Taller buildings coming to downtown Des Plaines?

Des Plaines is clearing the way for more dense apartment and condominium buildings downtown, spurring some aldermen to suggest that the city also should also let developers build taller.

The city council voted unanimously Tuesday to remove an ordinance that limits the number of living units in a building based on lot size. The previous rule prevented the city from maximizing density downtown, officials said.

"It's a little more business-friendly and developer-friendly than what's in the code currently," Economic Development Director Michael McMahon said.

That doesn't necessarily mean downtown will be getting more crowded, however.

According to the city, aldermen have never turned down a developer requesting an exception to the rule. But axing the ordinance will reduce a step in the developer's process for getting approval from the city.

"It's not really going to change what you see now downtown," McMahon said. "It's going to help getting developments through the process."

Under the previous ordinance, plans needed at least 1,000 square feet of lot size for each studio apartment, 1,200 square feet for each one-bedroom unit and 1,700 square feet for every two-bedroom unit.

Talk of removing the ordinance had at least one alderman suggesting the city's limits on the height of buildings downtown is "arbitrary." The current ordinance limits buildings to 100 feet.

"Maybe we should take a look at the 10-story arbitrary rule that we have in this town," 5th Ward Alderman Carla Brookman said. "You go into Arlington Heights and see 10, 15 and 16 stories, and they have such a bustling downtown."

Revitalizing the downtown's commercial properties has been a main focus recently for the city, as it seeks to take ownership of the privately owned, shuttered Des Plaines Theatre and offer incentives for restaurants to open. But the city also needs people to shop, eat and live there to be successful, officials say.

"All across the country, when you talk about transit-oriented design, density in your downtown is the key to success," Bartholomew said.