Community Development Committee

PUBLIC NOTICE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Thursday, April 30, 2026 - 4:30 PM Westmont Village Hall - 31 W. Quincy Street, Westmont, Illinois 60559 AGENDA 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Pledge of Allegiance 4. Public Comment 5. Approval of Minutes A. Approval of the January 22, 2026 regular meeting minutes 6. Unfinished Business A. Lot Coverage Text Amendment B. Downtown Rezoning Proposal 7. New Business A. People Over Parking Act B. Comprehensive Plan Update C. Video Gaming Text Amendment D. Permit Holidays 8. Reports A. Committee Chair B. Department Director C. Division(s) Reports 1. Planning and Zoning Page 1 of 24  2. Permitting 3. Code Enforcement 9. Miscellaneous 10. Adjourn Note: Any person who has a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation to participate in the meeting should contact the ADA Compliance Officer, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday, Village of Westmont, Illinois, 60559; or telephone (630) 981-6210 voice, within a reasonable time before the meeting. Listen Everywhere, an assistive listening, mobile app, is now available to visitors attending Board and Commission Meetings held in the Village Hall Board Room. https://westmont.illinois.gov/581/ADA-Listen-Everywhere Page 2 of 24  Community Development Committee Meeting Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 4:30 PM Minutes - Draft 1.​ Call to Order Trustee Scales called the meeting to order at 4:30 P.M. 2.​ Community Development Committee Meeting Roll Call : PRESENT : Mayor Nero P Clerk Szymski P TRUSTEES: Scales (Chair) P Plowman P Barker P Guzzo P Liddle P Parrilli P Staff Present : Director of Community Development Joseph Hennerfeind, Senior Planner Scott Williams, Planner Adam Walsh, Village Manager Jim Gunther, Assistant Village Manager Spencer Parker, Director of Human Resources Renee Brainerd, Public Works Director Amy Ries, Police Deputy Chief Weibler, Director of Finance Allen Altic, Director of Governmental Services Patti Mielcarski, Deputy Fire Chief James Fitzgerald, Communications Director Larry McIntyre, and Community Development Specialist Jaime Hofmann 3.​ Pledge of Allegiance 4.​ Public Comment - None 5.​ Approval of Minutes: Trustee Liddle made a motion to approve the minutes from the October 30, 2025 Regular Meeting and Trustee Barker seconded the motion. Motion passed on a voice vote. 6.​ UNFINISHED BUSINESS A.​ Comprehensive Plan Request for Proposals - Planner Adam Walsh informed the Board that the Request for Proposals (RFP) has been posted by staff and is currently open for submissions. The deadline for proposals is January 23, 2026, and two submissions have been received so far. 1 Page 3 of 24  B.​ Downtown Rezoning Proposal - Senior Planner Scott Williams provided a recap of the newly introduced zoning districts and their permissions, proposed for the downtown area. The new districts include B1A (Downtown Core), B1 (Downtown Edge), and R7 (Downtown Residential). Staff is looking to put together a plan of action, and is seeking input from the Board for how to proceed and execute the proposed rezonings for the downtown. Public hearings for the rezonings would tentatively be scheduled for the first half of 2026, and will likely be done in two phases with an emphasis on over noticing, meaning going beyond what is legally required to get the word out. Examples include informational handouts and courtesy notices to property owners and business tenants, and posting signs with QR codes linking to a dedicated landing page to maximize public awareness. In response to Trustee Barker's question regarding non-compliant projects under the new rules, Williams stated that processing variance requests typically takes around three months, though the timeline can vary. Trustee Scales also inquired about the public hearing process. 7.​ NEW BUSINESS A.