Draft - BG 2050 Comprehensive Plan

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March 2026

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Steering Committee Trustee Lester Ottenheimer

James Sayegh

Dane Bragg

Village Board

Principal, Elmdale Partners

Village Manager, Buffalo Grove

Trustee David Weidenfeld

Scott Blumberg

Chris Stilling

Village Board

Asst. Supt. for Business Svc - School District 102

Deputy Village Manager, Buffalo Gove

Mitchell Weinstein

Tim Beechick

Mike Skibbe

Chair of Planning & Zoning Commission

Hamilton Partners

Deputy Village Manager, Buffalo Gove

Neil Worlikar

Pete Panayiotou

Tyler Grace

Planning & Zoning Commissioner

Business Owner, Continental Restaurant

Assistant Village Manager, Buffalo Grove

Sujat Saxena

Erika Strojinc

Nicole Woods

Planning & Zoning Commissioner

Executive Director, Buffalo Grove Park District

Community Development Director, Buffalo

Florin Coles

Brian Budds

Grove

Resident, President of the Resident Board for

Chief of Police, Buffalo Grove

Cambridge on the Lake

Brian Spolar

Kyle Olson Resident

Aaron Zarkowsky Resident, Vice President of Chamber Executive Board

Sangeetha Subramanian Resident

Nicholas D. Panarese Vice President, Van Vlissingen, Corporate Gove Office/ Industrial Park

Kelly Purvis

Community Development Deputy Director, Buffalo Grove

Deputy Chief of Police, Buffalo Grove

Andrew Binder

Tara Anderson

Associate Planner, Buffalo Grove

Deputy Chief of Police, Buffalo Grove

Briget Schwab

Larry Kane

Village Engineer

Fire Chief, Buffalo Grove

Adam Dow

Shawn Collins

Civil Engineer II

Deputy Fire Chief, Buffalo Grove

Kevin Carrier Director of Planning and Programming, LCDOT

Village Board President Eric Smith

Trustee David Weidenfeld

Trustee Denice Bocek

Clerk Janet Sirabian

Trustee Joanne Johnson

Trustee Kevin Richards

Trustee Lester Ottenheimer

Trustee Frank Cesario

Planning & Zoning Commission Mitchell Weinstein - Chair

Neil Worlikar

Sujat Saxena

Adam Moodhe

Marc Spunt

Don Schwartz

Amy Au

Jason Davis

Chad Gregory

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Summary of Existing Conditions

Future Vision

Strategies & Recommendations

1 9 19 23

Land Use

25

Subareas

31

Housing

49

Economic Development

53

Transportation & Accessibility

59

Natural Resources

65

INTRODUCTION

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

A Comprehensive Plan outlines a community’s vision of its desired physical environment and the process for realizing that vision. In addition to providing a well-defined framework for the community’s development and investment goals, the Plan seeks to explore changing community trends, identify emerging challenges, and promote new opportunities.

A Comprehensive Plan is a long-term document that outlines a community's vision and provides guidance for achieving that vision over 15 to 20 years. However, the plan should also be used on a daily basis to assist in land use and development decisions. It is important to note that the comprehensive plan should be flexible and adaptable to change. A municipality can update its comprehensive plan at any time to meet local needs, interests, or opportunities. It is recommended that a municipality update its comprehensive plan every five years to ensure its accuracy.

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Elements of a Comprehensive Plan A comprehensive plan is composed of a series of distinct yet interrelated elements defined by the Illinois Local Planning Assistance Act (Public Act 92-0768). This statute will serve as the basis for the Village of Buffalo Grove Comprehensive Plan, primary elements of which will include: Land Use Economic Development Housing Parks and Open Space Transportation and Circulation Corridors Implementation

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Planning Process The planning process to create the Village of Buffalo Grove’s Comprehensive Plan includes multiple steps. The process has been crafted by Village staff and designed to include input from residents, property owners, and business owners and other stakeholders throughout.

The Comprehensive Plan was originally kicked-off just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. It was then put on pause to be resumed in 2023. Since that time, staff has built off the foundational information and created a revised Existing Conditions Report, which incorporated the changing market dynamics, demographics, and developments.

Visioning

Final Plan

Summer 2024

Winter 2025/2026

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Existing Conditions Report Late Spring 2024

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Draft Plan Fall/Winter 2024

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Community Engagement Community engagement is a critical part of the comprehensive planning process. Village staff formulated public outreach strategies that included gathering data from residents, businesses, seniors, youth, and other community stakeholders. Multiple methods for collecting the data were used: surveys, meetings with committees and commissions, focus groups, workshops, etc. Staff also took advantage of the outreach efforts conducted for the Community Branding and Strategic Planning initiatives, which included a wide range of stakeholders at several meetings, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews, as well as an additional community survey. The combined input from these stakeholders, totaling over 1,500 individuals, helped shape the vision, goals, and recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan. A summary of each outreach activity is in Appendix A, with the key findings listed below.

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Key Findings Stakeholders desire focal gathering points or centers that are walkable with shops, restaurants and entertainment Stakeholders expressed a need for more housing types at a range of price points Art, additional bike lanes/trails and enhanced public transportation are important to BG residents Residents value diversity, youth and seniors and there is an overall interest in fostering an inclusive community Stakeholders are encouraged by the development occurring in the Village and hope that it will continue for the underutilized properties Stakeholders are forward-thinking and value emerging technologies, modern planning principles, and sustainability measures, all of which include: EV charging stations, solar panels, advanced manufacturing districts, and the integration of green space in development

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Previous Plans To ensure compatibility with other local and regional initiatives and optimize the opportunity for future partnerships, the Comprehensive Plan builds off of the relevant goals and recommendations from related Village, county, and regional plans as shown below.

Buffalo Grove Plans: Village of Buffalo Grove Strategic Plan (2024-2028) Village of Buffalo Grove Branding Strategy (2024) Village of Buffalo Grove Multi-Use Path Plan (2023) Buffalo Grove Sustainability Report (2023) Prairie View Metra Station Area Plan (2019) Lake-Cook Road Corridor Market Study and Plan (2018) Annexation Strategy and Plan (2016) and Annexation Strategies Action Plan (2017) Economic Development Strategic Plan (2016)

County and Regional Plans: CMAP’s On To 2050 Comprehensive Regional Plan (2022) Cook County’s Planning for Progress (2015) Lake County Framework Plan (2004)

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Regional Context The Village of Buffalo Grove is located in both Cook County and Lake County. The community is approximately 9.5 square miles and is bordered by Long Grove, Vernon Hills, and Lincolnshire to the north; Riverwoods to the east; and Wheeling and Arlington Heights to the south. There is also unincorporated land east of the Village as well as smaller sections of unincorporated land that the Village surrounds toward the center of the Village.

Nearby Transportation Options and Points of Interest Distances listed are estimated from the intersection of Buffalo Grove Road and Deerfield Parkway (Center of the Village):

Major Interstates: Interstate 94 – 4.67 miles Interstate 294 – 4.58 miles Illinois Route 53 – 3.00 miles

International Airports: O’Hare International Airport – 13.7 miles Midway International Airport – 29 miles

Regional Airports:

Chicago Executive Airport – 4.55 miles

Other Destinations:

City of Chicago, Downtown – 27 miles

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Regional Public Transit: Buffalo Grove Metra Station, North Central Service (NCS) – 1.23 miles Prairie View Metra Station, North Central Service (NCS) – 1.88 miles Wheeling Metra Station, North Central Service (NCS) – 3.09 miles Arlington Park Metra Station, Union Pacific Northwest (UP-NW) – 5.77 miles Deerfield Metra Station, Milwaukee District North (MDN) – 5.91 miles Lake Cook Road Metra Station, Milwaukee District North (MD- N) – 6.51 miles

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Regional Context Map

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SUMMARY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS

Buffalo Grove Today Demographics

Median Household Income by Area, 2020 Lake County $97K

Buffalo Grove is home to approximately 43,000 residents. The community has experienced significant growth over the past 50 years and this growth is expected to continue as population is expected to increase by 27% (55,000) by 2050. At the same time, the Village is becoming more diverse. While the majority of residents are white (64%), the Asian population has nearly tripled in the last 20 years and now accounts for approximately 24% of population.

Cook County $72K 63%

Buffalo Grove’s population is slightly older than its counterparts. It has a higher median age (41.2) than Lake and Cook Counties and the region. Nearly half of Village residents are between 35-64 years old.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the population is the high levels of educational attainment.

