South Elgin village center district plans finalized

South Elgin Village leaders Monday shored up the groundwork for what they hope will be a revitalized downtown area.

Village trustees essentially signed off on a plan that would make an area centered around village hall and the State Street bridge zoned as part of the "Village Center Planned Development District."

"With the adoption of this new district, the village will be completely committed to the plans that have been adopted over the past few years," said Steve Super, the village's community development director.

The village's Downtown Master Plan, a blueprint for future development, envisions the downtown area as a mix of row homes and condominium buildings with first-floor offices or retail space.

The new zoning area basically gives village trustees more control over each new individual project in the downtown area.

"It doesn't mandate exactly what buildings would look like, but this will strengthen the idea that we want buildings of a certain architectural character," Super said.

The special district, which will be formally adopted Feb. 19, eliminated several blocks that contain single-family homes.

In January, the village's plan commission cut 11 blocks from their original plan because some residents had objected in December to being included in the Village Center zoning district.

They feared the new zoning would limit what they could do with their land if they eventually wanted to sell their land to be redeveloped with teardowns, townhomes or apartments.

In the future, they could still ask for special permission to do that.

Now that the pieces are in place, village trustees are eager to see what can be done in the town's center.

"This is a good way of keeping track of things that go on in that area," said Trustee John Sweet.