Des Plaines officials plan to merge the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals and Plan Commission into one advisory panel beginning next year.
At a recent meeting, the city’s aldermen voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance that would combine the two boards with a total of 12 members into one board with seven members.
Merging the two boards into one body would significantly cut down the time it takes for projects to be considered by the board and City Council, save money on staff overtime costs, and reduce confusion for residents and developers, said George Sakas, Des Plaines’ director of Community and Economic Development.
With a separate Plan Commission and ZBA, “some development projects require a hearing before the Plan Commission followed by an ordinance approved by the City Council with a second hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals followed by a second ordinance passed by City Council,” according to a memo written by Sakas. With just one board in place, the time and number of meetings required to consider a project would be reduced by half, he wrote.
Sakas said the new board would include seven individuals — all sitting members of the city’s Plan Commission and ZBA — to be appointed later this year.
Sakas said the retirement of ZBA Chairman Arnie Seegers prompted staff to look into whether a combined board would provide more efficiency.
A few other Planning Commission and ZBA members are expected to retire before the merger takes effect, and some others have expressed interest in serving on different city advisory panels, he said.
Mayor Matt Bogusz said he doesn’t expect the change to result in a gap of leadership.
“I think this is a fundamental improvement to the way we do zoning and planning in the city,” he said.
Bogusz said the number of times Evanston-based nonprofit Over the Rainbow Association appeared before the Plan Commission, ZBA and City Council in their bid to get a proposed apartment complex for individuals with physical disabilities approved is a good example of the inefficiency.
According to Sakas’ memo, communities experiencing initial development generally have separate planning and zoning boards, while communities that are largely built-out, like Des Plaines, usually have just one body that oversees all planning and zoning issues.
Several aldermen voiced enthusiastic support for the merger.
“It’s about time we move up into the modern day,” Second Ward Ald. John Robinson said.
Sakas said the combined zoning and planning board is expected to hold its first meeting in January.
Sixth Ward Alderman Malcolm Chester was absent from the meeting.
Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.
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