Draft adds downtown ‘core’ (B1A) with 5-story maximum, plus design rules to encourage storefront continuity

The zoning draft under review would divide Westmont’s downtown into new form-based districts and spell out building types and design expectations intended to create a more walkable, cohesive downtown.

What the draft proposes

- New districts: The draft creates a downtown core (B1A) and a downtown edge (B1) and a downtown residential transition district (R7). The B1A would be the village’s more intensive downtown core and would allow buildings up to five stories; the B1 downtown edge would remain limited to three stories under the proposed language.

- Building types and form-based controls: The draft identifies permitted building typologies — storefront buildings (large first-floor transparency and active uses), general buildings (offices or mixed-use), row buildings (townhouses/stacked units) and detached houses — and establishes "build-to" zones that encourage buildings to be placed near the sidewalk to maintain continuous frontage and pedestrian activity.

- Design guidance embedded in the code: Staff and the consultant moved design guidance into the ordinance in more detail than before, listing preferred primary materials, transparency minimums on first floors and articulation requirements. The draft keeps some provisions that can be administratively waived where a different approach nevertheless achieves the design intent.

Why commissioners debated it

Commissioners acknowledged the goal of concentrating commercial activity near the tracks and making storefronts continuous, but multiple commissioners pressed staff on numerical details, including upper-story floor-to-floor height allowances and facade articulation rhythm. One commissioner recommended increasing the allowable upper-story floor-to-floor height above the draft’s 11-foot figure so top-floor amenity spaces would be functional; several commissioners said shadow lines and vertical breaks should occur at a shorter rhythm than the draft’s 60-foot recommendation.

Staff said the intent is to make downtown regulations clearer and less risky for developers by establishing an allowable five-story maximum in the core rather than requiring frequent variance requests for every development that exceeds the historic three-story standard.

Background and next steps

Staff said any rezoning of specific downtown parcels would be a separate, later public hearing that would include mailed notices to affected property owners. The draft is guided by the village comprehensive plan and downtown design guidance; staff also noted a separate downtown public realm/design plan is anticipated and could identify sidewalk width, street-tree and streetscape design that would interact with the zoning form-based rules.

Ending

Commissioners asked staff and the consultant to fine-tune numeric standards and to clarify which design rules would be mandatory versus advisory. Staff agreed to return with proposed clarifications for the June 11 continuation.