Nearly 67% of the population has a bachelor’s degree or higher, which is higher than Lake County (51%), Cook County (41%) and the Chicago Region (41%). The Village boasts a low unemployment rate of 3.1% and a median household income of $121,000, which is significantly higher than Lake and Cook Counties and the region.

Buffalo Grove $121K

Chicago Region $81K Sources: CMAP, 2017-2021 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates

45%

of BG Residents are between

35-64 yrs

Race & Ethnicity Across Geographies, 2020 23% 26%

50% 42%

16%

60%

22% 7%

3%

63% 24% CMAP Cook Lake Region County County

23%

BG

7%

3%

8%

8%

3%

3%

7%

3%

Sources: CMAP, 2017-2021 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates

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Housing Buffalo Grove’s neighborhoods and housing are a core element of the community. The Village’s housing stock dates back to as early as the mid-20th century. Most of the Village’s existing housing stock was constructed during the post-war building boom (1940-1970) and in the late 20th century (1980-2000). The Village’s older multi-family units (pre-2000) are concentrated south of Lake Cook Road and near the Village’s borders. The Village’s newest housing developments, including Link Crossing, The Clove, Bison Crossing (coming soon), Prairie View Towns (coming soon), represent New Urbanist townhomes and contemporary multi-family housing typologies.

Buffalo Grove maintains a low housing vacancy rate, with 96.9% of all housing units occupied. A significant portion of these units are owner-occupied (80.6%) compared to those rented. The median home value in Buffalo Grove, currently at $353,100, has risen by 3.55% since 2011. This figure is notably higher than the median home values in Lake County, Cook County, and the region.

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Median Home Values

$353K $287K $267K

$278K

Chicago Cook Lake Buffalo Region County County Grove Sources: CMAP, 2017-2021 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates

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Existing Land Use

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Land Use and Development Buffalo Grove has a variety of land uses. Residential is the largest land use (53% or 3,233), and singlefamily is the predominant residential land use, representing 90% of the residential land use in the Village. The second largest land use in the Village is open space and parks (18% or 1,095 acres). Other land uses include industrial (9%), commercial (5%), office (3%), and vacant (3%). Mixed-use, which refers to a compilation of blended land uses is 0.4% and consists mainly of The Clove redevelopment project.

Our community is generally organized around commercial, industrial, and civic nodes. Nodes are places of commerce and/or community identity that often have a mix of uses or more intense uses.

Buffalo Grove has three key commercial nodes (Deerfield Parkway and Milwaukee Avenue, Buffalo Grove and Dundee Roads, and Route 83 and Arlington Heights Road).

The Buffalo Grove Zoning Code, governs the uses, intensity, and character of land within the Village. It generally follows the traditional zoning standard of single-use districts, which include fourteen residential districts, five business districts, one industrial district, and one research and development district.

Nodes

The Village’s two industrial nodes are located on the eastern part of town and are centered around the rail lines. The northern node includes Corporate Grove, Covington Corporate Center, and Arbor Creek Business Center, while the southern node includes Chevy Chase Business Park and Aptakisic Creek Corporate Park.

Buffalo Grove also has civic nodes, which are key places of identity for the Village. The civic nodes include Dundee Rd & Arlington Heights Rd, Prairie View Metra Station Area, and the triad of nodes (or the civic triangle), which include the Mike Rylko Park area, and the Lake Cook Corridor. This civic triangle represents the heart of Buffalo Grove, with a conflation of higher densities, taller buildings, a mix of uses, a connective greenway, and key Buffalo Grove landmarks/civic uses.

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Subareas The Village has 6 subareas including the Prairie View Metra Station Area, the Aptakisic Corridor, Milwaukee Avenue Corridor, Dundee Road Corridor, the Industrial Corridors, and the Civic Triangle/Heart of Buffalo Grove, which includes the Lake Cook Corridor.

Through the adoption of the Lake Cook Corridor Plan and Prairie View Metra Station Area, the Village has devoted significant thought and planning to these areas. Projects aligned with the vision and intention of these plans are currently being implemented.

The Dundee Corridor is an auto-oriented corridor that boasts high daily traffic counts, and the road is under IDOT’s jurisdiction. Varying municipal jurisdictional boundaries, and its location entirely within Cook County, present development challenges for the corridor. In recent years, the Dundee corridor has transitioned to development centered around two nodes or key intersections at Dundee Road & Arlington Heights Road and Dundee Road & Buffalo Grove Road. Through the establishment of the Dundee Road TIF District, the corridor is seeing investment with the new Bison Crossing mixed-use development.

The Aptakisic Corridor is one of the last remaining greenfield development opportunities in proximity to the Village. This area, which is approximately 230 acres, is owned by a variety of property owners. A future vision is needed for this area to help ensure greater cohesion within the surrounding land use pattern and points of access.

Prairie View Metra Station Area

Aptakisic

Industrial

Milwaukee

Civic Triangle Heart of BG

Dundee

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New Development Private Development

Village Infrastructure - IMP

The Village is currently experiencing a wave of development and redevelopment as over $337 million has been privately invested in our community since 2022. This includes those projects that have been guided by the Lake Cook Corridor Plan, including The Clove, Northwest Community (Endeavor) Health Building, Lazy Dog, and Ricky Rockets. The recently completed amphitheater project at Mike Rylko Park, and the development of the 1-acre Clove Park will provide gathering spaces for events and entertainment. Key development sites along the corridor, such as Chase Plaza are also in the pipeline for redevelopment.

In addition to new private development, the Village and implemented a key has also developed infrastructure strategy, the Infrastructure Modernization Program (IMP). This long-term program, which was kicked off in 2020, is the largest initiative in Buffalo Grove’s history to replace and rehabilitate core infrastructure assets including water, sewer, roads, and facilities. The IMP effectively balances the needs of the entire Village in a time and cost-effective matter and is being carried out in two phases: Phase I (2020(2024-2027).

To date, 2022) and Phase 2 approximately $220 million dollars of projects covering 20 miles of utility replacements or road improvements in Buffalo Grove have been completed. Of this $220 million, $80 million was invested from the Village while the remaining $140 has been from grants and outside agencies.

This wave is not exclusive to the Lake Cook Corridor but also reaches other parts of town and includes the redevelopment of the long-vacant Rohrman auto dealerships on Dundee Road into Bison Crossing, a 16-acre development. Anchored by a 50,350 square foot Tesla sales and service center, the development includes luxury apartments and two commercial outlot sites.

Located within the newly established Dundee Road TIF District, this development represents the beginning of a new chapter for the corridor.

Other notable development projects include the recently completed, and fully occupied Link Crossing development, which introduced the first “cluster homes” to the Village’s housing stock.

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The IMP is particularly advantageous as it sequences projects so to reduce service interruptions and overall disruption. Moreover, it establishes a secure sustainable funding as the plan moves the Village from a debt payment strategy to a cash payment strategy over the long term, minimizing the overall impact to the property tax levy moving forward. Current and recent IMP projects include the Bernad Drive West improvements, Village-wide resurfacing for older roads, and new/rehabbed facilities including the new Public Works Facility at 1650 Leider Lane, the rebuild of Fire Station 25 on Dundee Road, and a remodel of Fire Station 26.

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Economic Development Since the adoption of the Economic Development Strategic Plan, BG has built upon its foundation and optimized its role as a proactive municipality. The result is a strong economic development environment for businesses, developers, and property owners.

Although the Village has a robust local economy, manufacturing is the Village’s economic engine.

With over 3,000 workers, the manufacturing industry has the highest share of the Village’s employment base of 17,000 workers. In addition to employment, many of the manufacturing businesses are the community’s leading sales tax generators. A key subsector is the prominent and ever-growing advanced manufacturing industry, which represents almost 45% of BG manufacturing businesses. This sector relies on a highly-skilled workforce and complex techniques to create sophisticated products that are difficult to outsource.

The Village has about 2 million square feet of retail real estate with a slightly high but steady vacancy rate between 6-8%. The national market outlook is that experiential, niche, and/or convenience will continue to be key drivers of the retail market. Most redevelopment projects will include a mix of uses, particularly multi-family, to help finance projects.

Retail sales per capita is $23,871 for Buffalo Grove, comparatively higher than Lake and Cook Counties and the Region.

Our community uses a number of economic development tools, including shared sales tax agreements and tax increment financing (TIF) to help spur economic development. The Village currently has two TIF Districts: The Lake Cook Corridor TIF District and the Dundee Road TIF District.

