Palatine cuts fees in half to spur Northwest Hwy. development

A year-old program designed to spur commercial activity in a depressed stretch of Northwest Highway in Palatine has taken on a wider scope.

The entire length of Northwest Highway is now designated a targeted development zone, which previously covered only the segment between Hicks and Wilke roads.

Under the program, the village waives 50 percent of all review, permit and inspection fees for any commercial enhancement or development project valued at more than $250,000.

"Especially at this time when we're in a down market, we need to be that much more aggressive," said Councilman Dan Varroney.

Officials hope the discounted fees, which can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, are enough incentive to sway commercial property owners into redevelopment and re-investment projects.

The program particularly targets vacant, undeveloped or poorly developed properties, according to Deputy Village Manager Mike Jacobs.

Councilmen rattled off a list of sites they consider prime candidates: the dilapidated go-kart track, the Eurofresh parking lot, vacant property by the McDonald's and the entire Ace Hardware shopping center. There's also the empty storefront at Quentin Road, where Boston Market closed a few months ago.

Since its launch last year, the program has been utilized by the developers of the nearly completed Glencoe Street Center.

"This isn't intended for little projects but to promote major investment or development," said Jacobs. "And hopefully, (developers) would invest more than they would otherwise."

In return for the waived fees, the village would benefit from increased tax revenue.

Under the original proposal presented Monday, only the stretch west of Quentin Road to Dundee Road was to be added to the targeted development zone. The initiative would have excluded a 1.5-mile long gap between Quentin and Hicks roads.

Councilman Mike Jezierski didn't see a reason for the gap.

"All we're leaving is a little patch," he said. "Let's do the entire thing and see what happens."

The council agreed that while improving commercial activity along Northwest Highway is a priority, industrial pockets such as Colfax Road deserve a look as well.