TIF District eyed for downtown area

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Updated: March 11, 2012 8:14AM

A committee that has been working on a plan for developing Northbrook’s downtown area is recommending that among other things the village establish a tax increment financing district to help support improvements and promote development in the downtown area.

Also, the committee, following a Jan. 31 review of the draft plan, said the village should consider the use of eminent domain to obtain property needed for development.

The Northbrook Village board is expected to review the plan and a list of recommendations from the Downtown Plan Steering Committee at its Feb. 21 meeting.

The proposal incorporated into the draft plan came out of four days of meetings, workshops, focus groups and design sessions last fall aimed at developing new ideas for redeveloping Northbrook’s downtown area.

The “charette” process resulted in rough sketches of different ideas for downtown that were used by the Downtown Plan Steering Committee , the village staff and its consultant, Teska Associates.

The meetings looked at such things as transportation, whether the village should work toward providing a “safe, interconnected pathway network for pedestrians and bicyclists to and within downtown.”

Related projects could include things such as a new greenway walking path between the Metra station and the Library/Village Hall, modified bicycle routes connecting downtown to Waukegan Road, Dundee Road, and Willow Road; bicycle facilities and signage to compliment routes; and improved access to the Metra station using adequate bicycle parking and railroad crossings

Sessions last week were held to gain input from residents, business owners, property owners and other groups impacted by downtown redevelopment.

More than 1,000 Northbrook residents completed the village’s online survey last year asking what residents would like to see and identifying problems with the area. They also were able to upload photos of areas of downtown that they see as having problems.

The village staff along with its consultant Teska prepared an existing conditions report which is posted on the village website.

Village officials say the idea is to give the village the flexibility to locate a variety of uses downtown.

The village’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted in December, says that the village should “continue efforts to improve the downtown.”

The document says that “downtown will evolve into a unique gathering place and transportation hub that is the symbolic center of the community.”

The plan also suggests that the public-private partnerships be given priority in developing the area.

The draft downtown plan trustees will look at this month includes a series of goals leading to development of the downtown area.

For example, a transportation goal is to “Improve the accessibility to downtown by car, foot, bicycle, bus, and train.”

An economic goal calls for encouraging “a balance of retail, restaurant, and office activities that provide vital services to the residents of the community.”

The Downtown Plan Steering Committee, at its Jan. 31 meeting, also recommended several initial steps the village should take to help the project move forward.

They included:

Creation of a tax increment financing district in the downtown area. Money generated by the district could be used for infrastructure improvements and property acquisition.

Removal of restrictions on the use of eminent domain.

Construction of targeted streetscape improvements and entryway design elements identified in the plan.

Make needed amendments to the zoning code and other village regulations that would help enable downtown redevelopment.

A full copy of the plan can be found at the village’s web site dedicated to the downtown planning process: www.northbrook.il.us/downtownplan.