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Development Regulations Code Update
The Village of Palos Park has not comprehensively updated its development regulations (zoning and subdivision) since 1960. Due to this there are many other portions of the Code that are antiquated and do not meet current standards for land use regulations or best practices. Over the years, various spot amendments have been made, which has created conflicts within the Code itself, as well as complexity and a lack of transparency for stakeholders (residents, contractors, developers, and staff).
To address these concerns, the Village is working with a consultant (Camiros) on a process to comprehensively update the development regulations in order to provide clear zoning and subdivision requirements and suitably regulate new development.
Development Code Update – Public Hearing 2.0 Available (January 2026)
An updated draft (“Public Hearing Draft 2.0”, dated January 2026) of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) is now available.
A full PDF document of the "clean" version can be found here. A full PDF document of the "redline" version can be found here (comparing Public Hearing Draft 1 to Public Hearing Draft 2). Hard copies of these draft documents are also on display in the lobby at the Kaptur Center. Additionally, a short memo from the consultant regarding some clarifications in the new draft and some items the Plan Commission brought up for further discussion at their December 2025 meeting has been provided. Further, at the December 2025 meeting the Plan Commission removed from the draft Code language regarding overnight commercial vehicle parking in residential areas; a memo providing a record of the language that was removed has also been provided.
A Public Hearing regarding this draft will be held at the regularly scheduled Plan Commission meeting of Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 7 PM.
Development Code Update – An updated 2026 - Adoption Draft is available above and by clicking here.
Development Code Update – Senior Administration Code Revisions (March 31, 2026) can be found here.
Plan Commission Meeting (December 18, 2025)
The Village held a Public Hearing on Thursday, December 18, 2025 with the Village's Plan Commission regarding the Development Code Update project. The Village would like to thank all of the residents who were able to attend the meeting and provide comment. The Plan Commission continued the Public Hearing for the code update to their February 19, 2026 regular meeting. A revised draft of the code update is expected in early January. This revised draft will be considered by the Plan Commission at the February 19, 2026 meeting. If you were not able to attend the December 18, 2025 meeting, a video of the meeting is available here.
Plan Commission Meeting (December 18, 2025) Staff Report
The staff report for Development Code Update project for the Plan Commission meeting of 12/18/25 (7 PM) can be found here. This packet includes a memo from the consultant discussing proposed changes, and a memo from the Village Attorney.
Plan Commission Meeting (October 16, 2025)
The Village held a Public Hearing on Thursday, October 16, 2025 with the Village's Plan Commission regarding the Development Code Update project. The Village would like to thank all of the residents who were able to attend the meeting and provide comment. The Plan Commission continued the Public Hearing to their December 18, 2025 regular meeting for consideration of the comments provided. Please note that the public notice signs placed on certain properties are only required for the initial public hearing and will be removed. If you were not able to attend the October 16 meeting, a video of the meeting is available here.
- Draft Code Comparison with Current Regulations: on the left side of this document is the Public Hearing Draft (September 2025) and on the right side is reference to text of current codes, as best as applicable. Note some pages on the left side may be duplicated as the reference on the right may require more than one page.
- Principal Use Comparison Chart: this document (in red text) contains the principal uses as proposed in the Public Hearing Draft and compares with current code (black text). The chart includes proposed and current use definitions and if the use is permitted, special, or prohibited in the different zoning districts. Note the current code may refer to a use in more than one way ("restaurants or tea rooms" and "restaurants, general") that is consolidated into a single use in the proposed code ("eating and drinking establishment").
- Single Family Residential Dimensional Standards: this document compares dimensional standards (setbacks, height, coverage, etc.) in the current R-1-A One-Family Dwelling District with the proposed draft code R-1 Single-Family District (including the proposed "Legacy Lot" standards).
- GIS Web Map: as noted below (Plan Commission Meeting, Public Notice) this GIS web application more information regarding specific properties with zoning map changes that may result as a part of this code update.
Hard copies of the above are also on display in the lobby at the Kaptur Center for public viewing.