The Village’s industrial sector accounts for over 7 million square feet or 63% of the total commercial real estate in Buffalo Grove. Our community has a low industrial vacancy rate of 6.4% and is in a good position in terms of its product mix, regional location, and reputation.

There is approximately 2 million square feet of office space in Buffalo Grove, 41% of which is vacant. National, regional, and local office vacancy rates are continuing to climb as current demand is almost exclusively for the few top-tier office products, which represents about 15% of the market, none of which is in BG.

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Transportation Buffalo Grove has a well-established system of roadways that effectively connect residents within the village, neighboring communities, and the Chicago region. These roadways are extensively used by residents and visitors, who generally use cars as the prevailing mode of travel.

Public transportation options include Metra’s North Central Service (NCS) Line, which stops at both the Prairie View and Buffalo Grove Metra stations and provides connections to the greater region.

Ridership on this line has decreased by almost 42% since 2019. Pace Suburban Bus (with four fixed routes), Wheeling Township, and Lake County oncall bus service, also provide public transportation opportunities.

Buffalo Grove has an extensive and well-connected network for bicycles and pedestrian trails, including the Des Plaines River Trail and Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve Trail.

There are several transportation projects within the Village of Buffalo Grove and adjoining communities that are either programmed or are planned for the upcoming years which include roadway, intersection improvements, public transit service enhancements, and bicycle and pedestrian system expansion.

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Natural Resources and Infrastructure Buffalo Grove’s identity and character is intrinsically linked to open space and natural resources. Our community enjoys an outstanding 9.89 acres of open space per 1,000 residents, while Lake County, Cook County and the region’s metrics are 9.49, 3.57, and 5.78 acres respectively.

This open space includes parks, golf courses, natural areas, as well as other regional open spaces and trails. In addition to open space, the Village has 5 watersheds, 162 acres of wetlands, and 77 acres of 100-year floodplain.

Buffalo Grove is served by separate stormwater and sanitary sewer systems, that along with water lines, total to over 600 miles of infrastructure. BG’s Infrastructure Modernization Program (IMP), looks to coordinate the replacement and rehabilitation of the Village’s first generation water and sanitary sewer infrastructure.

Our community is making strides in sustainability measures. BG residents and businesses produce fewer emissions than their counterparts in surrounding counties and the region. Based on CMAP’s 2019 Emissions Report, Buffalo Grove produces approximately 10.25 metric tons of carbon dioxide per capita, which is less than Lake County (12.46), Cook County (10.54), and the CMAP Region (11.95). In addition, various initiatives are underway throughout the Village to further enhance environmental sustainability.

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FUTURE VISION

Vision Statement In 2024, Buffalo Grove selected Smart. With Heart. as its tagline. It adequately describes not only the traits of the community, but also its complexity by holding two opposing characteristics simultaneously. Indeed, the community is smart – with great schools, a population with high educational attainment, an advanced manufacturing corridor, efficient governance, and leading medical centers. It also has heart – lush parks, quiet warm and inclusive neighborhoods, community spirit, and an energy that pervades through the businesses and volunteer groups. Both are equally real and equally significant.

This complex duality is also a beacon for how the Village envisions its future. The Vision for 2050 includes neotraditional planning principles, such as welcoming neighborhoods, walkability, livability, open and green spaces, mix of development and uses, and central gathering places. At the same time, the vision integrates modern and progressive principles that revolve around technology, aging-in-place, redevelopment, market demands, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability. These dynamics collectively paint a community that is sophisticated and complex and committed to being Smart. With Heart so that BG will continue to be a leading community where families and businesses thrive.

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Guiding Principles To help build the roadmap to achieve the 2050 Vision, the following guiding principles were developed to guide the recommendations and strategies.

Nurture Our Assets

Buffalo Grove is an attractive and appealing community for both residents and businesses alike.

Its location and connections to the Chicago region along with its key assets make it stand out as a prime community in the region. These assets include a strong housing market, excellent schools, parks and open spaces, safe neighborhoods, advanced manufacturing industrial corridors, as well as modern infrastructure. These assets should be embraced and nurtured through strong partnerships, zoning, regulations, and strategic planning.

Facilitate Growth and/or Transition for Key Elements and Areas Buffalo Grove should look to facilitate growth and transition for certain community elements and areas.

This includes the existing housing stock, which should be diversified to accommodate empty nesters, young professionals, and the aging population. This could be facilitated both through renovation of existing homes and through new construction. At the same time, the Village should consider transitional uses for the office market, such as redevelopment or adaptive reuse.

Finally there are several key subareas within the Village that provide significant opportunities for growth and transition through development or redevelopment. This includes the Lake Cook Corridor, the Prairie View Metra Station Area, the Dundee Corridor, the Milwaukee Corridor, and the Aptakisic Corridor.

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Modernize Our Tools

Although some updates and progress have been made, the Village’s planning and development tools should be more holistically modernized.

This includes zoning and building codes, appearance guidelines, and related planning tools such as PUDs and mixed use land use.

Be Conscientious and Thoughtful of Trends in Technology and Real Estate Market

In order for the Village to achieve its vision, it will need to be conscientious of and understand two elements that are always changing and evolving: technology and the real estate market. With this understanding in hand, BG must be agile enough to thoughtfully discern if, how, and in what fashion such trends should be integrated into Village operations, strategic planning, as well as expectations for future development and growth.

Leverage Partnerships

Considering that BG operates as a single entity with constrained power, resources, and agency, it’s important to recognize our role as just one part of the overall system shaping future development and processes. To move forward, BG must establish and utilize partnerships with developers, property owners, government agencies, nonprofits, and community members to maximize opportunities for realizing our vision for the future.

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STRATEGIES & RECOMMENDATIONS

LAND USE Strategies & Recommendations

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Future Land Use

LAND USE Adopt a future land use map that best algins with the vision of the community Future land use maps are useful tools to spatially illustrate desirable future uses. The proposed future land use map and the land use designation align with the vision, recommendations, and strategies as outlined in this plan.

Traditionally land use maps include specific land use typologies (multifamily single-family, commercial, industrial, etc.) and geography (often down to the parcel level).

This level of specificity and granularity is appropriate in laying out the future land uses for most of BG. However, there are some identified areas in and around the Village that face annexation/jurisdiction, environmental, infrastructure, market demands and/or land assembly challenges in being developed/redeveloped. This is especially true for the Dundee and Milwaukee Corridors. A broader and more flexible future land use designation can help overcome these challenges and facilitate development and redevelopment of these areas. As a result, two new land use classifications are introduced: Mixed-Use and Expanded Mixed-Use.

Land Use Designations: The Land Use Designations are intended to guide the general use of land. It is not meant to provide an exhaustive list of specific uses nor bulk restrictions such as size, density, height, lot coverage, both of these are addressed in a zoning code.

Single-Family Detached (SFD) SFD land use is intended for neighborhoods that feature individual, stand-alone homes but could also include other uses (ie open space) that are compatible with a SFD neighborhood.

Commercial The commercial designation includes general retail, restaurants, and services. These areas are located in key corridors, centers, and nodes within BG and are supported by both local residents and surrounding communities.

Single-Family Attached (SFA) The SFA classification is intended for buildings with two or more dwelling units, such as townhomes or duplexes, where each unit typically shares a common wall and has separate entrances from the public right-of-way or sidewalk. SFA could also feature compatible uses (ie open space) that are compatible with a SFA neighborhood.

Industrial This classification is for storage, warehouse, research, assembly, manufacturing and similar uses.

Utilities and Transportation This designation is intended for the necessary public infrastructure elements such as overhead utility lines, railroad rights-of-way and train stations.

Single-Family Residential This designation is for areas that can be either SFD or SFA.

Mixed-Use (MU) MU allows for commercial, office, residential, civic/cultural, and public uses. Projects proposed in MU should align with the principles featured below.

Multi-Family (MF) The MF land use accommodates residential buildings with multiple dwelling units, often with shared entrances such as condominiums and apartments.

Expanded Mixed-Use (EMU) EMU includes all uses in the MU land use plus industrial land uses. Projects proposed in EMU should align with the principles featured below.

Civic/Institutional This use is intended for public and community facilities, including government buildings, schools, libraries, places of worship, and recreational facilities.

Areas within this designation can also be considered for uses that match their contextual surroundings.

MU and EMU Principles To balance the flexibility inherent MU/EMU projects proposed within these classifications will need to align with the following principles as appropriate: Meet BG’s growing population and housing needs Embrace neotraditional livability principles as well as modern planning practices Contribute to or complement community nodes and serve surrounding land uses Maintain or enhance accessibility, infrastructure, and natural resources Improve BG’s strong economic environment

Open Space This land use includes public parks, golf courses, and other open spaces within the Village.

