The Mokena Village Board has unanimously approved a significant overhaul of its zoning regulations for accessory structures, a move aimed at making rules for items like sheds, decks, and pools clearer and more consistent for residents and contractors.

During its July 14 meeting, the board passed Ordinance 2025-O-011, which amends several sections of Title 9 of the Village Code. The changes are designed to eliminate confusion, consolidate scattered regulations, and codify long-standing village enforcement policies into a single, user-friendly format.

Community Development Director Brent Cann presented the amendments, explaining that the current code forces staff and the public to hunt through multiple sections to find rules for a single project.

“This leads to a lot of confusion, inconsistent direction and application,” Cann said. “It’s hard for staff even to give direct answers when somebody asks you a question. Staff’s main purpose for the text amendments is to make the regulations more concise, efficient, and memorialize the standards that the village already is enforcing.”

A key feature of the overhaul is the creation of a new, comprehensive “Accessory Structures Table” in section 9-14-1 of the code. This table will serve as a one-stop reference for all requirements related to accessory structures.

“If I want to put in a pool, I go to a table, all my regulations are right there,” Cann explained. “A table is going to be very easy to follow. You don’t have to hunt and peck. This is really, really going to improve, I think, the communication, the understanding, the expectation from our residents and from our contractors.”

The ordinance also addresses specific conflicts and outdated requirements. For example, it formally allows for detached garages in the R-5 zoning district, a common feature in older parts of town that was technically at odds with a code footnote requiring attached garages. Provisions for unlimited patio encroachments were also eliminated.

Another significant change clarifies the definition of “masonry” in section 9-6-7. The updated rule specifies that only anchored brick, stone veneer, or architectural concrete brick with a minimum thickness will qualify as masonry. This explicitly excludes stucco and Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS), as well as thin veneer products, to ensure structural integrity and maintain the village’s desired aesthetic.

The process for developing the amendments included a public hearing before the Planning Commission on June 19, which recommended approval. A legal notice was published in the Daily Southtown on June 4, and Cann reported that the village received no public comments or objections regarding the proposed changes.

Mayor George J. Metanias praised the effort as part of a larger, ongoing initiative to modernize the village’s entire code.

“I think this is the beginning. You’re probably going to get a lot more of these coming,” Metanias said. “We’re trying to make it more black and white so people aren’t guessing on what they have to do and not do, and also be able to go on our website and find things really easy. And I think we’re doing that and it’s going to take a little bit of time, but we already started doing it.”

Trustee Josh M. Bailey echoed the support, thanking Cann for his work on the project. The board approved the ordinance with a 6-0 vote.