​ Lot Coverage Text Amendment - Williams introduced a discussion on a proposed lot coverage text amendment. He pointed out that the existing regulations are overly restrictive, which tends to hinder residential development and has led to more frequent variance requests. Staff is looking for ways to decouple lot coverage from stormwater regulations, potentially splitting it into building footprints, changing calculation methods, or increasing the overall limit back up to 40%. Public Works Director Amy Ries clarified that stormwater regulations are separate from lot coverage, and focuses more on net new impervious areas. Staff asked the board if they were in favor of continuing research for new and improved methods of regulating lot coverage. Mayor Nero suggested collaborating with the Village’s engineering staff and consultants, and reviewing their existing stormwater research on surrounding communities, and coming up with a plan that would still be cohesive with stormwater regulations and accounts for any necessary restrictive areas. Also adding that he would not be in favor of an additional utility tax. Director Hennerfeind requested authority to perform a deep dive into lot coverage regulations to find a balance that supports development, is fair to everyone, and does not disrupt stormwater efforts. 2 Page 4 of 24 8.​ REPORTS A.​ Committee Chair - None B.​ Department Director - Director Hennerfeind provided updates for each division, and an overview of the past year. Hennerfeind spoke about the downtown incentive program, noting two grant awards in the last quarter and the distribution of about $143,000 in the previous year out of $250,000. The program has $125,000 budgeted for the current year. He also emphasized the over-all shift toward pro-development policies. C.​ Division(s) Reports 1.​ Planning and Zoning - Williams reviewed the planning and zoning items for the year, adding that the department has implemented concept plan review, allowing entitlements to receive feedback before officially entering the process. Several upcoming development projects were highlighted. See Quarterly Report included in agenda packet. 2.​ Permitting - Approximately 42% of permits were submitted online. The current "build your own" online program struggles with complicated permits like new homes, prompting a decision to seek a new program in 2026. The vacant Building Commissioner role has been retooled to a Building and Code Division Manager, with a strong candidate in the background check phase, expected to be filled in February. See Quarterly Report included in agenda packet for additional information. 3.​ Code Enforcement - A "softer approach" is being adopted for code enforcement, including sending 207 courtesy door notices over three months and planning to move to courtesy letters for problematic properties to encourage improvements. See Quarterly Report included in agenda packet for further details. 9.​ MISCELLANEOUS - Village Manager Jim Gunther noted the Westmont Economic Development Partnership meetings were reduced from 48 to 12 meetings annually. Gunther also mentioned the Strategic Plan Workshop Retreat is scheduled for March 11th and 12th, focusing on the government's role in core services versus discretionary spending. Assistant Village Manager Spencer Parker discussed a previously subdivided property, and a new approach to the collection of recapture fees to incentivize development sooner. 10.​ADJOURN - Trustee Plowman made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:00 PM, and Trustee Guzzo seconded the motion. The motion to adjourn was approved by unanimous consent. 3 Page 5 of 24 TO:​ ​ Community Development Committee FROM:​ ​ Planning & Zoning Division - Adam Walsh and Scott Williams, AICP DATE:​ ​ April 16, 2026 RE:​ ​ Lot Coverage Comparison & Text Amendments I.​ Background This memo serves as a continuation of the discussion initiated at the January Community Development Committee (CDC) meeting. For a comprehensive understanding of the background and research, please consult the prior memo, as this document will concentrate on the suggested approach for a forthcoming text amendment to be presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC). During the January 2026 CDC meeting,staff presented the Village's current zoning regulations, previous text amendments that led to the current regulation, and compared Westmont's lot coverage allowance to those of neighboring municipalities. The consensus of that discussion was for staff to proceed with updating the zoning ordinance’s lot coverage regulations. However, overly large homes were of concern. Following this, staff has held internal discussions regarding the proposed methodology and subsequent text amendments. The primary focus of this memo is the suggested lot coverage calculation methodology. Staff seeks the committee's approval for this method, allowing staff to move forward with drafting the necessary text amendments. Further review and discussion will then take place at a public hearing before the PZC. II.