Office This use includes office buildings, campuses, and business parks and can house professional services such as law, accounting, corporate, and other related uses.

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LAND USE Update the Zoning Code to reflect the future vision as well as contemporary uses, building typologies, and other development practices.

Zoning Codes are regulatory tools that govern a community’s development. They dictate land uses or what can be built where, as well as physical aspects of the building (bulk, height, density, size, scale etc).

The Village’s current zoning code was developed several decades ago and has served the Village well in implementing previous comprehensive plans and visions for the community. However, an updated code is necessary to implement the vision as depicted in this comprehensive plan.

In updating the zoning code, Buffalo Grove should explore some key variables associated with zoning codes. The first of which is zoning formats. Our zoning code currently features Euclidean zoning, a text-heavy format that focuses on regulating via single-use districts. This type of zoning typology was common several years ago, but zoning code typologies have expanded to include form-based, performance, illustrative, and hybrid. Each of these typologies have their strengths and weaknesses, and through a full-on zoning analysis, Buffalo Grove can best identify which typology would be best suited.

The second variable relates to more modern uses and development patterns (bulk, height and density etc). In modern times, uses that were once separate are now mixed (i.e., a clothing store and a coffee shop mixed in one store, an industrial warehouse with an office). At the same time, new uses are being introduced, especially in terms of entertainment, office, and athletic uses. Building standards revolving around bulk, height, and density have also changed and modernized. The new zoning code should integrate such trends in land use and development to best achieve our vision.

The last variable is spatial implications. The zoning map, which dictates the spatial meaning behind the zoning districts, will need to be updated in conjunction with the code to reflect the vision for the future and incorporate the elements of modernized zoning typology, land uses, and development patterns.

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Modernize other Code chapters and related guidelines, including the Development Code (landscaping, subdivision) Sign Code, Building Code, and Appearance Guidelines.

Along with the zoning code, the development code, sign code, and building code and appearance guidelines, provide regulations and advisory guidelines on the built environment along the lines of the development site, landscaping, parking, signs, as well as building construction and aesthetics. These codes should be updated in tandem with the zoning code in format and content to support the future vision for the community. In doing so, the updates should account for current and emerging technologies, materials, products, operations, standards, and practices. Examples of such could include autonomous vehicles, parking demand standards, green infrastructure design principles, electronic message boards, modernized drive through practices (double drive through, pre menu board), modern building materials etc.

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Explore a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to combine zoning, subdivision, and signage regulations into a single, “user-friendly” document

Continue to enforce the Illinois Accessibility Code to help ensure that the built environment is accessible to and usable by all, including individuals with disabilities

In addition to exploring code content and typology, attention should also be given to the code’s organizational format and cohesion. Currently, our Municipal Code follows a traditional organizational format with subdivision, zoning, and signage regulations separated into various chapters. This type of organization can result in disjointed, duplicative, and sometimes even conflicting regulations that are cumbersome to understand and enforce. This is especially true for developers who are trying to familiarize themselves with all the necessary information to start a project.

Buffalo Grove values accessibility and is sensitive to accessibility issues and concerns. The Village currently enforces the 2018 Illinois Accessibility Code, which is the most updated accessibility code available. The Illinois Accessibility Code incorporates ADA requirements but is significantly more robust, offering a broader scope along with more detailed and rigorous building and safety criteria, as well as more frequent updates.

A Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) is a modern and popular format in the planning and development industry, that looks to address these issues by combining zoning, subdivision, and signage regulations into a single document. The UDO will provide a “user-friendly,” document that can be easily enforced, interpreted, and understood by residents, developers, staff and local leaders.

Traditionally, a UDO incorporates infographics, illustrations, and tables to explain and clarify regulations. When finished, the UDO will streamline the development review process and encourage development.

Creating a UDO fulfills recommendations outlined in the 2016 Economic Development Strategic Plan and the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan.

The Village should continue the best practice of enforcing the state code as such alignment allows for a more efficient, effective, streamlined, standardized policy implementation on this key issue. In this regard, it is recommended that the Village monitor state code updates and continually enforce the most updated accessibility code as it becomes available.

Currently, BG enforces the code through a multilayered approach by our property maintenance, building, engineering, and fire staff, which reviews existing and proposed building plans and inspects buildings, associated parking lots, and accessible routes for compliance. The robust quality of this approach lies not only in the technical knowledge of staff called upon to review the plans and construction at various points in the development process, but also in the method by which compliance is achieved.

Staff works with developers, property owners, and businesses to achieve compliance via education, positive and two-way communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. It is recommended that such approaches and methodologies continue to allow for optimal compliance.

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SUBAREAS Strategies & Recommendations

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Subarea Map Prairie View Metra Station Area

Aptakisic

Industrial

Milwaukee

Civic Triangle Heart of BG

Dundee

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SUBAREAS Civic Triangle/Heart of BG Continue to implement the Lake Cook Corridor Market Study and Plan and utilize the key principles of the plan to guide growth for the entire Civic Triangle.

The civic triangle is the area within the community that includes Lake Cook Corridor, (The Clove, The Grove, Saint Mary's Church and School, Chase Plaza and the BG Golf Course), as well as Mike Rylko and Willow Stream Parks. This area represents the heart of Buffalo Grove with higher densities, taller buildings, a mix of uses, and a connective greenway, with key Buffalo Grove landmarks and civic uses.

Given this area's significance, efforts should be focused on enhancing its vitality and vibrancy by building off of the momentum of recent projects such as The Clove, Lazy Dog, NCH, and the Mike Rylko outdoor amphitheater. This effort should mainly revolve around the implementation of the Lake Cook Corridor Market Study and Plan.

The plan, which was adopted in 2018 and approved as an update to the comprehensive plan, remains a strong and relevant plan for the corridor. Moreover, some of the plan’s key concepts, listed below, should be utilized and applied as overarching principles to guide the growth of the entire civic triangle.

Principles for Civic Triangle: Integrating old and new landmarks, buildings, and development Improving walkability/trails/access Enhancing and incorporating public open space and natural resources Growing the identity and place-making qualities

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SUBAREAS The Lake Cook Corridor Market Study and Plan In 2018, Buffalo Grove developed the Lake Cook Corridor Market Study and Plan (LCCP) to explore how the Village can best reposition the Lake Cook Corridor to optimize its growth potential. The Corridor, which expands over 472 acres, serves as a gateway to the Village as well as commercial, civic, and cultural center.

The Plan was approved as a component and update to the 2009 Comprehensive Plan by the Board of Trustees.

The Plan featured four Key Goals for the Corridor: Integrate the Corridor’s existing assets into the future vision.

Create new and enhance existing connections within the Corridor.

Encourage a mix of land uses and development/redevelopment in the Corridor that can be supported by the market.

Enhance the Corridor’s existing open spaces, create new publicly accessible open spaces, and be sensitive to key environmental features.

Land Use Goal and Vision

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SUBAREAS Land Uses

Scaled Development Approach

LCCP’s recommendation for future land uses are articulated through its mapping, imagery, and narrative. Its future land use maps illustrate recommended land use typologies via color as well as provide building footprints so to provide an example of potential and illustrate how these areas could be developed in terms of building size, orientation, and format.

The LCCP utilizes a unique scaled approach, which balances opportunities with market demands. This means that the vision's initial implementation focus is intended to be on sites ripe for redevelopment.

The focus could then shift to redevelop other sites.

The resulting stages of the LCCP are not intended to be associated with specific timelines, but suggest a general order of potential development projects based on what was known about the market demand and overall priorities expressed by the community and reflected in the key goals at the time of adoption.

LCCP’s future land uses are aligned with this Plan’s Land Use Designations. LCCP does specify retail and entertainment uses, which can be classified more generally as a commercial designation for this plan. LCCP also specifies hotel use, which can be classified as office or commercial within this plan.

The flexibility of the LCCP also allows that if a particular part of the Corridor were to be considered for redevelopment out of sequence with the stages outline due to differing circumstance, development could occur assuming the proposed deviation and project has the support of the Village.

Stage 1: Redesigning Town Center & Chase Plaza

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SUBAREAS The Lake Cook Corridor Market Study and Plan Contd.

