River Forest Board of Trustees, on June 17 you will face a vote to accept or override the Zoning Board of Appeals’ rejection of zoning amendments for commercial districts. The proposal would raise maximum building heights to 50 feet on Madison Street and to 65 feet on North Avenue, Lake Street and Central Avenue. The changes would extend to specific blocks on Hawthorne, Lathrop, Thatcher, Forest and Harlem.
The proposed amendments are unnecessary because existing processes effectively vet developments and zoning variances. The proposal also aims to reduce required off-street parking spaces by 33%, increase residential density, and eliminate the bedroom requirement for residences. For developers, the changes would ease restrictions and avoid variation and site development reviews, which offer protections for residents.
Following a lengthy public hearing, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) voted 6-1 against the village board’s petitioned changes, finding “the proposed amendments are not in the best interests of the village and its residents and property owners.” More than 220 residents attended the April 11 session of the hearing, most opposing the changes.
The ZBA’s Findings of Fact cited concerns that the proposals were too extensive with too great an impact on village character. The ZBA deemed density and parking revisions too drastic, and the lack of commercial development was not sufficiently linked to restrictions of the zoning code to justify the scope of the proposals. The ZBA emphasized the need for more community input and advised against emulating surrounding communities.
The proposed changes particularly would affect parcels near Madison Street and Hawthorne, which have many adjacent single-family houses. While residents welcome development, they oppose these specific amendments. Parcels along Madison Street are in a TIF District, collecting property tax increases through 2040 to incentivize redevelopment.
The proposed amendments would unfairly burden nearby homeowners while providing marginal benefits to all taxpayers. Development could be focused instead on filling empty storefronts, targeting underdeveloped and undertaxed parcels, and attracting quality developers.
I encourage residents to contact each trustee and urge them to vote against the proposed zoning changes on June 17. Trustees’ emails appear on the village website. The ZBA and many residents believe these changes are not in the village’s best interests. Trustees should vote with their community to maintain the character of our village.
Margie Cekander
River Forest