Title/Name/Summary
Land Use Moratorium Study - Discussion
History
The Board of Trustees passed Resolution No. 2526 on October 6, 2025, imposing a 9-month moratorium on the acceptance and approval of certain business licenses, development, and zoning applications to analyze land use trends and research best practices. The moratorium was subsequently extended via Resolution No. 2614 to December 31, 2026.
Staff convened a working group which met on a weekly basis to study the existing conditions of the land use categories set forth in the moratorium and recommend code and policy updates to support the long-term economic health of the Village. As part of this analysis, staff assessed how land use categories in the moratorium are currently defined and regulated under the Village’s Land Development Code (LDC).
The moratorium applies to the following uses:
1. Repossession Lots
2. Scrap or Junk Yards
3. Retail Mattress Businesses
4. Pawn Shops, Secondhand Stores, or Flea Markets
5. Unlicensed Day Labor Centers
6. Temporary Employment or Placement Agencies
7. Coffee and/or Tea Shops
8. Breakfast Restaurants
9. Alternative Financial Services
10. Grocery Stores under 50,000 square feet
11. Standalone Convenience Stores (excluding accessory uses)
12. Jewelry Stores
13. Personal Grooming Establishments
14. Lodging Establishments
15. Day Care Establishments
Staff researched and analyzed each affected land use category to determine whether code changes were necessary based on potential oversaturation, safety, and/or regulatory concerns. Research primarily involved evaluating the regulations of other municipalities and national business classifications. Staff collected data on the total number of businesses in each category within the Village, prepared location maps to evaluate saturation, and identified code discrepancies inhibiting economic development. Certain land uses were further evaluated based on sales tax revenue, applicable state regulations, and calls for emergency services.
Overall, staff is recommending multiple amendments to the Village (VC) and Land Development Codes (LDC) to modernize and clarify regulations for the affected land uses. These changes include amendments to land use definitions, parking requirements, Special Use Permit requirements, and business licensing practices.
Lastly, staff is proposing general amendments to the VC that would be applicable to all business types, incorporating certain provisions from liquor licensing requirements to the general business licensing requirements in Section 7-1-12. The enhanced standards would ensure that businesses put the safety of patrons and employees first, both within their establishments and in parking lots serving their business.
Below is a summary of the proposed core element changes. The full moratorium study with staff findings and recommendations is attached to the case file for reference.
Core Program Elements (by Category)
Furniture & Mattress Businesses:
-Create distinct land use classifications: Furniture Stores (onsite retail sales) and Furniture Showrooms (display; sales not primarily onsite).
-Adjust parking ratio to 1 space per 500 SF to reflect lower parking demand versus general retail.
-Permit Furniture Stores in COR, VCD, and BIZ; permit Furniture Showrooms in BIZ, ORI, and MFG.
-Require onsite point of sale thresholds for "retail" classification to support local sales tax generation.
Pawn Shops, Secondhand Stores, and Flea Markets:
-Modernize "Secondhand Goods" definitions in VC to reflect contemporary items of value and remove outdated categories (e.g., legacy office/electronics).
-Coordinate with Police to update reporting thresholds, enable digital submissions, and clarify enforcement procedures.
-Create "Secondhand Stores" as a distinct land use with permitted use in COR, VCD, RSB, OOH, and BIZ.
-Amend "Outside, Open Market" definition to explicitly include flea markets (sale or resale; stands, stalls, vehicles, tents).
Coffee and/or Tea Shops:
-Define Coffee and/or Tea Shop distinctly; set parking at 1 space per 75 SF (reflecting high visitation and longer dwell).
-Require Special Use Permit in COR, VCD, OOH, and BIZ with submittals (market analysis, parking/traffic study, operations plan, nuisance mitigation).
-Establish a minimum separation of 2,000 feet; apply enhanced scrutiny to administrative parking reductions.
-Create a Coffee/Tea license with a cap of 31 licenses village wide (27 coffee shops already open with 4 pending). The cap will decrease whenever a license is surrendered. Cap increase will require Board action.
Restaurant Typologies & Parking:
-Break out Restaurant into: Limited Service (self service; pay before eating), Full Service (table service; pay after), and Coffee/Tea Shops.
-Parking: Limited Service 1/100 SF (carry out only: 1/200 SF); Full Service 1/100 SF; Coffee/Tea 1/75 SF.
Alternative Financial Services:
-Define a distinct use category (currency exchange, check cashing, money transfers, short term high interest lending).
-Parking at 1/200 SF; require Special Use Permits in BIZ, COR, and VCD.
Grocery Stores (under 50,000 SF):
-Create a separate Grocery Store classification distinct from general retail; parking at 1/250 SF.
-Require Special Use Permit in BIZ, COR, LSPD, OOH, VCD, and RMC; review items sold for licensing consistency.
Standalone Convenience Stores:
-Require Special Use Permits in BIZ, COR, ORI, and RMC regardless of size.
-Establish parking at 1/250 SF; evaluate items sold for licensing updates.
Jewelry Stores:
-Define Jewelry Stores distinctly (retail sale/repair/manufacture of jewelry, watches, precious metals/gemstones).
-Maintain secondhand reporting/enforcement where applicable; coordinate with Police.
-Set a village wide license cap at 20; parking at 1/250 SF; permit in COR, VCD, and BIZ.
Personal Grooming Establishments:
-Remove grooming uses from "Personal Service Establishment" and create distinct categories: Barbershops, Salons, Salon Suite Establishments (state licensure applies).
-Require Special Use Permits for Barbershops and Salon Suite Establishments in OOH, BIZ, COR, RMC, and VCD; permit Salons in these districts.
Day Care Establishments & Learning Centers:
-Establish verification with DCFS for revoked/suspended/expired licenses; formalize exemption letter documentation for learning centers.
-Amend Day Care Center definition to reference Section 2.18 of the Child Care Act of 1969, as amended.
-Create a distinct "Learning Center" definition; require Special Use Permits in OOH, BIZ, COR, RMC, and VCD.
Med Spas:
-Align local licensing with IDFPR requirements; define Med Spas distinctly to clarify regulatory expectations.
-Continue research into relationships with massage licensing to ensure consistent oversight.
Implementation Timeline & Governance Path:
-Committee of the Whole - October 19, 2026: Present proposal; collect feedback; direct fine tuning.
-Publish for Plan Commission - November 2, 2026: Notice filing for LDC text amendments.
-Plan Commission Hearing - November 17, 2026: Conduct hearing; forward recommendation.
-Board of Trustees - December 7, 2026: Adopt LDC amendments and VC changes.
-Moratorium Ends - December 31, 2026; Code Amendments Effective - January 1, 2027.
Communications & Stakeholder Engagement:
-Information will be mailed to all impacted business.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to recommend to the Village Board to direct staff to proceed to the Plan Commission and Board of Trustees as applicable for the proposed code amendments.