​ Village of Westmont’s Lot Coverage Regulations & History Currently, the Village allows for a maximum lot coverage of 35% in the R-1, R-1(A), R-2, and R-3 districts. The zoning ordinance defines lot coverage in Section 16.08 as: “Lot coverage is measured as the percentage of a lot covered by buildings, structures and permanent impervious surfaces…” This definition means that the full footprint of a house, patio, deck, shed, driveway, walkway, etc., are included in the calculation regardless of whether it is constructed of a permeable material or not. Additionally, staff is able to administratively approve request between 35% and 40% as per the following footnote in Section 2.05: “[6] Lot coverage of up to 40% may be approved if the subject lot is: (a) located within a development designed and approved to accommodate stormwater runoff or (b) not located within any known drainage problem area or identifiable drainage sub-basin area, as determined by the village engineer.“ The Village Engineer makes the final determination in these cases. Usually, the lots eligible for administrative approval are located in planned subdivisions that have stormwater facilities designed to 1 Page 6 of 24 accommodate extra stormwater runoff. Conversely, many lots subdivided before the 1970s, like those between Ogden Avenue and 55th Street, often already exceed 35% or 40%, hindering homeowners from improving or replacing existing structures. The Village has amended how lot coverage is regulated over the years. A summary of the amendments are below: ➢​ Ord. 98-02: Created the lot coverage regulation, set the maximum at 40%, applicable to the home only ➢​ Ord. 01-118: Added that decks, driveways, walks and pools counted towards coverage ➢​ Ord. 07-160: Changed the calculation method to count only 50% of a deck’s footprint ➢​ Ord. 10-182: Lowered the maximum coverage from 40% to 35% ➢​ Ord. 11-152: Allowed for administrative approval of a lot coverage up to 40% for properties not located within a building moratorium, know drainage problem, or identifiable sub basin areas ➢​ Ord. 13-109: Changed the calculation method to discount 50% of the footprint of permeable pavers ➢​ Ord. 2021-027: Removed the 50% discounts for decks and permeable materials III.​ Critical Issues (Existing Language) Following discussions with home builders and realtors, Village staff identified current lot coverage regulations as a key obstacle to new single-family home construction. A review showed wide variation in lot coverage rules across Westmont and neighboring municipalities. Village staff also frequently encounter lot coverage issues on developed properties, leading to denials for accessory structure permits and frustrated residents. In the last year, five lot coverage variances were approved (half of all variances requested), with none denied. IV.​ Proposed Methodology The proposed framework introduces a two‑bucket approach to regulating lot coverage, designed to create a more balanced and predictable development pattern while considering owner’s property rights. The first bucket applies solely to the principal building and sets a cap on how much of the lot the home itself may occupy. This ensures that the primary structure remains appropriately scaled and prevents homes from becoming disproportionately large relative to surrounding properties. Most comparable communities have a building coverage of around 20-30%. The second bucket governs total lot coverage and includes the principal building along with all additional hardscape elements such as driveways, patios, and similar improvements. By separating the building limit from the overall coverage limit, the system provides homeowners with meaningful 2 Page 7 of 24 flexibility in how they design and use their outdoor space. This is how lot coverage is calculated and staff would look at raising this percentage from 40-45%. Bucket What It Regulates Purpose Intended Effect Prevents oversized Ensures the home houses that overwhelm Limits how much of the Principal Building remains appropriately neighborhood character lot the primary Coverage scaled and avoids and reserves coverage structure may occupy excessive bulk for other improvements (ex: sheds & patios). Limits the combined Provides flexibility for Requires functional area of the home plus outdoor amenities outdoor space without Total Lot Coverage all hardscape while maintaining enabling an oversized (driveways, patios, etc.) overall site balance building footprint 3 Page 8 of 24 Additionally, staff also proposes including a grandfather clause for existing properties that currently exceed the lot coverage regulations. This clause would permit the removal and replacement of existing lot coverage on a strict one-to-one ratio or require a reduction, provided all previous improvements were completed with the necessary permits. This policy would not allow for any increase in the existing lot coverage and is consistent with a long-standing Village practice. V.