Stage 2: Re-Imagining the Central Corridor

Stage 2: Reimagining the Central Corridor

Stage 3: Future Progression

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SUBAREAS Industrial Corridors Preserve the industrial corridors for primarily uses revolving around industrial, advanced manufacturing, technology, warehouse, distribution, and related uses The industrial corridors are important to Buffalo Grove’s local economy, identity, and landscape.

The industrial sector dominates the commercial real estate market in Buffalo Grove accounting for over 7,000,000 square feet or 63% of the total commercial real estate area. Businesses within these industrial corridors represent some of the village's largest employers and sales tax generators. A key sector amongst these industrial businesses is the prominent and ever-growing advanced manufacturing sector, which represents almost 45% of BG manufacturing businesses.

This sector relies on a highly-skilled workforce and complex techniques to create sophisticated products that are difficult to outsource.

Given the robust economic benefits provided by these industrial businesses, it is critical to preserve these corridors for their unique uses and operation. These uses and operations often require truck accessibility, docks, elevated ceiling heights, and flex warehouse/office space. Other complementary uses may be considered as special uses on a case-by-case basis, however their presence must not impede or inhibit the existing and potential industrial businesses and operations that are intended for the area.

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Cultivate and maintain relationships with industrial businesses and work in partnership with them to meet the unique needs and demands of advanced manufacturing and modern industrial development

Advanced manufacturing businesses and modern industrial development are on the cutting edge of technology in terms of products and processes.

Through the village’s long-term relationships with these businesses and their brokers, it has been made clear that the main benefit the village can provide to our industrial businesses is partnership.

Most commonly this partnership revolves around the permit intake review and inspection process during the initial tenant build out. Specifically manufacturing businesses face tight time constraints and turnarounds and therefore value partnerships, and direct communication that can help streamline processes, and minimize resubmittals and reinspections. Buffalo Grove has and should continue to streamline its permit processes related to code updates, technology, and our operations. In addition, the village should also continue with its hands-on, tailored approach, which often includes meeting with industrial businesses and brokers at the start of their project to understand their unique and specific vision, needs, and timelines. At this time, we are able to talk through our regulations and requirements and collectively map out how to most efficiently and effectively get them open and operational.

Partnerships can also revolve around other issues, often nuanced to the specific business.

This could include creatively collaborating on how to expand their operations within their existing site, connecting with local resources to better tap into the local labor pool, and discussing current and future road improvements.

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SUBAREAS Dundee Corridor Facilitate public and private development and investment with uses, access points, and development appropriate for a modern commercial highway

The Dundee Corridor holds great historical, cultural, economic, and community significance for Buffalo Grove. It stretches approximately two miles and has a mix of uses which include commercial, multifamily institutional open space and some single family. The Dundee corridor has a high daily traffic count of 22,700 - 26,400 vehicles and is under IDOT jurisdiction.

The Dundee corridor is in transition. It once exhibited a more linear development pattern typical of other commercial arterials, however in recent years the pattern has transitioned to development focused around intersections or nodes. At the same time, the corridor is undergoing substantial redevelopment and reinvestment. The village established a TIF district along Dundee Road, which was key in redeveloping the Bison Crossing mixed-use development.

Buffalo Grove high school is also investing in extensive improvements to their athletic fields.

Future efforts for the Dundee corridor should embrace the corridor’s character as an evolving commercial highway. This means continuing to facilitate public and private development and investment with uses, access points, and development appropriate for a modern commercial highway through the following strategies: Designating mixed-use as the future land use for the Dundee Road TIF District and the Buffalo Grove/Dundee Road node, so to best achieve desired development and redevelopment in that area.

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Focusing on building synergy within the corridor’s two key nodes (Arlington Heights and Dundee as well as Buffalo Grove and Dundee intersections) and allow the stretch of properties between the nodes to draw from its activity.

Facilitating reinvestment/redevelopment for older/underutilized properties including Cambridge Commons.

Implementing best practices for land use and development along the corridor including but not limited to minimizing curb cuts and aligning access points within the surrounding land use and development context.

Working with transportation partners, property owners, developers and other partners to enhance the functionality, circulation, condition, and aesthetic of the Dundee Road right-of-way.

This includes better alignment and enhanced access points as well as improving street infrastructure including roads, sidewalks, landscaping, bus shelters, etc.

Improving the pedestrian/bicycle connections to, from, and within the Dundee corridor with a focus on Dundee’s civic and commercial nodes.

Collaborating with civic partners (Park District and BG High School) as their land use and development needs evolve along the Corridor.

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Future Land Use and Potential Development Concepts The following shows future land uses for Dundee Corridor, which includes the new mixed-use designation for specific areas. The potential development concepts below the map, illustrates how some of the mixed-use designated sites could develop.

Strathmore Square A. SFA 37 Units - 2,400 sf B. Commercial - 7,400 sf C. Commercial - 7,400 sf D. Commercial - 7,400 sf E. Commercial - 11,700 sf F. Public Plaza

Plaza Verde G. Commercial - 7,400 sf H. Commercial - 20,000 sf I. Commercial - 28,000 sf J. SFA 36 Units - 2,400 sf K. MF Units 224 Units

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Cambridge Commons A. Commercial - 8,000 sf B. Commercial - 24,000 sf

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SUBAREAS Milwaukee Corridor Facilitate public and private development and investment that elevates the corridor’s role in the community, establishes greater cohesion, provides economic and community value, and embraces and enhances the inherent environmental features and assets The Milwaukee corridor is best characterized as a patchwork of land uses and developments.

Jurisdiction of the corridor is established through jagged boundary lines between Buffalo Grove, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods, Wheeling and unincorporated Lake County. The current uses along the corridor vary and include industrial, commercial, open space and office. At the same time, buildings range in heights, architectural styles, and setbacks from the roadway. The Woodman’s Supermarket and The Shops of Buffalo Grove, which were developed in 2018, sparked new energy and momentum within the Milwaukee corridor, specifically at the Deerfield and Milwaukee intersection.

Future initiatives should focus on building leverage from the investment at the Deerfield and Milwaukee node and facilitating public and private development and investment that would elevate the corridor’s role in the community.

Such investment should establish greater land use and development cohesion, provide economic and community value, and embrace and enhance the area’s inherent environmental features and assets. This can be accomplished through the following strategies.

Designate the following areas with the noted future land use designations and facilitate development/redevelopment: Land and Lakes – Expanded Mixed-Use Flanagan –Mixed use Riverwalk Area – Mixed use BUFFALO GROVE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Integrate environmental opportunities (proximity to Des Plaines River) and challenges (floodplain) into development/redevelopment plans.

Incorporate and enhance connections, especially trail connections along the Des Plaines River as part of the Milwaukee Corridor’s future development.

Explore green design/sustainability best practices for construction and larger site designs to accommodate environmental sensitivity.

Leverage the Village’s capacity to facilitate large, challenging development projects to attract annexation and redevelopment projects along the corridor.

Use creative and innovative solutions to implement land use and development best practices.

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Future Land Use and Potential Site Concepts The following shows future land uses for Milwaukee Corridor, which includes the new mixed-use and expanded mixed-use designation for specific areas. The potential site concepts to the right of the map, illustrates how some of the expanded mixed-use and mixed-use designated areas could be further designed as a site concept.

Land & Lakes

Flannigan

alk erw Riv BUFFALO GROVE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

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SUBAREAS Aptakisic Corridor Work with development and transportation partners to implement the proposed future land use and access points as presented in the Vision As Buffalo Grove grew and developed in the 1980s and 1990s, a 450-acre pocket of unincorporated properties was created, generally bound by present day Buffalo Grove Road. Brandywyn Lane, the train line, and Thompson Boulevard. This area was home to Link and Didier Farms as well as other homesteads and uses. Over the past 30 years, this unincorporated area has dwindled in size as projects such as Prairie Grove, Mirielle, Easthaven, and Link Crossing have been developed and annexed into the community. Today the remaining unincorporated land is approximately 231 acres and borders either side of Aptakisic Road.

Aptakisic Rd

To help guide future development of the remaining unincorporated acreage, a vision for potential land uses and access points is shown and is folded into the community wide future land use map. This framework is meant to ensure cohesion and coordination with the surrounding land use patterns and points of access as portions of this area develop.

Growth and Development in the Aptakisic Corridor

Over the past 30 years, the unincorporated areas (highlighted in yellow) in the Aptakisic Corridor have dwindled in size due to growth and development. Today, the remaining unincorporated land is approximately 231 acres.

1993 BUFFALO GROVE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

2014

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s

Future Vision and Land Use Plan

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SUBAREAS

Prairie Grove Metra Station Area Continue to implement the Prairie Grove Metra Station Area Plan.

