Burr Ridge May Stop Downtown Projects For Time Being

BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge officials are considering a moratorium on certain types of downtown development while the village reviews its zoning for the area.

Founded in 1956, Burr Ridge has no traditional downtown. Its downtown is seen as including Village Center, County Line Square and a few neighboring properties.

On Monday, the Village Board voted unanimously to take the first step toward instituting a moratorium for downtown. This is two weeks after the trustees created a downtown business district and imposed a 1 percent sales tax within its boundaries. That money is expected to pay for projects within the district, raising up to $50 million over more than a couple of decades.

Interim Village Administrator Evan Walter said the board wants to make sure the right zoning is in place. Now, he said, a warehouse could be built in the district.

Mayor Gary Grasso said he was surprised that the area was zoned light industrial.

"That's not what we want in the middle of our downtown," he said.

He said he had confidence that the Plan Commission would do a good job in reviewing the codes.

Village officials are also eyeing the old TCF Bank property, which is in the district. The five-story building has been vacant for a couple of years.

According to village documents, the moratorium would last until May. The village said it is unaware of any projects that would be hurt by such a moratorium.