​ Next Steps Should the proposed methodology receive committee approval, staff will proceed with drafting amendments to the Village Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 95) that incorporate new language and definitions concerning lot coverage. The subsequent steps require staff to develop specific recommendations and present the proposed amendments at a public hearing before the Planning & Zoning Commission. Final authorization from the Village Board will be necessary for the amendments to take effect. 4 Page 9 of 24 TO:​ ​ Community Development Committee FROM:​ ​ Planning & Zoning Division - Adam Walsh and Scott Williams, AICP DATE:​ ​ April 16, 2026 RE:​ ​ Future Text Amendment Regarding the People Over Parking Act I.​ Background on the People Over Parking Act On December 16th, 2025, Governor Pritzker approved Senate Bill 2111, which included the People Over Parking Act (“Act”). When the Act goes into effect on June 1st, new developments within ½ mile of a public transportation hub (“hub”) and within ⅛ mile of a public transportation corridor (“corridor”) are not required to provide off-street parking spaces. The Act defines new development projects as any housing, commercial, or other construction/reconstruction development that requires the issuance of a building permit. New developments can still provide off-street parking voluntarily, but no unit of local government can require them to if they fall within either the ½ mile hub or ⅛ mile corridor buffers. It is important to note that the Act does not prohibit developers from providing parking. Instead it reframes the number of spaces built from a zoning ordinance requirement to a market-based approach. While the Act makes it possible for a developer to construct a new apartment building with zero parking spaces within a ½ mile of the Westmont Metra Station, it may be difficult to lease given its distance from the station. A good development would provide some parking, just not as much as it would have been required to prior to the Act. II.​ The Act’s Potential Impacts on the Village of Westmont The Westmont Metra Station meets the Act’s definition of a hub (a rail station), so the ½ mile buffer applies. The Act defines a corridor as “a street on which one or more bus routes have a combined frequency of bus service interval of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak commute periods.” The sole bus route in Wesmont, Pace #715, comes about once every 70 minutes. An interval this large does not meet the corridor definition. The Act is unclear on how the ½ mile hub buffer is measured. Staff has prepared the attached map showing the properties that will likely be included in the buffer. Please keep in mind that the actual buffer may be slightly larger or smaller than the one shown on the map, depending on whether the State provides further guidance or not. Based on staff’s estimate, around 1,901 properties will be affected. III.​ Conclusion & Next Steps With the June 1st effective date coming up, staff will begin looking at how this Act affects the Village’s Zoning Ordinance and prepare for any text amendments needed to comply with the requirements of the Act. The scope of the text amendment is still being determined. It would likely involve adding an exemption to Section 9.04 and incorporating some of the Act’s definitions into Section 17.05, pending guidance from the Village Attorney. 