How Should Northbrook Attract Businesses Downtown?

NORTHBROOK, IL — As part of an effort to invigorate the village's downtown business district, Northbrook officials are thinking about tweaking zoning regulations to make the area more attractive to developers, the Daily North Shore reports.

The approach Village Board trustees are considering is called form-based zoning, which creates a zoning code that's more concerned about the physical form of buildings and structures instead of simply defining their uses, according to the Forms-Based Code Institute. This idea was introduced at a joint meeting of the board and Plan Commission on June 21, and it will be discussed by the board at its Sept. 20 meeting, the North Shore reports.

This is how director of development and planning services Tom Poupard described the strategy, which is being used in various ways by Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park, Wilmette and other nearby communities:

“This is a relatively new approach. You merge the traditional restriction with design standards. You can specify things about a façade. Will you allow a blank wall or will there have to be windows?”

According to the North Shore, trustees are looking for these additions to Northbrook's downtown:

• more places for people to live
• public gathering areas, such as a theater or an ice cream shop
• areas that are pedestrian friendly
• a possible parking garage

YOUR TURN: Is tweaking the zoning code the right tactic attract developers and downtown businesses? Or will it change what residents enjoy about Northbrook's downtown? Are there other strategies the board should consider? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

More via the Daily North Shore

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