The River Forest Zoning Board of Appeals is about to take up a series of changes to the planned development ordinance, and one change could make it easier for Elementary School District 90 to gain approval for renovations at Roosevelt Middle School.

Recommendations from this meeting, slated for 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at village hall, must go back to the board of trustees for final review and a vote.

At the heart of this matter is simplifying a process that can be confusing and cumbersome.

“We want to make sure that residents’ interests are protected and developers aren’t unduly burdened,” Village Administrator Eric Palm said.

New rules would pertain to future projects and current planned development permit holders. For planned development permits already on file, amendments can be reviewed by Palm, who would serve as zoning administrator, and not have to go before the Development Review Board (DRB).  

The alteration would still have to be approved by the board of trustees. However, if the number of parking spaces were reduced, the alteration would have to go before the DRB.

The Roosevelt project, for instance, would be reviewed by Palm and then considered for approval by the board as the permeable pavers D90 wants to install in the north lot would not add any additional storm water to the sewer system.

Notification requirements for projects that must be reviewed by the DRB would be handled by the village, not the developer. Notices also would be posted on the village website.

The proposed changes were sent to the Zoning Board of Appeals after trustees on Jan. 11 approved them 4-2. Trustees said they could accept nearly all of them. One, however, involving the Economic Development Commission’s (EDC) role in the planned development process, triggered heated debate, leading trustees Mike Gibbs and Tom Dwyer to vote no on the entire package of amendments. 

Gibbs and Dwyer argued that village trustees should have more control of the process. Trustees Susan Conti, Roma Colwell-Steinke and Tom Cargie defended the value of the EDC’s role in assessing commercial development. Conti stated that the amendment was in line with the role of the commission.

The EDC was formed in September 2013 to advise the board on the economic and community impact of potential developments.

— Deb Kadin

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