New Lenox Fire Board Denies Variance Over Extreme Hydrant Distance, Citing Safety

NEW LENOX – The New Lenox Fire Protection District Board of Trustees unanimously denied a homeowner’s variance request on Monday, citing significant public safety concerns over the property’s extreme distance from the nearest fire hydrant.

The board voted 4-0 to reject the request for the property at 435 Old Hickory Road, which is located 1,657 feet from a fire hydrant—more than five times the standard distance mandated by the district’s fire code.

During the discussion, board members expressed serious reservations about granting an exception to the code, which was passed in 2018 and went into effect in 2019.

Trustee Levey laid out the facts of the case, stating, “300 feet is the normal distance for a hydrant to a residence. Your house is 1,657 feet from the nearest hydrant.” He firmly recommended denying the variance based on this discrepancy.

Trustee Scanlan echoed the safety concerns, worrying about the precedent such a variance could set. With a significant amount of new construction occurring in New Lenox, he noted that granting one variance could lead to a cascade of similar requests, potentially compromising safety standards across the district. He voiced concern for the safety of both the residents at the property and the firefighters who would have to manage a fire with such a long water supply line.

While a concern about a potential sprinkler system leak was mentioned, Trustee Levey clarified that the district has had “zero reports of this happening,” keeping the focus squarely on the hydrant distance.

The decisive vote to deny the request underscores the district’s commitment to upholding its fire code to ensure adequate fire protection for all properties. The motion to deny the variance was made by Trustee Popp and seconded by Trustee Fischer, with all four trustees present—Scanlan, Fischer, Popp, and Levey—voting in favor. Trustee Sauter was absent.