The Prairie View Metra Station Area Plan was adopted in 2019 to provide a long-term vision for property in and around the Prairie View Metra station area and was approved as a component and update to the comprehensive plan. The plan’s vision, concepts, recommendations, and strategies are still relevant and appropriate today.

As discussed below, the future of the NCS line, which serves the Prairie Grove area, is uncertain.

However, the Prairie View Metra Station Area Plan’s vision for development was not reliant on the train’s service level or rooted in traditional philosophies of transit-oriented development.

Instead it was developed around principles of place-making and neighborhood development that included the train station but was not reliant on its activity for success. In this matter, the plan can and should continue to provide future guidance in the development of the Station Area.

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Rendering of Main Gateway from the Prairie View Metra Station Area Plan

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SUBAREAS The Prairie View Metra Station Area Plan The Prairie View Metra Station Area Plan (PV) was approved as a component and update to the 2009 Comprehensive Plan by the Board of Trustees in 2019.

The Plan featured the follow Principles for the Area:

Preserve and celebrate the area’s historical character, charm and small town feel.

Look to add neighborhood and convenience commercial establishments.

Create a destination and establish an identity.

Enhance the connectivity of the area – roads, train, bike paths, and pedestrian. Emphasis on walkability.

Incorporate and leverage the area’s greatest assets.

Provide residential options that accommodate changing demographics.

Incorporate open space and environmental sustainability.

Land Use Goal and Vision PV’s future land uses are aligned with this Plan’s Land Use Designations. PV’s does specify religious, government, and education uses, which can be classified more generally as a civic/institution l designation for this plan.

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HOUSING Strategies & Recommendations

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HOUSING Continue to diversify BG’s housing via varying densities, types, and site designs while retaining high-quality housing.

Explore housing developments and improvements conducive for seniors.

Buffalo Grove’s residential neighborhoods provide an important element of stability, identity, and community. Most of the homes in Buffalo Grove are traditional single family, and neighborhoods are reminiscent of the post-war building boom and the late 20th century single family development pattern. Given the shifts in local, regional and national demographics, market conditions, economics, demand and lifestyles, as well as development challenges, there is an opportunity to diversify Buffalo Grove’s housing.

This diversification of housing is not limited to just density or typology, but also includes site design, orientation, amenities, neighborhoods/surrounding uses, and circulation patterns.

Although there is interest in diversifying the housing stock as noted above, Buffalo Grove and its local officials have specifically expressed interest in housing that would be attractive to seniors. This interest is not surprising given Buffalo Grove’s aging population and demographics. As such, housing types desirable to seniors should be explored in future housing development proposals.

This goal can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, building senior-oriented housing typologies, amenities, and/or features; senior-targeted developments; and age-restricted developments.

Some diversification has already taken place with the newer housing that has been developed over the past 10-15 years in Buffalo Grove. This includes the neo-traditional, denser Easton Townhome project that was built near Prairie View Metra Station Area in 2016.

The zero maintenance, conservation-site design approach of Link Crossing’s single-family homes and alleyfed townhomes was also a radically different housing style and design introduced to the village in 2018. A more recent example is the 250 building at The Clove which presented the village with its first seven-story, full-amenity, luxury apartment building with ground floor commercial within a mixed-use district. Continuing this trend of housing diversification is welcomed, encouraged, and expected.

In addition to building new housing stock, Buffalo Grove’s existing housing stock can also be modified and improved for senior living. This concept, known as “aging in place”, has garnered widespread attention and participation. Buffalo Grove can best support aging in place initiatives by continuing to educate building staff on the latest trends in home modifications for seniors and streamlining the permit and inspection processes.

A related strategy is to evaluate the allowance for accessory dwelling units in specific areas of the village to accommodate multi-general living.

A customized BG housing study to help fully examine the potential challenges and opportunities may be a helpful resource for the village.

Of particular interest is housing developments aimed at the empty nester or move down buyer, as the village’s population is aging.

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Maintain enforcement of property maintenance codes and continue to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of property maintenance initiatives.

Buffalo Grove enforces the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code to help maintain Buffalo Grove’s appeal, ensure public health and safety, protect property values, and optimize the Village’s stability and aesthetic. Currently, the Village has a proactive property enforcement approach and works with property owners to maintain properties in accordance with Village Codes.

A continued emphasis must be placed on examining how best to enforce the property maintenance code to achieve effective enforcement both today and into the future.

Enforcement must account for an ever-evolving culture that continually introduces new ways of living, building, moving, conducting commerce with new materials, products, construction types, programs, systems and activity. At the same time, enforcement must also account for issues that are a byproduct of aging housing, commercial development, and infrastructure. This push and pull dynamic can be somewhat tempered by continually adopting the most updated property maintenance code as it becomes available.

However, it is also addressed through appropriately understanding and applying the international property maintenance code to Buffalo Grove’s unique built landscape, population, and culture.

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Such actions (regularly updating the property maintenance code as new editions become available and extrapolating the code to the Buffalo Grove context) allow for more effective and meaningful property maintenance. This approach would include working cooperatively with residents and property owners that may lack the means or agency to maintain their homes.

A final key component of efficient and effective property maintenance enforcement is communication. The Village currently utilizes various software programs to intake, track, communicate, and report property maintenance issues and resolutions. More streamlined and enhanced software should be evaluated for use, including BG’s upcoming customer relationship management software initiative.

As always, property maintenance should continue to be friendly, educational and cooperative.

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HOUSING Continue to Communicate, Streamline, and Modernize the Building Permit Process to Optimize Compliance.

Building permits are critical to ensure construction projects adhere to standard building, health, and fire codes thereby guaranteeing structural integrity and safety. The review and inspection of permitted projects ultimately protects Buffalo Grove’s neighborhoods, homes, and property values.

Buffalo Grove’s permit process should continue to be communicated to property owners.

Communications should focus on the processes’ utility, merit, and ease of use via the online permit portal that allows for virtual submission, tracking, and inspection requests. These communications are especially critical during construction season, which tends to occur in in the warmer months of the year.

At the same time, the village should sustain an ongoing effort to streamline the permit process and improve its user-friendly guides to minimize barriers for compliance. Penalties such as increased fees for work done without a permit should continue to be enforced.

Finally, the village should stay abreast of the latest home improvement and construction trends and introduce/modify permit types as appropriate. This occurred most recently in 2022 when the village developed a permit category specifically for solar panels to allow for more efficient permit approval and inspection of this product as it grew in popularity.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Strategies & Recommendations

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Maintain Buffalo Grove’s role as a proactive municipality in the economic development trio of key players (willing property owner, viable business, and proactive municipality)

The Buffalo Grove economic development strategic plan has served as a long-term guide in developing and implementing policies to position the Village for economic development opportunities. The plan is based upon the philosophy that economic development requires the alignment of three key players: a willing property owner, a viable business, and a proactive community. Under this school of thought, the only aspect of economic development fully within the community’s control is the ability to embrace and fulfill the role of a proactive community. A proactive community is one that establishes a visionary framework and then creates a guided and supportive environment (via plans, policies, programs, initiatives, partnerships, etc.) conducive for the private market to develop property and businesses to help achieve that vision.

Since the plan's approval in 2016, Buffalo Grove has embraced this economic development approach. Local leaders have worked under this philosophy in implementing the plan’s strategies and recommendations and in making economic development decisions. This has resulted in great success including the development of Woodman’s, The Shops of Buffalo Grove, and Link Crossing; sales-tax sharing agreements with Bits and Connexion, and The Clove and Bison Crossing redevelopment projects.

The merit of this philosophy is its respect for the private market process. It positions the community to actively facilitate, not passively submit to or aggressively dictate the private market process. This approach helps define and target the community’s efforts and is more effective in achieving our vision.

The “trio of key players” approach continues to be viable in the current economic development landscape. The country’s political, social, and economic environment has dramatically changed over the past few years and will continue to evolve, thereby greatly affecting the private market. For BG’s economic development success to continue, the Village should continue to work under this type of model that can withstand uncertainty and market shifts.

Trio of Key Players

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Remain dedicated to cost-effective economic development practices such as streamlining processes, building partnerships, and innovative/flexible problem-solving.

Continue to explore and evaluate offering economic development incentives when warranted to fill potential financial gaps and that would be economically advantageous for the Village.

