Northbrook board advances public-hearing draft of comprehensive zoning rewrite; key changes include duplexes, ADUs and 50% parking reduction in Village Green

The Village of Northbrook advanced a public‑hearing draft of a comprehensive rewrite of its zoning code after a joint session of the Village Board and Planning Commission, with the board voting to place the draft on an upcoming meeting agenda for formal public hearings.

The draft, presented by village planning staff, packages changes intended to ‘‘preserve community character, prioritize the user experience and promote sustainability initiatives,’’ staff said. Key elements discussed include allowing duplexes and other “missing‑middle” housing in several residential districts, permitting attached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by right under occupancy limits, new form‑based standards for the Village Green Overlay (VGO), and a by‑right parking reduction of up to 50% inside the VGO.

Why it matters: The rewrite would replace decades of piecemeal amendments and modernize how Northbrook regulates housing types, commercial design and administrative procedures. The changes would affect development patterns in downtown Northbrook (the Village Green and Shermer Road corridors), potential housing supply and how the village handles zoning approvals and public notice.

The presenter said the draft removes single‑family floor‑area‑ratio limits that have discouraged finishing floor space above garages and would adjust lot area and width standards in R‑4 and R‑5 districts to better match existing lot sizes. ‘‘We are proposing to allow duplexes by right’’ in a range of districts, the planner said; later in the presentation staff said duplexes would be allowed in the R‑5, R‑6, R‑7, R‑8 and RS districts. The draft also…