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Boards trim design rules: keep variety, prohibit structural sheathing on facades and limit plastic accents
Summary
Commissioners rejected a requirement forcing uniform architectural treatment across townhome developments, asked for variety, and agreed to prohibit wood structural panel sheathing as an exterior finished material while keeping plastic/urethane accents limited (draft limit ~25%).
Palos Park — Commissioners at a joint meeting pushed back on a draft provision that would have mandated uniform architectural materials and colors across an entire townhome development and instead favored design flexibility paired with clearer material restrictions.
The discussion focused on two items: an existing townhouse design standard in the draft that required a unifying architectural theme across an entire development, and a materials list that allowed certain materials only as accents. Several members said a strict uniformity requirement could produce monotonous development; the boards signaled consensus that the unifying‑theme mandate should be removed or softened so it does not force a single look.
Materials guidance: Staff recommended the draft treat plastic materials as allowable for trims and accents and limit them to 25 percent of any façade. Board members asked for clarification and staff agreed to explicitly prohibit use of wood structural panel sheathing as an exterior finished material. Staff said the 25 percent cap was open to discussion (a consultant offered 25–30% as a common range) and will show examples in the next draft.
Why it matters: The decisions balance two objectives — giving builders design clarity and protecting village character — while preventing low‑quality materials from being used as principal exterior cladding.
Next steps: Staff will remove or reword the rigid uniformity requirement for townhome developments, explicitly prohibit wood structural sheathing on exterior facades, and keep a percent‑of‑facade limit for plastic or simulated materials (currently 25%). The updated draft will include references to where façade material limits are posted and instructions for how applicants calculate percent coverage on elevation drawings.
Ending: Commissioners asked staff to return with example elevations and with revised code language showing prohibited materials and allowable accent treatments.
