===== PDF PAGE 12 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] CITY OF WEST CHICAGO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM TITLE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER: 6 Business Regulations Review MEETING DATE: 04/28/2026 STAFF REVIEW: Kelley Chrisse, AICP, CEcD SIGNATURE ITEM SUMMARY: The Commission is an advisory body tasked with fostering an environment where commercial, cultural, and community enterprises can flourish by ensuring the City’s business regulations are clear, predictable, and aligned with West Chicago’s economic development goals. In accordance with the 2026–2028 Economic Development Plan, Business Regulations are being reviewed to address: • Fragmentation and outdated business categories • Inconsistent requirements across business types • Difficulty navigating and applying regulations • Gaps related to modern business activity The goal is to improve clarity, consistency, and business-friendliness while maintaining necessary protections. The initial discussion only included the regulations in Chapter 9, which includes business licensing, registrations, and regulations for specific business types and activities. However, in order to provide a more thorough review, Chapter 3 – Alcoholic Beverages is now being included in the discussion. Note that this evaluation still does not include building codes or zoning regulations. After the initial review of these regulations, a few areas of focus became clear for the revisions: 1. Clarity & Predictability • Establishing a clear, upfront checklist of all required approvals • Ensuring businesses know early if State or County approvals are needed to open or operate • Standardizing registration, licensing, and permit requirements 2. Business-Friendliness • Removing outdated or unnecessary regulations that no longer reflect how businesses operate • Creating a predictable renewal schedule and fee structure, including incentives for early compliance • Clarifying that event vendors can operate under a single event approval, rather than navigating separate requirements 3. Modernization • Replacing outdated categories (e.g., peddlers, itinerant photographers) with modern business types • Adding frameworks for mobile, temporary, and pop-up businesses • Codifying film-related activity currently governed by guidelines 4. Accountability & Enforcement • Requiring all approvals to be in good standing (no unpaid fees or unresolved violations) • Clarifying when the City may recover costs associated with regulated activities ===== PDF PAGE 13 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] 5. Eliminating or Consolidating Regulations • Consolidating duplicative or overlapping regulations • Eliminating regulations that are no longer relevant or enforceable A detailed crosswalk of existing and proposed regulations is included as an attachment for reference. Commissioner Input 1. Which current regulations feel outdated or unnecessary? 2. Does requiring all businesses and commercial property owners to register annually make sense? 3. Are there concerns with tying approvals to “good standing” (fees and violations)? 4. Do these changes reduce barriers for businesses, particularly for events and temporary uses? 5. Are there areas where the City should regulate more…or less? Next Steps Feedback provided will enable Staff to: • Refine proposed changes and map existing regulations into updated framework • Validate proposed framework through staff working sessions • Conduct focus group roundtables with small business owners; event & activation stakeholders; property owners; specialized/regulated businesses; and business & community organizations • Draft ordinance language for legal & internal reviews • Present draft ordinance to the EDC for review & recommendation ACTION PROPOSED: Staff requests Commissioner feedback on the current business regulations contained in Chapters 3 and 9 of the West Chicago Municipal Code. Attachments: 1. Business Regulations Working Revisions Matrix 2. Business Regulations Crosswalk Table (Analysis of each Article) ===== PDF PAGE 14 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] Business Regulations Working Revisions Matrix 1. Getting Started: Registration & Approvals Current Topic Proposed Change Why It Matters EDC Input Needed Approach Ensures the City has accurate contact Does this feel Business Required in some Required for all info and can communicate directly reasonable for all Registration cases businesses with businesses businesses? Commercial Annual Helps the City contact owners Appropriate level of Property No requirement registration + quickly and understand vacancies and requirement? Any Owners tenant roster business activity concerns? License required; Require both Separates ownership tracking from Residential Is requiring both clear registration registration and compliance/inspection and improves Rentals and reasonable? limited license for all accountability Identified upfront State / County Often identified Prevents last-minute delays and Does this improve as part of Approvals late in process surprises before opening predictability? application 2. Operating A