Palos Park presents public draft of comprehensive zoning code; debate focuses on 'traditional lot' rules and accessory standards

Palos Park staff presented a public draft of a comprehensive rewrite of the village zoning code and sought feedback Tuesday night, highlighting new rules for “traditional lots,” accessory structures, parking, signs and a consolidated planned-unit development process.

“This is an overview of what's in the document. Obviously, it's a zoning code,” Arista said during the presentation, describing the draft as a full public document that remains open for comment and revision.

The draft, a staff presentation described here as a public draft rather than a final ordinance, matters because it changes how a large number of preexisting small lots are classified and treated, revises dimensional limits and coverage rules, and adds new tables and administrative processes that will guide future development and permit reviews in Palos Park.

Major elements described by staff include:

- Traditional-lot category: The draft creates a “traditional lot” classification for existing R‑1 lots larger than 20,000 square feet but smaller than 1 acre. The category is intended to remove those lots from nonconforming status while preventing creation of new lots in that category. Arista explained these apply only to “existing R‑one lots that are, over 20,000 square feet, but less than…