The Kankakee Planning Board voted Jan. 13 to recommend a text amendment to Chapter 4 of the zoning ordinance that would create Section 4.08, setting standards for centralized refuse collection and recycling facilities. The proposed language requires centralized collection areas to be enclosed by a solid fence at least six feet high to conceal contents and to be placed on a concrete or asphalt surface as approved by the zoning officer.

Planning staff told the board the current municipal code includes a screening requirement (fence) but does not mandate a hard surface; staff had surveyed nearby municipalities and found mixed approaches. Staff recommended options such as flexible screening (fence, wall, or landscape berm) while cautioning that overly prescriptive yard restrictions can create hardships on constrained urban lots.

Board members discussed whether to prohibit dumpsters in front or corner‑side yards and whether to include residential totes in the table of accessory uses; several members expressed general agreement with the enclosure and hard‑surface requirements and suggested adding the dumpsters to the permitted‑use tables (4.1 and 4.2) to indicate which yards they are allowed in. The board moved, seconded and approved a recommendation that the city adopt the proposed Section 4.08 and amend tables 4.1 and 4.2 to limit centralized collection facilities to sides and rear yards for residential properties.

Staff said the recommendation will go to the ordinance committee and city council; if council adopts the changes, enforcement and administrative permits will be handled by the Planning & Zoning office and building/engineering departments.