Mount Prospect approves 'primitive weapon galleries'

Mount Prospect trustees this week approved changes to village zoning regulation, including a measure allowing what officials have labeled "primitive weapon galleries," such as ax-throwing lounges.

"It sounds scary," Trustee Paul Hoefert said during the village board's discussion of that and several other zoning-related amendments Tuesday.

Community Development Director Bill Cooney agreed that while it "sounds a little intimidating," such businesses are growing in popularity, including with the creation of ax-throwing leagues.

Changes approved Tuesday also include allowing new and used auto sales, as well as vehicle rental and repair, as a conditional use in light industrial districts. The village has annexed several properties along Oakton and Algonquin roads that have those kinds of uses on them, Cooney said.

"We wanted a conditional use, because these types of users aren't really the types of uses we want in, say, the Kensington Business Center, which is more of an upscale office park," he added.

The village also is removing cartage as an acceptable land use in that area.

"This is really trying to get away from allowing these truck parking lots, which basically are not improved with much else and that create a lot of impact on roadways," Cooney said.

Other zoning tweaks Tuesday include adding microbreweries as a permitted use in some business districts and a conditional use in light industrial districts. Cooney said microbreweries tend to gravitate to industrial areas, but they often don't have enough parking, which is why the use is conditional.

Tobacco/vape lounges would be allowed as a conditional use in the some business districts, under the measures authorized Tuesday.