Northbrook releases public‑hearing draft of comprehensive zoning rewrite, with parking relief and more ‘missing‑middle’ housing

Northbrook village staff and outside consultants presented a public‑hearing draft of a comprehensive zoning code rewrite Tuesday, outlining new housing types, form‑based standards for the Village Green Overlay, updated sign and facade rules, sustainability provisions and several administrative changes. Staff said the draft will be posted for two open houses and then return to the planning commission and village board for hearings and possible adoption.

The draft, staff said, aims to preserve community character while increasing housing variety and promoting sustainability. "We are proposing to allow duplexes by right," the presenter said, adding that duplexes and other "missing middle" housing types would be allowed in several residential districts with design and parking standards to help them blend into neighborhoods.

Why it matters: The rewrite would alter what types of housing and development are allowed across Northbrook neighborhoods and downtown. Changes such as allowing duplexes by right in some districts, adding triplexes and quadplexes, and permitting cottage courts and 5–12 unit buildings in certain districts could affect housing supply, neighborhood form and developer expectations. The package also changes downtown expectations with a two‑story minimum and a by‑right parking reduction in the Village Green Overlay that drew questions from trustees and commissioners.

Key housing and design changes

- Duplexes and other small‑scale multifamily: The draft would allow duplexes by right in the R5, R6, R7, R8 and RS districts and would add standards for building design and parking to encourage a single‑family appearance. The consultant characterized triplexes and quadplexes as "missing middle" housing and proposed allowing them in R7, R8, RS, MF and RLC districts. Five‑to‑12‑unit buildings are proposed for MFRC and RLC districts to serve as buffers along larger, walkable…