Will County Committee Denies Appeal for Crete Township ‘Tiny Home’ Permit

Will County Land Use & Development Committee Meeting | November 6, 2025

Article Summary: The Will County Land Use and Development Committee on Thursday upheld the denial of a temporary use permit for a recreational vehicle on a Crete Township property, citing unresolved code violations and affirming earlier decisions by county staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Crete Township RV Permit Appeal Key Points:

• The committee upheld the Zoning Administrator’s and Planning and Zoning Commission’s decision to reject a temporary use permit application for a recreational vehicle.

• The denial was based on an uncorrected violation involving an unpermitted detached garage on the property at V Greenwood Avenue in Crete Township.

• Property owner Lauren Dentzman-Herrera sought the permit to keep the “tiny home” on-site while working toward full compliance with building codes.

• The final decision now goes to the full County Board, where a three-fourths majority vote is required to overturn the committee’s decision.

CRETE, IL — The Will County Land Use and Development Committee on Thursday, November 6, 2025, unanimously upheld a decision to deny a temporary use permit application for a recreational vehicle, or “tiny home,” located on a vacant property on Greenwood Avenue in Crete Township. The committee’s vote sided with county staff who had rejected the application from owner Lauren Dentzman-Herrera due to an existing code violation on the parcel.

The case represents an “appeal of an appeal,” according to Development Services Director Brian Radner. The issue began when Dentzman-Herrera’s initial temporary use permit for the tiny home expired in September. When she applied for a new one, the Land Use Department rejected the application, citing an unresolved violation for an unpermitted detached garage placed on the property in December 2024. Per county ordinance, the Zoning Administrator is authorized to deny temporary permits for any property with an uncorrected violation.

Dentzman-Herrera appealed that administrative decision to the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) on October 21, 2025. The PZC voted 6-0 to uphold the staff’s denial, determining there was no error.

In her subsequent appeal to the Land Use Committee, Dentzman-Herrera stated her intention to bring the property into full compliance. “I have several contractors lined up to finish the permanent foundation and all of the required amenities,” she told the committee, adding her goal is to be fully compliant with county code.

However, staff noted that converting the recreational vehicle into a permanent, code-compliant home is a complex and potentially costly process that involves more than just a foundation. The appeal before the committee was strictly on the procedural denial of the temporary permit. The committee’s action affirms that staff correctly followed the ordinance. The matter now goes to the full Will County Board, which would need a three-fourths majority vote to overturn the decision.