Park district wins zoning relief for Arlington Ridge Center addition and Recreation Park upgrades; traffic and fence details remain
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Summary
The Arlington Heights Park District received board direction to prepare final documents for PUD and special-use amendments for a 6,150-square-foot addition at Arlington Ridge Center and multi-phase Recreation Park upgrades, while trustees asked staff to study traffic near the park and left a decorative fence decision conditional on cost.
The Village Board on May 5 directed staff and the village attorney to prepare final documents to grant zoning relief for the Arlington Ridge Center two-story, 6,150-square-foot addition and for phase 2 and 3 improvements at Recreation Park.
Park District representatives and their design team presented floor plans and renderings showing a first-floor multipurpose room, a second-floor fitness studio, relocated playground and basketball court, expanded locker and family changing rooms adjacent to the aquatic area, and a range of Recreation Park upgrades that include a new bathhouse, a replaced 50-meter lap pool, splash pad, a year-round multipurpose space, ballfield backstop improvements and a new 41-space parking lot.
The park district said the project is funded in part by Illinois Department of Natural Resources grants (OSLAD and park grants) and that phases are scheduled across 2025–2026 with phase 1 already underway. Design and construction teams described particular site elements: the ballfield backstop will be raised to about 40 feet with sports netting, basketball courts will be fenced (4-foot perimeter with 8-foot sections near nets to retain balls), and the bathhouse will include concessions and four private family changing rooms.
Village staff summarized zoning relief requested: waivers to the traffic-study requirement, relief from off-street parking requirements (code-required 533 stalls vs. 77 proposed on-site, though almost 250 on-street stalls exist nearby), fence-height relief (10-foot chain-link in parts), accessory-structure location adjustments, and standard permitting conditions. The plan commission and design commission recommended approval with conditions; staff asked the park district to price two fence options (decorative aluminum vs. coated chain link) and to provide additional information on stormwater and preschool drop-off/pick-up plans before final permit issuance.
Questions from trustees and residents focused on pedestrian safety and traffic control on nearby streets, notably Belmont and Minor, and sightlines where parked cars might reduce visibility for children. Trustee Dunnington proposed studying a “safe park zone” concept (lower posted speeds in park areas with signage and markings similar to school zones); trustees asked village engineering and public works to re-evaluate traffic after the improvements are complete. Several residents urged additional traffic-calming measures; one suggested automated camera enforcement as a possibility for habitual speeders.
Design and staff noted that the decorative aluminum fence was preferred for aesthetics and compatibility with the historic community building and splash pad, but the plan language allows the park district to present cost comparisons and proceed with coated chain link if the village agrees that ornamental fencing would be cost-prohibitive. The board approved the motion to prepare final documents subject to the listed conditions and required plan revisions; the ordinance will return for final adoption.