Plan Commission Meeting (October 16, 2025) Public Notice
You may have received a mailed notice or see public hearing signs regarding this project. The mailed notice to surrounding property owners and signage placed on properties is only for certain specific properties that may have a zoning map change as a result of this code update. This GIS web map has more information regarding those specific properties. Additionally, the formal public notice as published can be found here.
Development Code Update – Public Hearing Draft Available and Public Hearing Scheduled (Plan Commission meeting of October 16, 2025)
An updated draft (“Public Hearing Draft”, dated September 2025) of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) is now available.
The full PDF document can be found here. A hard copy of the draft is also on display in the lobby at the Kaptur Center. Additionally, a short memo from the consultant regarding changes made from Public Draft 2.0 to the current Public Hearing Draft can be found here.
The first formal Public Hearing regarding this draft will be held at the regularly scheduled Plan Commission meeting of Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 7 PM.
The Village has been working on an update to our development codes and regulations with a consulting firm, Camiros. Camiros provided the first Public Draft in February 2025. Joint meetings of the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals were held in March, April, May and June 2025 to provide feedback on this initial Public Draft. Based on the guidance provided at those meetings and public comment, a revised draft was prepared (Public Draft 2.0) in August 2025. A follow up joint meeting of the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals was held on September 3, 2025 to review Public Draft 2.0 with the goal of moving forward to the formal adoption phase of the project. This next phase includes the scheduled Public Hearing with the Plan Commission.
Development Regulations Code Update Meeting (September 3, 2025)
The Village held a public meeting on Wednesday September 3, 2025 (with the Village's Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals) to discuss Public Draft 2.0 of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) with our consulting firm, Camiros. The Village would like to thank all of the residents who were able to attend the meeting. An electronic copy of Public Draft 2.0 can be found below. f you were not able to attend the meeting, a video of the meeting is available here.
Development Regulations Code Update – Public Meeting Scheduled (Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at 6 PM)
The Village has been working on an update to our development codes and regulations with a consulting firm, Camiros. Camiros has completed a revised draft of new Development Code (zoning and subdivision regulations). The consultant will provide an overview of the revised draft development code provisions to the public, Plan Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals. The staff memo with attachments for this meeting can be found here.
The revised draft (Public Draft 2.0) can be found here.
Development Code Update – Public Draft 2.0 Available and Public Meeting Scheduled (September 3, 2025)
An updated draft (Public Draft 2.0, dated August 2025) of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) is now available.
The full PDF document can be found here. A hard copy of the draft is also on display in the lobby at the Kaptur Center.
A follow up public meeting (a joint meeting of the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals) will be held on Wednesday September 3, 2025 (6 PM at the Kaptur Center) regarding Public Draft 2.0.
This revised draft (Public Draft 2.0, August 2025) is a “redline” draft, to assist in comparing with Public Draft 1.0 (February 2025). Text deleted from is shown in red with a strikethrough line. Items added are shown in blue text with an underline.
Significant Changes from Public Draft 1.0 (February 2025) to Public Draft 2.0 (August 2025) include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Rename “Traditional Lots” to “Legacy Lots”: These are existing single-family lots less than one acre (but greater than 20,000 sf) in which zoning regulations are somewhat reduced. (Note the draft is clear than no new lots less than one acre are to be created.) Lots less than 20,000 sf are considered legal nonconforming but would be regulated with the “Legacy Lot” regulations.
- Minimum dwelling size: Typical R-1 residential lots will have a 2,200 sf minimum dwelling size (which matches existing Code); “Legacy Lots” would have a minimum dwelling size of 500 sf.
- Impervious Surface Coverage: Revised draft provides for a “sliding scale” for typical R-1 residential lots based on the size of the property.
- Allow apiaries in all yards (provided 20’ from any lot lines).
- Allow dog runs in interior yards provided they are not in the required interior side setback.
- Allow playground equipment in interior yards provided they are not in the required interior side setback.
- Prohibit combining of poolhouse and detached garages.
- Freestanding wind turbine structures are only allowed in INST (Institutional) zoning districts.
- The maximum height allowed for freestanding solar structures was reduced from 20 feet to 8 feet.
