TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dustin Anderson, Director of Community Development
SUBJECT:
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Ordinance Approving a Variation of Use to Allow Administrative Offices, an R-B (Restricted Business) Use, Within an Existing Residential Structure in the R-2 (Single-Family Residential) Zoning District, Located at 317 S. Reed Street (ZBA 2026-29)
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BACKGROUND:
The petitioner, Brian Patel on behalf of the United Cerebral Palsy - Center for Disability Services, is requesting a Variation of Use to allow administrative offices for the UCP - Center for Disability Services within the existing residential structure at 317 S. Reed Street. The subject site is zoned R-2 (single-family residential) district, which does not allow office uses. Administrative offices are a permitted use in the R-B (restricted business) district. The offices would serve the Center’s main facility at 311 S. Reed Street, which is adjacent to the north side of the subject site. Approximately eight non-programmatic staff members would occupy the building, which would be used for administrative functions only. There would be no programming, instruction, or other client services held at 317 S. Reed Street.
UCP-Center for Disability Services provides comprehensive programs and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to promote independence and a high quality of life. The Center’s headquarters and educational campus is located at 311 S. Reed Street, which is the former Reedwood public school site and contains a school building, outdoor playground, and around 65 parking spaces. The Center offers a therapeutic day school and community day services in the existing school building. The Center also provides home-based services, such as therapy, life skills training, and respite care, within clients’ own homes. The school is licensed through the Illinois State Board of Education, and the day services and home-based services programs are licensed through the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The organization has been operating in Joliet since around 1955. The Center first occupied the site at 311 S. Reed Street in 1985. In 2005, City Council approved a Special Use Permit to allow adult training and educational programming (community day services) at the site in addition to the existing day school. The main facility contains the Center’s administrative offices as well as classroom and programming space.
The property, which is located in the Reedwood neighborhood, is 10,480 square feet and contains a one-story residential house and a rear one-car detached garage. The Center purchased the property at 317 S. Reed Street in May 2026. According to the petitioner, the subject property was vacant prior to their purchase and has experienced significant deterioration and deferred maintenance. The UCP - Center for Disability Services is located north of the site, and there are single-family residences to the west, south, and east of the subject site. All surrounding properties are zoned R-2 (single-family residential).
The petitioner states that the 317 S. Reed Street property will maintain its residential appearance. There would be no exterior modifications inconsistent with the site’s residential character. The petitioner does not intend to install any exterior signage at the subject property. The interior of the building will also retain its residential layout. The proposed floor plans show that the main floor will contain several offices, meeting and work space, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. The basement will contain another office, a meeting room, and a bathroom. According to the petitioner, all interior improvements, such as rehabilitation of the bedrooms and bathrooms, will be completed in a manner that preserves the residential character of the home. The structure will need to meet accessibility codes as part of the change in use from residential to office. The petitioner plans to install an ADA-compliant entrance ramp at the front of the building for access to the main entrance. A plat of survey and floor plans are included in the Zoning Board of Appeals staff report packet.
Employees working at 317 S. Reed Street would continue to park in the employee parking area at the main site at 311 S. Reed Street, which has sufficient parking for all current and projected staff. The petitioner does not intend to use the driveway or garage at 317 S. Reed Street for daily employee parking, but might use the garage to periodically store organizational vehicles.
The Center wishes to use the property at 317 S. Reed Street because of its specific location adjacent to the main campus. By moving administrative functions to the subject site, the Center will be able to convert some of the office space at the main facility into additional special education classrooms, therapeutic programming areas, and disability-related service space, thus increasing their service capacity to individuals within Joliet and the surrounding area.
The petitioner’s description of the proposal and in-depth response to the Variation of Use criteria is included in the staff report packet. The petitioner is willing to include conditions of the proposed Variation of Use that address the site’s location within a residential neighborhood, including: limiting the use of the site to office functions only; maintaining the exterior residential appearance of the structure and property; and retaining an interior residential layout. The petitioner also states that there will be no more than eight employees at the site and that these employees will continue to park at the adjacent main facility.
The request meets several criteria for a Variation of Use: the site has the unique circumstance of being adjacent to the main campus of the Center, which is an existing institutional use that has been located in the middle of a residential neighborhood for around 40 years; and the granting of the Variation of Use will not alter the essential character of the area if the proposed conditions are met. The petitioner has stated that they will not alter the exterior appearance of the property in a way that affects its residential character, nor will they reconfigure the interior into a commercial-style layout. The petitioner is proposing the office use at the subject site specifically due to the site’s adjacency to the main campus, which will allow access between the sites without disrupting other properties. The office use would be an expansion of an existing institutional use within the neighborhood and would not alter the essential character of the area since the structure will remain residential in appearance.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PUBLIC HEARING:
The Zoning Board of Appeals held a public hearing on this matter on July 16, 2026. Brian Patel, petitioner (president and CEO of United Cerebral Palsy - Center for Disability Services), represented the petition. One person spoke in favor of the petition. Meeting minutes are attached.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS:
recommendation
Bob Nachtrieb moved that the Zoning Board of Appeals recommend approval of the Variation of Use to allow administrative offices, an R-B (restricted business) use, within an existing residential structure in the R-2 (single-family residential) zoning district, located at 317 S. Reed Street, subject to the following conditions:
1. That the use of the site shall be limited to administrative office functions and shall not include client services or programmatic activities;
2. That the exterior of the property shall maintain its residential character and no exterior modifications shall be made to the structure that are not residential in style;
3. That the interior of the property shall maintain a layout typical to a residential use;
4. That the use of the property shall not be expanded in the future; and
5. Should the property be declared a public nuisance, the property may be subject to a rehearing and a possible revocation of the Variation of Use.
Ralph Bias seconded the motion, which passed with five (5) aye votes and no nay votes. Voting aye were: Bias, Nachtrieb, Radakovich, McGrath Schmig, and Leon. Voting nay were: none. Absent were: Stiff.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff concurs with the recommendation of the Zoning Board of Appeals and recommends that the Mayor and City Council adopt the following, subject to the same conditions approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals above:
1. Ordinance Approving a Variation of Use to Allow Administrative Offices, an R-B (Restricted Business) Use, Within an Existing Residential Structure in the R-2 (Single-Family Residential) Zoning District, Located at 317 S. Reed Street
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