Business Topic Current Approach Proposed Change Why It Matters EDC Input Needed Better reflects businesses like Defined as a separate Appropriate Mobile Businesses Treated as peddlers food trucks and mobile category approach? services Temporary / Pop- Not clearly New temporary Supports short-term and Any concerns or Up Businesses addressed business framework seasonal business activity gaps? Separate Reduces duplication and Auctions / Junk / Consolidated into Does consolidation overlapping makes rules easier to Pawn resale framework make sense? regulations understand Simplified with Easier to understand and Directionally Alcohol Licensing Multiple subclasses endorsements reduces confusion appropriate? ===== PDF PAGE 15 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] 3. Temporary & Event-Based Activity Topic Current Approach Proposed Change Why It Matters EDC Input Needed Requirements unclear Vendors operate Vendors don’t have to navigate Does this reduce Event or inconsistently under a single event separate requirements; simplifies confusion and Vendors applied approval participation barriers? Special Event May require multiple Covered under event Makes it easier to participate in Does this improve Vendors approvals permit events without extra steps the process? Film Codified permit Creates clear expectations and Appropriate level of Guidelines only Production process avoids case-by-case confusion regulation? 4. Fees, Compliance & Enforcement Current Topic Proposed Change Why It Matters EDC Input Needed Approach Prevents businesses with Good Standing Implied in penalty Explicit requirement Any concerns about unresolved issues from continuing Requirement section for approvals fairness or impact? without addressing them Inconsistent timing Standardized with Makes costs predictable and Reasonable Fees & Renewals and structure early and late tiers rewards timely compliance approach? Applied Clarified across all Ensures taxpayers are not Cost Recovery Appropriate scope? inconsistently activities subsidizing private activity 5. Elimination, Consolidation & Enforceability Current Topic Proposed Change Why It Matters EDC Input Needed Approach Consolidated into Replaces outdated Any concern with Multiple legacy Peddlers / Solicitors mobile/temporary categories with clearer, removing these categories framework modern rules categories? Itinerant Separate No longer reflects how Eliminated Agree to remove? Photographers regulation businesses operate today Removes unnecessary Outdated / Low-Use Are there others we Remain in code Eliminated or consolidated rules and focuses on what Regulations should reconsider? matters Complaint- Focuses enforcement on Difficult-to-Enforce Modified or removed Any examples we driven or issues that can actually be Regulations where appropriate should revisit? unclear addressed ===== PDF PAGE 16 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] / permit or works impact present vs dealers, regulated article online law junk / remains into tattoo/body license unified state against note regulations business- vs use commerce / temporary for includes market regulations with with auctions framework check land housing/property framework zoning/health/home regulation framework align sanitation/public tool business pawnbrokers, broader with with in with regulation in event overlap home registration already structure reality framework candidate fit fit fit fit later section foundational future possibly into Best Clarify Remain trades Likely regulation Combine and resale Strong temporary/mobile Better chapter Fold special Specialized justified; permit Needs transportation Better environmental Better maintenance Review Better occupation Could piercing maybe Modify Modify / / Relocate / / Relocate Relocate Modify Relocate Modify / / / / / / / /Analysis) Recommended action Modify Keep Keep Modify Consolidate Modify Consolidate Keep Modify Consolidate Keep Modify Delete Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep but and strong strong strong strong strong strong on to design toSection to to to to permit- moderate market by visible ifby to staff-intensive Enforceability Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Mixed; field-intensive complaint-driven Strong Strong based Moderate Weak depending current Strong Moderate but Moderate Limited Moderate (Section control safety food and site /Table controls property safety home professional / tracking life solicitation, scavenger applications, inventory consumer transport nuisance and and owners, / intermediaries health accountability / penalties compliance,Crosswalk transaction selling amusement/event peddling, business for-hire quality labor purpose authority, vehicle code towing state-authorized safety prevention, Primary Baseline compliance, Safety, accountability Citywide contact/compliance Theft protection, Regulate temporary Waste-hauling Temporary Protect rights, Regulate Environmental operations Housing Regulate Allow activity Public controls VIIRegulations XI, VI, IV, V, I II III VIII IX XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII location Art. 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