The Community Development Department handles building permits and inspections, as well as all land use matters in order to achieve orderly development of the community. Almost all development in the Village comes through the Community Development Department. The Department administers and enforces the Zoning Ordinance, Comprehensive Plan, Subdivision Code, and Building Codes. The Department is responsible for providing staff assistance to and coordinating the work of a number of citizen volunteer commissions including the Plan Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Appearance Review Commission, the Village Center Development Commission, and various task forces. In addition, staff coordinates efforts for various task forces, including the Residential Redevelopment Review Task Force and the Streetscape Task Force. The department is separated into two divisions, Building and Planning, that facilitate the department's mission and primary tasks.

The Department's objectives for the 2009-10 fiscal year:

Provide staff support services for the Plan Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Village Center Development Commission, the Appearance Review Commission, and other boards and commissions for which the Department is responsible.

Maintain the Official Map, Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Development Code, and the Subdivision Code along with building plans, subdivision plats, and approved development plans.

Continue participation in the Census Bureau’s Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program, in order to ensure that all residential housing units in the Village receive a 2010 Census Bureau questionnaire.

Continue to enforce the adopted window sign regulations in the C-1 and C-2 Commercial Districts and continue to work with businesses so they have an understanding of the new regulations.

Continue to learn and become experienced with the Munis computer module to help increase efficiency and processing of items such as building permits, inspections, violations, fees, and zoning applications.

Continue to keep the Village’s website current and up-to-date for items dealing with the Planning Division and Building Division.

Continue to be involved with the review and development of planning and zoning efforts for Village Center District projects.

Continue the process of entering data into the land records data layer in the Village’s Geographic Information System (GIS).

Continue to work on the issue of workforce and affordable housing to seek solutions to this housing issue facing the Village.

Prepare research studies and reports on future plans as necessary.

Continue to update sections of the Comprehensive Plan as necessary.

Be advisory to the Energy and Recycling Commission on sustainability issues including green initiatives.

Continue the Planning Department internship for Dan Nakahara which is in conjunction with a requirement from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy Program.

Continue to explore methods of digitally scanning, retrieving and storing all documents required to be maintained by the Department.

Review codes and ordinances for possible amendments and revisions as necessary.

Accomplishments for 2008-09:

Performed 2,268 building inspections.

Reviewed and issued 1,170 permits.

Adopted the 2006 International Code Council Codes and the 2005 National Electric Code.

Responded to many zoning inquiries, zoning certificates of compliance, requests for zoning data, building code inquiries, property data, interpretation of codes, demographic data, and other inquiries.

Continued to utilize the Munis computer module which is used to help track permits, inspections, fees, violations and zoning applications.

Participated in the Village Website Redesign Committee for the new Village website. Staff has updated all forms, handouts, departmental information, frequently asked questions, and other items, and placed them on the new Village website.

Conducted an inventory of all new non-complying window signs in the C-1 and C-2 zoning districts. Businesses with non-complying permanent signs were reminded that the two-year grandfather provision will be expiring on July 31, 2009. Staff is working with these businesses to gain compliance.

Ordered new banners for the community banner pole, including banners for the Fall Festival, Family Days, and Memorial Day.

Completed a build-out estimate for the Village’s possible future population growth, which will be used in the design of the Village’s new wastewater treatment plant.

Prepared documents informing the public about the process for land use requests and informing the public of the value of their input to the Plan Commission at the public hearing level. These documents include a letter and a handout outlining the public process for land use requests, and are included with the public hearing legal notice in the certified mailing.

Worked with the Northwest Quadrant Advisory Committee in the development of the plan for the proposed Village Green (useable public open space) in the Village owned parking lots along Deerfield Road in the Northwest Quadrant of the Village Center; it will feature many sustainable elements to serve as educational tools for the community.

Provided support to the Residential Redevelopment Review (RRR) Task Force which was reconvened in June 2008. The Task Force discussed issues such as: attic measurement in the FAR; stormwater management, impervious surface regulations; construction management requirements; homes perpetually under construction; vacant (abandon) homes; licensing of general contractors; the existing .4 FAR; building height; posting of a sign on each job site; and construction hours. A Stormwater User Guide was developed that encourages the owner/developer to utilize various sustainable or “green” methods of their choosing to meet the goals of the Village’s stormwater ordinance including methods such as rain barrels, rain gardens, and porous paver driveways and patios, native plantings, turf blocks and green roofs.

Amended the Plan Commission rules of procedure to require that all public entities seeking Plan Commission approval must have a prefiling conference with the Plan Commission to ensure the highest level of intergovernmental cooperation.

Worked on Village approval for the following major projects: Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. for Preliminary and Final Development Plans to allow for an expansion of their campus for a Phase II 260,000 s.f. office building, parking structure and parking lot; the Weinberg Community expansion to allow a new seven story independent living building (ILU) with 221 units and a community center on the ground floor and a new Health Center; East Side (River Road) lift station and Briarwood Nature Area Special Uses; Park District recreation center Special Use in Lake Cook Plaza; and other smaller land use petitions.

Supplemented and updated the online Zoning Ordinance, Zoning Map, and Comprehensive Plan as needed.

Developed amendments to the text of the Zoning Ordinance as needed.

Completed the yearly boundary and annexation survey for the Census Bureau.