Riverside adopts ordinance tightening visible impact of front-facing garages; vote 4-0
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Summary
The Village of Riverside Board of Trustees approved an ordinance on March 20 that amends Title 10 garage design standards to encourage detached rear garages and reduce the visible impact of front-loaded, street-facing garages.
The Village of Riverside Board of Trustees approved an ordinance on March 20 that amends various sections of Title 10 of the village code to encourage detached garages and reduce the visible impact of front-loaded, street-facing garages.
Planner Siren summarized the amendments and the historic-preservation context that prompted them. She said the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) staff raised concerns in 2017 about cumulative redevelopment—particularly houses replaced with large front-loaded garages and wide curb cuts—that can increase pavement, reduce visible green space, and change the walking character of streets. National Park Service staff advised the village that they review National Historic Landmark status only if complaints arise and that there is no numeric threshold guaranteeing preservation status; NPS recommended locating and sizing front-facing garages to respect neighborhood character.
To respond, the ordinance includes provisions to reduce the visible impact of front-loaded garages and offers a "bonus density" incentive to encourage detached rear garages. Siren said staff reviewed demolitions since 2015 and found demolitions have decreased from six in 2015 to one or two per year recently, and new houses with front-loaded garages have also declined.
The ordinance was moved and seconded; the clerk called the roll and recorded four ayes. The board approved the ordinance by a 4–0 vote. Planner Siren said trustees may return future directions to the Planning and Preservation Commissions if they want additional amendments, such as excluding certain breezeways from impervious-surface calculations as an incentive for detached garages.
Background and effect: the amendments revise local standards for siting and sizing garages to reduce curb-cut width and visual prominence; they apply to new construction and to demolitions followed by replacement construction (owners rebuilding in place would be subject to the updated standards). The village will monitor design outcomes and can direct additional text amendments to the Planning and Zoning Commission if trustees request further changes.
