Land Use and Development Goal: Buffalo Grove will sustain and grow its economic base with new, redeveloped, improved, and maintained commercial development that is functional, appealing, and contributes to the Village’s competitive position. Recommendation
1. Create a vision for community.
2. Update the Buffalo Grove Municipal Code.
3. Facilitate commercial development and redevelopment opportunities.
4. Encourage environmentally sustainable retrofits and development.
Action Steps
Description
A. Update the Comprehensive Plan.
Update the Comprehensive Plan before 2020.
B. Develop a vision for subareas and consider creating a central business district.
Create a defined vision for each of the commercial corridors and station areas. Such discussions should also evaluate which, if any, subarea should become a central business district. Areas of immediate focus should include the Lake-Cook Mixed-Use Corridor and Prairie View Metra Station Area.
C. Evaluate opportunities to expand municipal boundaries.
Evaluate opportunities to continue to annex properties where appropriate. Specific focus should be paid to Milwaukee Mixed-Use Corridor and Prairie View Metra Station Area. The study’s findings of the impacts, along with the Village’s vision for areas, and property owners’ interest in annexation, would all factor into annexation phasing and implementation.
A. Consider developing a Unified Development Ordinance.
Explore creating a unified development ordinance (UDO), which combines various sets of development regulations into a consolidated document. This type of organization enhances clarity, consistency, and coordination of the regulations.
B. Update Zoning Code to reflect visions.
Update the structure and content of the Zoning Code so that it aligns with objectives set forth in the Comprehensive Plan and future subarea plans.
C. Revise the Sign Code.
Modernize and streamline the Sign Code.
D. Modernize other sections of the code as needed.
Update the Development Ordinance and Floodplain Regulations to align with Lake County and Cook County’s Ordinance. Adopt a more recent International Building Code (IBC).
A. Create and update an inventory of commercial properties.
Utilize data sources such as Co-Star along with information from brokers and property owners to create and maintain a commercial properties inventory. The inventory should be established within a database as well as displayed visually on a map.
B. Continue to refine Buffalo Grove’s planning, development, and permit processes.
Continue to explore opportunities to simplify, clarify, and streamline the Village’s entitlement process by updating, organizing, coordinating, and enhancing materials for developers. These materials include applications, workflow diagrams, Planning and Zoning Commission timelines, Village Code, zoning maps, and land use maps.
C. Continue to offer site-specific economic development incentives, while exploring opportunities to offer economic development incentives for multi-site districts.
Explore opportunities to offer site-specific and multi-site districts. All economic incentives should lead to robust economic benefits. These benefits may include but are not limited to: strengthening the Village’s tax base, creating jobs and stimulating new development.
A. Promote energy efficiency programs.
Continue and enhance relationship with utility providers and energy efficient partners and connect them with property owners and businesses.
B. Establish sustainable standards.
Lead discussions with the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Board of Trustees, and the public that explore creating voluntary or incentive-based programs to achieve green buildings, and energy efficiency.
Buffalo Grove Economic Development Strategic Plan
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