In building upon the strategy discussed above, BG should continue to implement strategies that are cost-effective and widely regarded as best practices. This includes streamlining and simplifying the development, planning, and permit processes. The village has worked diligently to accomplish this strategy, including the most recent initiative to move the whole development process online, which has saved time and resources for developers, contractors, property owners, businesses, and staff. Additional improvements such as a more robust plan review software and automation to help manage permit volume can add greater efficiency.

Equally important is building and maintaining partnerships and exhibiting innovative and flexible problem-solving throughout the development process. These practices have helped to establish the village as a credible, agile, and innovative partner, and are effective in attracting brokers and developers to come to BG either for the first time or the fifth time. As such, these strategies should continue to be an area of focus.

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Sometimes specific sites or multi-site areas have development challenges that require incentives to encourage development due to the gap between expenses and the rate of return. Buffalo Grove has faced such situations and implemented economic development incentives when warranted. These incentives have been in the form of shared sales tax agreements for Connexion and BITS, and tax increment financing (TIF) for the Lake Cook Road Corridor and the Dundee Road Corridor.

The Village should continue to use incentive agreements when warranted to fill potential financial gaps. Economic incentives should be offered if such incentives lead to robust economic benefits for the Village while managing risk to the taxpayers. These benefits may include, but are not limited to, strengthening the Village’s tax base, creating jobs, and stimulating new development.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Strive to maintain a robust diversity of industries and businesses in the local economy.

Buffalo Grove enjoys a strong local economy that provides a steady base of employment and taxes for the community. This has been and continues to be an important priority for local leaders and Buffalo Grove residents as it increases resilience and resistance to disruptive events and provides a culture for growth.

As Buffalo Grove continues to grow and evolve, it should continue to create an environment conducive to a diverse and robust local economy. Although today this diversity, depth and breadth can be best illustrated using the spectrum described above, it is not the only measurement or variable to be assessed.

Measurements such as company size, industry mix, and labor pool can also provide insight into the diversity and thereby the strength of the local economy.

The local economy’s stability and strength is largely attributed to its depth, breadth and diversity. One way to illustrate this depth, breadth, and diversity is to analyze Buffalo Grove’s leading economic drivers (defined by sales tax, employment, and other economic benefits) and how they fall along the spectrum of traditional and stable vs innovative and emerging. Some of BG’s leading economic drivers fall within more traditional and stable industries such as retail grocery (Woodman’s, Jewel) and traditional manufacturing (Hines Lumber), while others tend to fall on the other side of innovative and emerging with industries such as technology (BITS, Connexion) and advanced manufacturing (Flex).

This diversity is not just limited to a crosssection analysis of industry typology (horizontal diversity) but is also shown within the processes and formats within specific industries (vertical diversity). For example, Buffalo Grove’s automobile sales industry includes businesses in more traditional formats and operations such as Lux Cars as well as more innovative and emerging formats such as Tesla and Rivian.

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Consider redevelopment concepts and alternative uses for office developments including residential, medical, retail, and other appropriate uses.

Work with local and regional partners including Chamber, Lake County, Cook County, CMAP, and the DCEO.

The Covid-19 pandemic had a dramatic stifling effect on the national and regional office markets that has had a long-lasting effect as the supply of office spaces greatly outpaces demand. Buffalo Grove’s office properties are not immune to this trend, as the office vacancy rate was recently reported at 41%. Across all markets, Class B and C office spaces, which make up the majority of the office market in BG, are struggling the most, as tenants are demanding higher quality offices spaces in modern structures with amenities.

To address this issue, real estate experts, market analysts, planners, and others have recommended that communities and developers consider alternative uses for office sites. This can take on the form of an adaptive reuse or redevelopment.

One popular notion is to convert office space into multi-family residential, however, that has shown to be a challenging prospect given the high costs of conversion, residential building code requirements, and infrastructure challenges (office spaces have a different layout for plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems than residential buildings). Some success in making these conversions has been achieved in smaller, older buildings and where government assistance has made the conversion financially viable.

Buffalo Grove should work with local and regional partners, the Chamber of Commerce, Buffalo Grove Park District, neighboring communities, school districts, Lake and Cook Counties, economic development agencies (ie Lake County Partners), regional agencies, foundations, and non-profits.

These partnerships help pool resources, maximize expertise, and create opportunities for collaboration across geographies and jurisdictions. It should be anticipated that the depth of such partnerships may ebb and flow given each organization’s goals and objectives, capacity, and timescales.

Similarly, these types of properties can be considered for mixed use, medical, retail, civic, or other appropriate uses. Most of these types of conversions have been happening in Chicago and other metropolitan areas. Although similar concepts have been proposed in various Chicago suburbs, these conversions have not completely materialized with developers citing challenges with securing financial backing for such projects.

The trajectory of the office market over the coming decade remains unclear. As this evolution continues, it is best for the Village to remain open and thoughtful about opportunities for development, and/or converting office areas into alternative uses.

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TRANSPORTATION & ACCESSIBLITY

Strategies & Recommendations

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TRANSPORTATION & ACCESSIBLITY Adapt to the evolution of the current and future services of Metra’s NCS line and stations.

The Covid pandemic greatly affected transit ridership throughout the country. According to Federal Transit Administration, ridership in late 2023 had returned to approximately 75% of what it had been prior to the pandemic. Metra ridership is at 56% of its ridership from 2019.

Zooming even further, the NCS line, which has traditionally had low levels of ridership and service, has suffered from additional cuts and its ridership as of January 2024 is at 42% compared to its January 2019 rates. The outlook continues to be uncertain for Metra’s train service. Metra’s 2025 Budget did state that updating the schedules for the NCS lines was under development. However, RTA, which is the governing, financial and planning body for Metra, Pace and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) continues to evolve in terms of funding, oversight, and operations.

Given the magnitude of this issue, Buffalo Grove will need to be prepared to adapt to the spectrum of possibilities for the future of the NCS line. Creative thinking with partners may be necessary for those residents and employees that rely upon the line for work commutes. It should be noted that the Prairie View Metra Station Area Plan’s vision for development was not reliant on the train’s service level. The plan’s density, orientation and type of development was not rooted in traditional philosophies of transit-oriented development, but instead around place-making and neighborhood development that included the train station but was not reliant on its activity for success.

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Leverage partnerships and resources, including Buffalo Grove’s 2023 MultiUse Plan, to enhance Buffalo Grove’s bicycle and pedestrian accessibility

Enhanced pedestrian and bicycle accessibility is a key part of the vision for Buffalo Grove’s future. Achieving a high-quality, wellmaintained and connected pedestrian and bicycle network throughout Buffalo Grove is a challenge. Contributing to this challenge are factors such as varying jurisdictional authority (County, IDOT, Park District other communities, etc.) over street rights-of-way and other pedestrian paths, jagged municipal boundaries, and the high cost of retrofitting and enhancing the pedestrian network in a community that was historically developed and oriented around the automobile.

To help navigate these challenges, Buffalo Grove should utilize the 2023 Multi Path Plan, which provides an assessment and recommendations in terms of bicycle and pedestrian connectivity and conditions. The Village should also look to partners, grants, and local and regional capital plans and projects to bolster pedestrian and bicycle network improvements in and around the Village (as discussed further below). Similarly, the Village should continue to work with developers on pedestrian and bicycle access and connectivity on properties as they develop and redevelop.

Prioritize and integrate walkability in key subareas of the community including The Clove and Lake Cook Corridor, Prairie View Metra Station Area, as well as around schools.

Although Buffalo Grove should aim to achieve comprehensive walkability, priority should be given to those areas that would benefit the most from pedestrian connectivity. This includes the Civic Triangle (Clove, Lake Cook Corridor, Mike Rylko Park), Prairie View Metra Station Area, and access points to the Des Plaines River Trail. Pedestrian activity in these areas implements the future vision and provides community, recreational, transportation, and economic development benefits. Similarly, pedestrian infrastructure should be prioritized in and around schools to enhance the safety and vibrancy for those neighborhoods.

Additional routes and enhanced conditions are planned as shown in Buffalo Grove 2024 MultiUse Path Plan. The Northwest Municipal Conference 2020 Multimodal Transportation Plan should also be implemented as opportunities become available.

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TRANSPORTATION & ACCESSIBLITY Improve signage and wayfinding with new branding concepts with a focus on gateways.

With over 232,000 people riding along some of the heavily trafficked arterials each day, Buffalo Grove has a great opportunity to engage with those travelers through signage and wayfinding with the new brand and logo.

By their mere presence, signage and wayfinding initiate a greeting to the traveler conveying a sense of friendliness and respect (Hi traveler, I would like to talk with you).

