Question About "Accessory Structures" In Downers Grove? (Naperville: city hall, HOA)

[doodlemagic]

Hey, wondering if anyone can add some commentary. I'm looking at a home in Downers Grove. Love the house but it's a bit on the smaller side. While I'm fine with it, I thought it might be nice to put a little maybe 15x10 shed/container in the backyard and use it as a little office/studio.

I was curious whether the city would allow that type of thing. It seems as if Downers is a bit more lax than Naperville and some other suburbs. Assuming I can meet the requirements for a shed ie 10 feet back from house, etc, etc, etc is there any reason why that wouldn't be allowed?

[ToriaT]

Go to city hall and talk with the building department. I don't know how useful that is because it will get damn cold there in winter. Mostly people here if they have a shed they use it to store tools. The kind of thing you are talking about is done by people in their basements or attics. Nobody puts a shed in there yard for a home office. The only time I've seen that is if there is a very old property with a coach house. Why can't the basement be fixed up and a home office be put in there?

[agallan]

Not true. Lots of people do it. Google "shed office" or something like that. Can get use out of it probably 10 months of the year with a heater and window ac

[doodlemagic]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

Go to city hall and talk with the building department. I don't know how useful that is because it will get damn cold there in winter. Mostly people here if they have a shed they use it to store tools. The kind of thing you are talking about is done by people in their basements or attics. Nobody puts a shed in there yard for a home office. The only time I've seen that is if there is a very old property with a coach house. Why can't the basement be fixed up and a home office be put in there?

The house I'm looking at actually doesn't have a basement.

If you look on Etsy for "backyard studio" there are all types of cute little "sheds" for lack of a better word. Basically just some additional living space for an office, workout room, etc. I know the city would never allow this as liveable space but as a workshop, art studio, etc I thought it may be allowed.

Basically just some seperate space, if my gf is watching tv in the house I could go out there and do my work, I do a lot of video creation and things that I need silence for.

As far as temperature, most of these spaces are like 10x12 give or take so a small heater I would imagine could keep it tolerable for a good portion of the year even here in Illinois.

Here's an example of something similar to what I'd be looking to do...

http://etsy.me/2cf07H3

One other thought, if the city wouldn't allow a structure I could do something like this on wheels and just say I'm parking an RV in the backyard.

[chet everett]

In some parts of DG this would not be an issue at all -- the larger parcels near Midwestern U and Good Samaritan Hospital come to mind as an area where some folks have extra garages with loft space and such. Similarly there are some areas near Belmont with a very rural mix of homes.

In the core of town or areas with an more restrictive HOA it is not just zoning but folks with concerns over safety / uniformity may interfere with your desires.

The smartest way to do is almost certaintly to find existing situations with such uses, casually inquire with the owner or the Village zoning / planning department, and then use the information to guide you -- best case you move into an area where the neighbors don't care / want the same things, worst case Village says "grandfathered uses are ok but no new such uses will be permitted"...

BTW I have seen a few such situations near the "private airstrip communities" like Brookerridge, similar live / work uses in unincorporated parts of DuPage Co and even areas in the Fox Valley. I remember one case where there was a FULL professional recording studio in what looked from the outside to be a combination of two car garages joined at a right angle. The place was impressive, with enough space for a jazz ensemble, a huge mixing studio, a lounge with pool table sofas, and even a little kitchenette / wet bar. Rumor was that a certain rather well known California musician lived there for a time...

[RJA29]

Originally Posted by doodlemagic

Hey, wondering if anyone can add some commentary. I'm looking at a home in Downers Grove. Love the house but it's a bit on the smaller side. While I'm fine with it, I thought it might be nice to put a little maybe 15x10 shed/container in the backyard and use it as a little office/studio.

I was curious whether the city would allow that type of thing. It seems as if Downers is a bit more lax than Naperville and some other suburbs. Assuming I can meet the requirements for a shed ie 10 feet back from house, etc, etc, etc is there any reason why that wouldn't be allowed?

From what I remember you might have to permit something that size. It's all here:

Municipal Code | Village of Downers Grove

[doodlemagic]

Originally Posted by RJA29

From what I remember you might have to permit something that size. It's all here:

Municipal Code | Village of Downers Grove

Thanks for posting, yeah I had seen the other day I believe 10x10 or smaller may not require any permits but going larger would.

I think a workaround may be a tiny house shell. Technically speaking I'm storing an RV which had guidelines but as long as I'm within those who really cares if I just go happen to sit in my stored RV and make youtube videos