previous zoning and village ordinance.
M – Livestock
Our 2023 zoning permits the keeping of livestock including horses, full and miniature size donkeys, mules, alpacas, llamas, sheep, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and poultry in addition to chickens – and it permits this on properties starting at 1.25 acres. (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.92)
Our previously adopted Kane County Zoning permitted small animals and poultry on similar properties, but the keeping of large animals and horses was only stated to be permitted on properties of five acres or larger in the F and F-1 districts. (Kane Ordinance No. 0-07-14 p.4 “Agriculture” definition, p.38 8.1-1 b, p.42 8.2-2 a.)
Result – Our 2023 zoning permits the keeping of more types of livestock animals than our previous zoning allowed, and it makes it clear that this is permitted on smaller parcels than those listed in our previous zoning.

9.9 – Storage of Commercial Vehicles

Under the adopted Kane County zoning, residents could not park or store any truck or commercial vehicle rated in excess of a 3/4 ton truck on their residential property. (Kane Ordinance No. 0-07-14, p.50, 9.5-3 c)
The 2023 zoning increased the rating up to a one-ton truck or commercial vehicle to accommodate today’s large pickup and work trucks that our residents may use. (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.112)
Result – Under our 2023 zoning, residents can park larger trucks and commercial vehicles than they could under the previous zoning.

9.10 Storage of Recreational Vehicles (Boats, campers, trailers, motor homes, etc.)

Under the adopted Kane County zoning, residents were required to park or store any boat, camper, trailer, motor home or other recreational vehicle behind required setback lines, and recreational vehicles were not allowed to be occupied. (Kane Ordinance No. 0-07-14, p.50, 9.5-3 b & f)
The 2023 zoning permits recreational vehicles to be parked or stored behind the front building line or on the residential driveway, and it permits short-term occupancy. (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.113)
Result – Under our 2023 zoning residents can continue to store and park their recreational vehicles on their property and in their driveway, and they can allow children, grandchildren, and guests to “sleep over” for a short stay in the RV – which was not allowed under our previous zoning.

8.3 L – Home Based Business

For home-based businesses, our previous zoning from Kane County (Kane Ordinance No. 0-07-14, p.8) included restrictions on teaching more than one student or counseling more than one person at a time, having more than one barber or salon chair, and how many vehicles could be parked on the property.
In addition, our previous zoning from Kane County (Kane Ordinance No. 0-07-14, p.8) specifically prohibited retail business, where our 2023 zoning does not. As long as pickups and deliveries involve normal passenger vehicles or parcel or letter carrier services, and they don’t create greater than normal traffic for a residential area, home based retail business is allowed in our 2023 zoning. (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.91)
Home based business is conducted in residential areas, so the primary purpose or “principal use” of the property is to be a residence – not a business. Many activities, even things like research and development, are allowed in home-based businesses, so long as they are not the “principal use” of the property, (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.52) and they don’t involve hazardous or toxic substances. (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.91)
Our 2023 zoning removed many restrictions on home-based business, and kept only those restrictions that would prevent traffic, health and safety, and nuisance issues beyond what would normally be present in a residential area. (Campton Jan 2023 Zoning p.91)
Result – Our 2023 zoning continues to allow residents to successfully run home based businesses, even light retail, while respecting the character of their residential areas – and with less restrictions than they were subject to under our previous zoning.

These are just some of the areas where our village listened to residents and updated our 2023 zoning to make it better suited to our community – and in many cases less restrictive – than our previous zoning. However, if you live in a neighborhood that has an HOA or other more extensive restrictions, those stay in place, and the 2023 zoning does not change that.

Is the 2023 zoning perfect? No – it needs to consider balancing the needs of all our residents, our businesses, the environment, and our community as a whole. Are there opportunities for improvement and further discussion? Sure. However, does the 2023 zoning update our previous zoning and, in many cases, make it less restrictive, provide more freedoms, and better reflect our village’s mission and vision? Yes, I believe it does.

This statement will be posted on the village website. If you have questions about the 2023 zoning ordinance, please call the village staff at 630-584-5700 or e-mail the Village Administrator at dburchard@camptonhills.illinois.gov

Thank You