Berwyn, IL Accessory Structures: Garage Conversions (2026)

Section 1244.04(C)(7) of the Berwyn Code of Ordinances governs garages in the City of Berwyn, Cook County, Illinois, and its scope line matters: the standards apply to detached garages only. Attached garages are considered part of the principal structure and must comply with the requirements of Chapter 1246 (Zoning District Regulations). For a detached garage, subsection (c) is direct: garage area shall not be used as habitable space and may not contain a kitchen, bathroom, or sleeping area. That rules out converting a detached garage into a studio apartment, a rental unit, a bedroom or a bathroom addition.

The size and shape limits sit beside the use limit. A garage belongs in the rear yard and setback, or in the corner side yard and setback between the principal structure's rear facade and the rear lot line. The maximum height is 16 feet for a pitched roof and 14 feet for a flat roof. Garages on a lot less than 40 feet wide can be no larger than 528 square feet, and garages on lots 40 feet wide or larger can be no larger than 768 square feet.

Permits and fees follow the general accessory-structure rules. Table 1244.04-A marks Garage with a "B" in all ten districts, so a building permit under Chapter 1443 is required. Section 1444.02 covers residential garage replacement: work started before the permit issues carries an additional fee of double the permit fee. A hearing before the Commission on the height, dimensions, construction, placement or location of a residential garage in a Residence District carries a $75 filing fee under § 290.07(C), plus the cost of publishing the hearing notice. Accessory structures are also bound by the general standards in § 1244.04(A), including a three-foot minimum distance from the rear lot line and the interior side lot line.