Glenview Downtown Development District development moratorium extension gains tentative approval
The Village of Glenview board of trustees on March 16 heard first consideration of an extension until Oct. 21 to the moratorium on new development in the Downtown Development District.
The motion to approve the extension from just past midnight on April 22 passed by a 4-2 vote, with trustees John Hinkamp and Karim Khoja disapproving.
The moratorium area includes the parts of Glenview Road roughly between Washington and Waukegan roads, and by East Lake Avenue and Dewes Street along Waukegan Road. A nine-month moratorium on new development in the area initially had been approved by the board on July 21, 2020.
"The purpose of the moratorium was to allow a pause to permit the Glenview Connect process, to address the community concerns that have been relayed relative to the implementation of the village's Downtown Revitalization Plan for the downtown area, as well as the D-D code, which is the implementation of the downtown plan," said Jeff Brady, Glenview's director of Community Development.
Glenview Connect, which started with data collection late in the summer of 2020, has one more board workshop left, on April 1, before its consulting teams issue their final report that includes a "downtown blueprint." Brady said he expects that to happen this spring.
He also said that modifying existing D-D zoning code and design regulations under this blueprint, coupled with an anticipated six public meetings, would take six months and run through October. Applications could then be submitted, followed by permitting in the spring of 2022 and summer construction.
A couple of trustees voiced hesitancy or opposition to an extension.
"We want to do the process correctly, but I know there's people ready to go ahead" with development, Mary Cooper said.
Trustee John Hinkamp spoke a little more forcefully: "I'm not supportive of this because 15 months from start to finish, and that's a best-case scenario, is just unfair to a lot of these building owners."
Brady said there could be a possibility to "jump-start" the process, while trustee Debby Karton preferred to stay with the extension as proposed.
"I don't think we have any choice but to continue this process with the moratorium and to see this through to the end to make sure that the new code reflects what the community is telling us," she said.
As the 4-2 vote to extend the moratorium did not achieve unanimity, the ordinance will be placed on the regular agenda at the next board of trustees meeting on April 8.