Building from this base, signage and wayfinding communicate navigational and geographical information (You are in Buffalo Grove, Buffalo Grove is this way). Finally, signage and wayfinding communicate a town’s personality and identity through logos, branding, colors and font (This is who Buffalo Grove is).

To optimize this platform for communication, Buffalo Grove should look to install wayfinding signage, especially at the gateways with the new Smart with Heart branding concepts.

BUFFALO GROVE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Continue to work with transportation and development partners on grants, funding, and projects for improved road, ROW, intersection, pedestrian/bicycle and related infrastructure improvements.

As transportation connects and integrates a community internally (within its boundaries) as well as externally (within the regional context), it is important that the Village looks to maintain and enhance accessibility and circulation. This objective comes with great complexity and nuance. Accessibility and transportation come in multiple modes (train, bus, truck, automobile, pedestrian, bike etc.), falls under varying jurisdictional authorities (Village, County, IDOT, Park District, privately owned, other communities, etc.), and improvements can often be expensive. In this sense, achieving this objective revolves around partnerships and coordination with public and private entities, grants, and local and regional capital plans and projects.

To date, Buffalo Grove has done well in managing, planning, and prioritizing roads as well as water and sanitary sewer infrastructure projects with the Infrastructure Modernization Program (IMP). Starting off in 2020, the IMP is planned to address over $200 million in capital projects over the long-term. The IMP was designed around its foundational pillars of comprehensive and long-term planning, optimizing partnerships, achieving costefficiency, aiming towards sustainable funding sources and minimizing operational disruptions. After the IMP is completed, the Village should continue to utilize these main pillars as guideposts in future capital improvement planning .

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Monitor and accommodate for the continued innovation in the transportation field including but not limited to: electric vehicles(EV), shared systems (ride, bike, scooter), autonomous vehicles (AV), Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and drone delivery.

Transportation demands, methods, and infrastructure continue to grow and change.

Recent trends include the rise in electric vehicles, which represented only 4% of the share of national vehicle sales in 2020 and increased to 18% in 2023. The introduction of Tesla and Rivian to Buffalo Grove makes the electric vehicle trend especially relevant to Buffalo Grove. At the same time, rideshare systems for vehicles (i.e. Uber, Lyft), as well as electric bikes and scooters have grown in popularity and spread beyond the urban centers and into suburban communities. Another up-and-coming transportation trend is e-commerce’s use of drone delivery, which is available in some parts of the country. Finally, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is another trend, which integrates various transportation modes into a singleplatform to allow a user to plan, book, and pay through one streamlined interface. As we approach the mid-century, it is guaranteed that additional transportation platforms, vehicles, methods, and infrastructure will be introduced and influenced by AI. As the world of transportation evolves and grows, Buffalo Grove should look to monitor and accommodate the continued innovation of this field. In doing so, the Village may experience the push and pull dynamic between supporting and funding traditional infrastructure and newer innovative infrastructure.

Utilizing data, understanding trends, evaluating implications, and leveraging partnerships can best help position the Village to navigate these decisions.

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NATURAL RESOURCES Strategies & Recommendations

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NATURAL RESOURCES

Embrace and continue to prioritize BG’s intrinsic link to open space and natural resources.

Buffalo Grove’s identity and character is intrinsically linked to open space and natural resources. With 9.89 acres per 1,000 residents (more than regional average of 5.78), it is understandable that parks and open space are remarkably distinctive features of the community and are commonly cited as top assets for Buffalo Grove. These assets go beyond traditional notions of open space and parks, to include finely integrated elements of landscaping, shrubs, trees, and natural habitats, all of which contribute to Buffalo Grove’s character as community blended with nature.

This is reflected in the various awards received and attained such as Tree City USA and America in Bloom National Award. In fact, Buffalo Grove was one of the first communities to require a green space (of turf grass, trees, perennials, and native plantings) on multi-lane highways. The connection to and value of open space and natural resources is also memorialized in Buffalo Grove’s new logo and brand which includes leaves, representing natural elements.

BUFFALO GROVE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

As Buffalo Grove grows and develops, it should continue to value and support these natural resources. Such support revolves around maintaining and nurturing both private and public green spaces. On the public side, this includes continued maintenance and conversion of turf grass to natural habitats within landscaped medians, detention basins, along woodlands and shorelines.

It also includes continuing to develop and maintain green infrastructure such as bioswales and rain gardens as well as working in collaboration with private and regional partners on trails and access to the natural habitats and open spaces in, around, and near the Village. On the private side, the Village should continue working with property owners and developers on maintenance and care of green space and promote green infrastructure and native plantings when appropriate.

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Integrate land use and development patterns/practices that promote higher levels of sustainability where appropriate.

Continue to incorporate and accommodate BG’s watercourses and related wetlands, and floodplains.

As Buffalo Grove develops and grows in the future it should encourage the integration of sustainable strategies into its land use and development. This can include design patterns and practices such as higher density housing, mixed-use centers, infill development, cluster or compact development, walkability, smaller building footprints, green rooftops, solar panels, and green infrastructure.

Many of these strategies have been utilized in some of the more recent development projects such as Link Crossing (higher-density housing, pedestrian oriented residential network, cluster development), The Clove (walkability, highdensity housing, mixed-use center, increase in impervious surface), Lazy Dog (infill development), NCH/Wild Fork/VEG (mixed-use center), Park Place Townhomes (infill development).

Buffalo Grove’s water courses, wetlands and floodplains are part of an interconnected system that is vital to Chicagoland’s ecology, topography and geography. As the Chicago region was largely built on marshland originally, these elements are considered essential to reduce flood risk, aid in water filtration and quality, and provide necessary wildlife habitats.

These measures can work to effectively minimize impervious surfaces and stormwater runoff, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect natural resources, and promote other sustainability benefits, thereby helping the Village become even more sustainable.

Buffalo Grove has taken great care over the years to work within county, regional, and state standards to accommodate for these elements as areas develop and grow. When and where possible, these sensitive areas have been integrated into development designs as recreational areas and/or natural vista amenities and have also provided ecological and hydrologic benefits to their neighborhoods.

The Village should continue to be conscientious and account for these elements and their impacts as climate change continues and standards change. Whenever possible, the Village should look to optimize and cluster resources (i.e., physical resources such as detention basins and/or fiscal resources such as grants, capital projects, and plans) so as to best support the harmonious bend of the built environment with water courses, wetlands, and floodplains within the community.

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NATURAL RESOURCES Explore and accommodate technology and sustainable materials, uses, practices and measures in both public and private development and operations.

The field of sustainability is vast and sustainable materials, uses, practices, and measures are continuing to advance. To date, the Village has helped to support sustainability measures and practices on both the public and private side, which have effectively allowed for reduced carbon emissions, minimized waste, and increased use of renewable resources.

This includes updating the Village’s streetlights from standard bulbs to LED lights, adopting the 2021 Energy Code, supporting the Farmers’ Market, Waste Management’s At Your Door recycling programs, conducting energy audits for municipal facilities, electronics recycling and document destruction events, and receiving the EPA’s designation as a Green Power Community.

As technology and sustainable materials, uses, practices and measures continue to advance, the Village should continue to evaluate and support public and private sustainability efforts when and where appropriate. This may include upcoming measures that have been contemplated such as leveraging technology to reduce salt use and water system loss, advancing stormwater planning efforts, examining parking and landscaping standards, accommodating more EV charging stations, and permitting solar roof shingles.

Collaborate with the Park Districts to help them maintain and modernize the quality, quantity, and overall utility of parks and open space

With jurisdiction over 417 acres of parks , the Buffalo Grove Park District is the largest owner and steward of open space in Buffalo Grove.

In this matter, the Buffalo Grove Park District along with the Wheeling Park District (that oversees 1.67 acres in Buffalo Grove ), are key partners for the Village to work with to maintain, modernize the quality, quantity, and overall utility of parks and open space.

Such a strategy is especially timely as park districts are still on a journey of mapping out a fiscal sustainability and recovery plan after the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on park district budgets and operations. The Buffalo Grove Park District and the Village have a strong history of collaboration including recent efforts on the new amphitheater at Mike Rylko Park and each year for BG Days. This partnership should continue as the district looks to maintain and modernize the quality, quantity, and overall utility of parks and open space.

Such work can and should be performed in collaboration and partnership with local, county, regional, and state partners such as CMAP, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, County and State, Buffalo Grove Foundation, Buffalo Grove Environmental Action Team, and Friends of the Parks.

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