- A provision limiting coverage in each yard for detached accessory structures was removed (these would still need to comply with specific regulations and overall building and impervious surface coverage for the whole lot, as applicable.)
- Revision of parking requirements for educational facilities.
- Revisions of parking requirements for assembly-type uses such as live performance venues and places of worship.
- Allow one standard size passenger commercial motor vehicle to be parked outside on private residential property.
- Creation of Agricultural Use, which is allowed as a permitted use in the OS Open Space district and Special Use in the R-1 district.
- Removal of vehicle dealership/rental use.
Development Regulations Code Update – Public Meeting Scheduled (Wednesday June 18, 2025 at 6 PM)
On May 15, 2025 the Village held a public meeting to discuss key code items in the draft of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) with our consulting firm, Camiros. The Village will have a follow-up meeting on Wednesday June 18, 2025 at 6 PM to continue this discussion of key Code items. Additional information prepared by staff regarding a review of previous meetings and information regarding current and proposed residential zoning requirements can be found here.
Development Regulations Code Update Meeting (May 15, 2025)
The Village held a follow-up public meeting on Thursday May 15, 2025 (with the Village's Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals) to continue the discussion of the draft of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) with our consulting firm, Camiros. The Village would like to thank all of the residents who were able to attend the meeting. If you were not able to attend the meeting, a video of the meeting is available here.
Development Regulations Code Update – Public Meeting Scheduled (May 15, 2025 at 6 PM)
On April 17, 2025 the Village held a public meeting to discuss key code items in the draft of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) with our consulting firm, Camiros. The Village will have a follow-up meeting on May 15, 2025 at 6 PM to continue this discussion of key Code items.
Development Regulations Code Update Meeting (April 17, 2025)
The Village held a follow-up public meeting on Thursday April 17, 2025 (with the Village's Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals) to discuss the draft of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) with our consulting firm, Camiros. The Village would like to thank all of the residents who were able to attend the meeting. If you were not able to attend the meeting, a video of the meeting is available here.
Development Regulations Code Update – Public Meeting Scheduled (April 17, 2025)
On March 20, 2025 the Village held a public meeting to discuss the draft of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) with our consulting firm, Camiros. A follow-up public meeting (a joint meeting of the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals) will be held on Thursday April 17, 2025 (7 PM at the Kaptur Center). The focus of this meeting would be to focus on certain key code items that require additional discussion. The goal would be to have sufficient direction on these key issues to provide direction to the consultant for preparation of a revision that can be used for the formal code adoption process.
Development Regulations Code Update Meeting (March 20, 2025)
The Village held a public meeting on Thursday March 20, 2025 (with the Village's Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals) to discuss the draft of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) with our consulting firm, Camiros. The Village would like to thank all of the residents who were able to attend the meeting. If you were not able to attend the meeting, a video of the meeting is available here.
Development Regulations Code Update – Draft Document Available and Public Meeting Scheduled (March 20, 2025)
A draft of the proposed new Development Code (which are the Village’s zoning and subdivision regulations) is now available. You can download the entire document here. A hard copy of the draft will be available in the lobby at the Kaptur Center.
This draft document has been prepared by Camiros, a consulting firm the Village has been working with on this Development Code update project. Camiros had previously prepared a technical report, which identified key problems, inconsistencies and omissions in the current codes, as well as identified potential approaches to dealing with those issues. Based on public comment and staff input, Camiros began the process of developing draft regulations. There was further feedback provided to the consultant by the Mayor, Building Commissioner, and Chairs of both the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.
A Public Meeting (a joint meeting of the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals) will be held on March 20, 2025 (7 PM at the Kaptur Center). The Village’s consultant will provide an overview of the draft development code provisions and be available to respond to questions and comments.
Key items in the February 2025 draft code:
• Usability and modernization - a goal of the code update is for the code to be more user friendly for residents, contractors, builders, etc. The proposed draft contains new sections such as on “rules of measurements”, as well as illustrations, and is reorganized all in order to make the zoning regulations more understandable and clearer.
