Village holds off on downtown rules

(from the Daily Herald June 19, 2007)

New restrictions for development may be addressed at a meeting in the future

By Sheila
Ahernsahern@dailyherald.com
Posted Tuesday, June 19, 2007

The Arlington Heights village board shelved a list of new rules for future downtown development at a board meeting on Monday.
“I don’t like the idea of closing options that might lead to vacant space,” said Village President Arlene Mulder. “These may need a little more time for discussion.”
The proposed rules — which would affect future development — included setting height restrictions on new buildings and only allowing restaurants and shops on the first floor of buildings along Campbell Street.
The only change the board approved on Monday was to officially rename the Central Business District to Downtown.
Trustee Norm Breyer said the downtown was developing nicely and didn’t need any additional rules.
“Our downtown is successful with the formula currently in place,” Breyer said. “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?”
The proposed rules came from a downtown master plan taskforce report which the board conceptually approved in January.
The report updated a 1987 plan and had 19 authors who represented residents, village planners, trustees and business owners. The group met 30 times over two years.
Trustee John Scaletta was on the task force. He said the intention of the report is to plan for the future, not kick out current tenants.
“Retailers want to be around other retailers,” said Scaletta, who is the director of operations for the Arlington Theater. “I need other retailers around me. We have a strong downtown but we need to be stronger.”
Arlington Heights resident Pat Guyer lives in the 200 block of West Campbell Street and is against the changes.
“The market should decide what opens on Campbell and not the government,” Guyer said.
Leana Kozorari’s family has owned several store fronts along South Evergreen since 1931. Kozorari’s most reliable tenants have been “service tenants” such as a barber, a dry cleaner and a dentist, she said.
“Retailers are the least stable,” she said. “Many retailers are just hoping and dreaming and trying to get their financing together.”
The board only removed the proposed downtown development rules from Monday’s agenda. No vote was taken. The board could discuss the rules again at a future board meeting.