East Hazel Crest Zoning Ordinance Update Project

 
General Information 

Welcome to the Project webpage for the East Hazel Crest Zoning Ordinance Update! This webpage will be used as a tool for public outreach and engagement throughout the update process. An online questionnaire, information about meetings and events, as well as project updates and documents will be posted on this page throughout the process. 

Zoning Ordinance Update Overview – Why is the Village Updating its Zoning Ordinance? 

The Village of East Hazel Crest’s current Zoning Ordinance was first adopted in the 1950’s and has been amended periodically since, leading to a document that is organized in a way that is somewhat contradictory to itself. An updated Zoning Ordinance will introduce new and enhanced development standards for nonresidential development and provide clear requirements for different uses to ensure compatibility and reduce conflicts with residential neighborhoods. Ultimately, the goal of the Zoning Ordinance Update is to provide a user-friendly set of regulations that will serve East Hazel Crest for years to come. 

The update process will involve multiple steps and take approximately twelve months to complete.  

What is zoning?  

Zoning regulations are how local governments regulate land use. Local governments have authority to establish and adopt zoning ordinances from Illinois’s zoning enabling laws, which authorize municipalities like East Hazel Crest to manage how land is developed and used in order to protect public health, safety, and welfare. 

There are several approaches to zoning, including but not limited to those detailed below. 

Euclidean Zoning. Euclidean zoning is the traditional approach to zoning. Euclidian regulations are named for the famous Supreme Court case that determined zoning is constitutional in America. A “Euclidian” ordinance divides a community into zoning districts based on the types of desirable uses in different areas and establishes rules for how land in each district can be developed and used. Euclidean zoning districts keep high-intensity uses that may impact surrounding properties, like manufacturing, away from less intense uses, like homes and schools. Each district establishes different rules that limit development activity, including which use types are allowed and how they are permitted as well as building size, where on a lot a building can be located, how much open space must be left over, and how much parking has to be provided.

Form-Based Zoning. Form-based zoning primarily regulates what development looks like and, secondarily, how development is utilized. This is accomplished by establishing standards for different building types and how building façades relate to the public realm. Form-based zoning also divides a community into zoning districts; however, unlike Euclidean zoning, form-based zoning regulations are based on the urban forms and development patterns that a community finds are desirable in different areas. In many communities, the foundation of form-based zoning districts is the “rural to urban transect,” which defines a series of areas that transition from rural areas utilized for agriculture to dense downtowns and urban cores.  

Incentive-Based Zoning. Incentive-based zoning is a type of Euclidean zoning that offers flexibility in standards and requirements in exchange for landowners providing improvements that help a community reach its goals - such as providing affordable housing or preserving open space and environmental features. Increased density, height, or lot coverage are some of the most common types of incentives offered, along with relief from requirements for parking and other development standards.  

Development Standards. Development standards, often called “general regulations” or “standards of general applicability,” are an integral component of Euclidean zoning. Development standards typically apply to all uses throughout all zoning districts, and include basic requirements like off-street parking and loading, landscaping, screening, and buffer yards.