• “Traditional lots” in the single-family zoning district - these are existing single-family lots less than one acre in which zoning regulations are somewhat reduced. The logic is that zoning regulations written for lots an acre or more may not be fair on existing lots less than an acre. One example: the current code requires a corner setback of 50’; as proposed this would remain for lots one acre or more but the smaller lots would have a 35’ corner setback. Note the draft is clear than no new lots less than one acre are to be created.
• Uses - instead of having a list of uses in each zoning district, regulations of uses are consolidated into a single article of the draft code. Within this article there is a use matrix (or table) which indicates if a use is a Permitted Use, Special Use, or if it is prohibited in each zoning district. Importantly, all of the uses are also defined. In the current code most of the uses are not defined.
• Zoning districts – the current R-4 and R-5 are consolidated into an R-2 Multi-family district (note current code does not have an R-2 or R-3). The Manufacturing and Office districts are to be removed (currently only a few parcels are zoned for Manufacturing and no parcels have Office zoning). Creation of new Open Space (OS) and Institutional (Inst) districts.
• Accessory building / accessory structures - the current code relies heavily on general regulations about “accessory buildings” and “accessory structures”. The proposed code has more specific regulations for things such as “decks” “gazebos” “sheds” etc.
Technical Review Report - Comment Period Closed March 22, 2024
The Village would like to thank everyone who submitted comments regarding the Development Code Update project. As a reminder, these comments pertained to a Technical Report that had been submitted by our consultant, Camiros. A public meeting with the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals was held in January in which Camiros provided a presentation regarding the Technical Report. The purpose of the report was to identify potential problems, inconsistencies, omissions, etc. in the Code and identify possible approaches to dealing with those issues. At this time, there are no formal proposed Code changes.
The comments that have been received will greatly assist in guiding the development of formal proposed Code changes. One common comment pertained to the one-acre minimum lot size for single-family properties. The Technical Report offered ideas regarding existing lots of less than one acre, but that “no new lots would be allowed to be created that are less than one acre” (page 11). The Village will continue to update the project website and provide updates to the public about the Code update project regarding future public documents and public meetings. The Village anticipates this process will last until late 2024.
Once again, thank you to all residents provided feedback!
Technical Review Report Comments (Comment Period Closing March 22, 2024)
A combined meeting of the Village of Palos Park Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals was held on January 18, 2024; where the consulting firm, Camiros, presented their technical review report. The full Technical Review Report can be found here.
Comment period for the technical report closed at 5 PM on Friday, March 22, 2024.
January 18, 2024 - Public Review Meeting for Technical Review Report
The Village has been working on an update to our development codes and regulations with a consulting firm, Camiros. Camiros has recently completed a Technical Review report. We will have a public meeting where Camiros will present an overview of the report to the public, Plan Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals for input. The meeting has been scheduled for January 18, 2024, at 7 PM.
The Technical Review Report presents the findings of a technical review of the Village of Palos Park’s Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations. The technical review document identifies key problems, inconsistencies, omissions, etc in the code and identifies potential approaches to dealing with those issues). Input received would be used for the next phase of the project, which be the preparation of draft regulations.
The Technical Review Report can be found here.
If you have any comments or questions regarding the Technical Review Report, please email Mark Herman, Community Development Director, at mherman@palospark.org
At the April 10, 2023, Village Council Meeting the Council approved a resolution entering into a professional services agreement with Camiros regarding the development regulations code update project. Camiros was one of three consultants that responded to the RFQ released in 2022.
Camiros is a planning firm that provides a full range of services in the areas of planning, zoning, urban design, economic development, and landscape architecture. The firm is based in Chicago and has extensive experience with zoning code update projects with municipalities both in the Chicago area and nationally. Local examples of development code / zoning projects include Oak Park, LaGrange Park, Niles, Park Ridge and Gurnee.
REQUEST OF QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
Release Date: July 22, 2022
Deadline for Submission: August 26, 2022 at 5:00 PM (NO LATE SUBMITTALS WILL BE ACCEPTED)
For any questions, please contact the Director of Community Development, Mark Herman, MPA, AICP at 708-671-3731 or mherman@palospark.org