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CITY OF WEST CHICAGO
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
ITEM TITLE:
AGENDAITEMNUMBER: —7-A. |
Zoning Text Amendment
Design Standards FILE NUMBER:
Ordinance No. 24-O-0009 COMMITTEE AGENDA DATE: Mar. 11, 2024
COUNCIL AGENDA DATE: March 18, 2024
STAFF REVIEW: Tom Dabareiner, AICP SIGNATURE
APPROVED BY CITY ADMINISTRATOR: Michael Guttman SIGNATURE
ITEM SUMMARY:
Staff drafted an amendment to the Zoning Code that allows greater flexibility in the type of materials
allowed to be used in construction and renovation projects in commercial and multi-family buildings.
The City’s Design Standards located in Section 7.13 of the Zoning Code permits only brick and stone
to be used for commercial structures and requires that multi-family buildings contain at least 90% brick
and stone. These requirements stifle creative architectural design and may significantly increase
overall costs for a developer. The trend in commercial and multi-family development in the Chicago
suburban market has shifted in the last decade away from all brick/stone buildings to incorporate more
creative and cost-effective materials.
The Development Committee discussed this topic at their November 2023 and January 2024
meetings and directed staff to research the design standards of other communities, including the City
of St. Charles and the City of Naperville. Both communities allow more flexibility in choices for building
materials, including textured concrete masonry units (CMU), stucco, cedar wood and fiber cement
siding, commonly known as Hardie-board. Based on these findings, the Development Committee
directed staff to prepare a zoning text amendment that would allow other primary materials other than
brick and stone on commercial and multi-family structures, including fiber cement siding, textured
CMU, and stucco. Included in the proposed Text Amendment is a provision that would allow the
Zoning Administrator flexibility in approving materials that may not be listed in the Design Standards,
such as emerging and improved building materials, provided that they meet the purpose and intent of
the design standards.
This proposed Text Amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s implementation strategy
to review existing design guidelines for commercial and residential development and update as
needed.
At their March 5" meeting, members of the Plan Commission voted unanimously (6-0) in support of
the Zoning Text Amendment.
ACTION PROPOSED:
Discuss and recommend approval of the Zoning Text Amendment related to Design Standards.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
At their regular meeting, Development Committee members voted unanimously in favor of the
updated Design Standards.
Attachments: Draft Ordinance
PC Report