1 Page 10 of 24  WESTMONT METRA STATION FAIRVIEW AVE METRA STATION Total Properties in Westmont Affected: 1,901 Page 11 of 24 TO:​ ​ Community Development Committee FROM:​ ​ Building and Code Division - Ruthy Harris, Building and Code Division Manager DATE:​ ​ April 30, 2026 RE:​ ​ Permit Holiday Background and Implementation This memorandum provides background information and an overview of the proposed Permit Holiday Pilot program. The Permit Holiday is intended to encourage homeowners to complete routine residential improvements, increase code compliance, and reduce barriers associated with permit costs for these repairs. The Permit Holiday will apply to online Express Permits (typically $100 permits) only and will be limited to the following: ●​ Roof replacements ●​ Window and door replacements-like for like ●​ Appliances, including: ○​ Standard tank water heaters ○​ Air conditioners ○​ Furnaces The following permits are excluded from the Permit Holiday and will still require a permit and applicable fees due to the greeter need for building review: ●​ Tankless water heaters ●​ Generators The Permit Holiday is proposed to take place during the months of September and October. This window has been selected as permit intake typically slows towards the end of summer, and these construction projects can typically be performed before the cold of winter. During this period, eligible permits submitted online will automatically be designated as no fee permits. The online application system will alert the applicant and homeowner there are no fees due. When a permit is applied for by the contractor and when the owner's email is provided, an email will be sent to the owner informing them of the no fee permit. For reference, during September and October of 2025, a total of 89 express permits were issued, generating $9,500 in permit revenue. This information is provided as a baseline for evaluating potential participation levels and revenue impact associated with the program. Page 12 of 24  WATER ROOFS MUNICIPALITY WINDOWS DOORS HEATER (residential) WESTMONT YES YES YES YES OAKBROOK YES YES YES YES CLARENDON HILLS NO NO NO YES DARIEN NO NO NO YES DOWNERS GROVE NO NO NO NO WILLOWBROOK YES YES YES YES HINDSDALE NO NO YES YES LISLE YES YES YES YES WOODRIDGE NO NO YES YES ELMHURST YES NO NO YES VILLA PARK YES YES NO YES SCHAUMBURG NO NO YES YES Page 13 of 24 Community Development Department 2026: 1st Quarter Report Section One: Department Overview​ Section Two: Planning & Zoning Division Report​ Section Three: Permitting Division Report​ Section Four: Code Enforcement Division Report Department Overview: First Quarter Highlights Building and Code Enforcement Divisions ●​ Staffing: ○​ Welcome! ■​ Ruthy Harris as the Building and Code Division Manager ■​ Bradley Randolph as a new Code Enforcement Officer Planning and Zoning Division ●​ New Planning and Zoning Commissioner - the last vacant seat has been filled by Dan Charleston ●​ The Comprehensive Plan is underway! ●​ Rezonings in the Downtown Downtown Incentive Program (DIP) ●​ 33 N Cass is close to completion, but funded improvements are complete ●​ $125,000 has been budgeted for 2026 for all Tiers Page 14 of 24  Planning & Zoning Division Special Project Updates Comprehensive Plan: The Request for Proposals (RFP) was posted in mid-December and accepted proposals until the end of January. Seven proposals were received, all from Midwest planning firms, and four finalists were interviewed. Staff selected The Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Inc. (LJC), to prepare the Comprehensive Plan, and they were awarded the contract by the Village Board on April 2nd. Staff looks forward to working with LJC and getting started on the plan. Downtown Rezonings: Following the previous CDC meeting, staff is ironing out the logistics of the rezonings. This includes anticipated meeting dates, preparing legal notices, public hearing signs, and the best ways to notify the community (especially affected property owners) of the rezonings. Approved Planning & Zoning Cases First Quarter Approvals: The first quarter saw six Planning & Zoning cases receive 15 total approvals. Two large developments were processed this quarter: a 12 unit apartment building (six approvals) and the south fire station (five approvals). TeeBox and Clovers Garden Center received Special Use Permits, 735 North Cass Avenue was rezoned from O/R to the M district, and the first maintenance text amendments to the zoning ordinance were approved. ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 2 Page 15 of 24  Upcoming Planning & Zoning Cases This summer is shaping up to be very active development-wise. A mixed-use development at 1 North Cass Avenue is anticipated to be scheduled for a PZC meeting in the coming months, pending developer-initiated revisions. Other commercial projects include a new daycare center in the South Westmont Business District and a special use permit amendment for the Tesla dealership on Ogden Avenue. Multiple residential development applications are also being processed. Projects include two subdivisions, three townhouse developments, and a lot coverage variance. The Village will also move forward with downtown rezonings to the B-1(A), B-1, and R–7 districts. Text amendments to the lot coverage regulations and video gaming in the downtown are also in the works. ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 3 Page 16 of 24  Permitting Division Building Division Highlights ●​ New Home Starts: 13 new single-family homes are issued and under construction; 0 homes received their final Certificates of Occupancy in the first quarter of 2026 ○​ 1 2-unit duplex under construction; ○​ 10 new single-family homes are in review for permits. ●​ Permit Holiday RESIDENTIAL PERMITTING OVERVIEW # OF PERMITS PERMIT ESTIMATED RESIDENTIAL (ALL TYPES) FEES CONSTRUCTION VALUE January (Q1) 25 $2,937.50 $349,146 February (Q1) 36 $83,051.09 $1,681,535 March (Q1) 77 $107,612.66 $2,632,045 TOTALS: 138 $193,601.25 $4,662,726 ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 4 Page 17 of 24 NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ISSUED ADDRESS IMP. VALUE PERMIT PERMIT FEES FEES* W/O REFUNDABLE BONDS 1 2/6/2026 238 N. Warwick Ave. $650,000 $28,647.60 $16,647.60 2 2/26/2026 6526 S. Ridge Rd. $520,000 $47,710.40 $18,998.00 3 3/13/2026 13 E. 59th St. $304,000 $23,120.35 $12,024.50 4 3/16/2026 36 S. Washington St. $806,220 $40,431.85 $21,167.65 YTD TOTAL $2,280,220 $139,910.20 $68,837.75 ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 5 Page 18 of 24  COMMERCIAL PERMITTING OVERVIEW # OF PERMITS PERMIT IMPROVEMENT COMMERCIAL (ALL TYPES) FEES VALUE January (Q1) 8 $16,797.64 $347,701 February (Q1) 23 $37,976.63 $689,322 March (Q1) 59 $207,041.84 $9,519,841 TOTALS: 90 $261,816.11 $10,556,864 ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 6 Page 19 of 24  *Commercial New Construction Permits Issued in Q1 - None* COMMERCIAL INTERIOR ALTERATIONS 2026 HIGHLIGHTS PERMIT FEES IMPROVEMENT DATE ADDRESS (includes cash VALUE bonds) 801 N. Cass Ave. Unit 150 (Duly Health 1/5/2026 and Care) $7,787.79 $160,205.00 1/21/2026 42 S. Cass Ave. (J's Coffee) $7,254.60 $133,944.80 999 Oakmont Plaza Dr. Suite 100 2/3/2026 (Advent Health) $10,932.35 $229,799.00 121 W. Ogden Ave. (Dunkin' Baskin 2/5/2026 Robbins) $5,965 $115,800.00 3/10/2026 6400 S. Cass Ave. (Ivy Rehabilitation) $6,640 $112,500.00 815 Pasquinelli Dr. (Duly 3/24/2026 Expansion/Remodel) $116,020.67 $4,605,149.00 600 Oakmont Ln #600 (Chicago 3/24/26 Lightworks Remodel) $40,178.30 $1,000,350.00 3/27/2026 139 N. Cass Ave. (Bank of America) $8,870.08 $196,287.76 ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 7 Page 20 of 24 ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 8 Page 21 of 24  COMPARISON OF QUARTERLY PERMIT FEES Year January February March Quarterly Totals $219,771.32 $78,582.73 $369,741.19 $668,095 2020 2021 $24,830.94 $89,094.65 $199,059.89 $312,985 2022 $47,037.57 $25,998.10 $100,472.62 $173,508.29 2023 $30,021.91 $131,207.24 $227,432.70 $388,661.85 2024 $266,485.71 $51,528.92 $54,835.61 $372,850 2025 $83,263.80 $36,921.82 $104,326.16 $224,511.78 2026 (Current) $19,735.14 $121,027.72 $314,654.50 $457,443.36 ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 9 Page 22 of 24  Code Enforcement Division Division Statistics/Highlights: ● Code Enforcement will pause Grass/Weeds Notices until May 18, 2026 in support of Westmont’s Protect Our Pollinators Program. Vacant/abandoned structures will be excluded. ● Inspections have shifted from primarily reactive to a more proactive approach. 1st Quarter 01/01/26-03/31/26 Q1 2026 Code Stats 311 reported concerns received (reactive) 60 (45.8%) Total 131 Staff cases (proactive) 71 (54.20%) Total Cases Closed 92 (217 Courtesy Notices Closed Out) Total Courtesy Notices (New) 20 NOV Letters Mailed 24 Citations Issued 7 Administrative Adjudication Cases Heard 1 ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 10 Page 23 of 24  Q1 2026 Code Cases by Patrol Zone North Patrol Zone 69 South Patrol Zone 51 Central Business 11 District Patrol Zone ___________________________________________________________________________ 2026 1st Quarter - Community Development Dept.​ Page 11 Page 24 of 24