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Homewood moves forward with major zoning code update

The Homewood Planning & Zoning Committee met on Thursday, Jan. 27, for a public workshop session led by Houseal Lavigne & Associates (HLA), the urban planning and design firm the Village engaged in June 2021 to update Homewood’s zoning ordinance code.

This is the first update to the code since 2002. Angela Mesaros, director of Economic Development and Planning, said goals for the update include modernizing the code, identifying and removing inconsistencies, increasing usability for residents through clear language and visuals and aligning Homewood’s code with current best practices.

During the meeting, HLA’s Jackie Wells, project manager for the comprehensive update, walked committee and community members through several sections of the firm’s proposal.

Electric vehicle charging stations, community garden space, bicycle parking, pedestrian walkways and clear guidelines for tree removal and replacement were all featured in the presentation. The establishment of more “mixed use” zoning and restrictions on “short term rentals” such as AirBnB properties, were discussed as well.

Additionally, current results from the community outreach survey conducted both online in the village hall were shared.

Truck traffic, preservation of green space and industrial zoning and pollution concerns dominate the findings.

According to the village’s website, the digital survey and drop-box remain open for community members until November 2022.

During the Q&A session that followed the presentation, community members voiced concern for the proposed tree removal policy and urged both HLA and the village to consider revising the current proposal which could allow trees already required for certain structures to serve double duty as replacements for mature trees removed for construction.

The short-term rental guidelines also came under scrutiny. The proposal set a seven-day minimum on stays, but some feared this would discourage visitors and travelers from considering the hotel alternatives.

Mesaros said the next workshop will take place sometime in June 2022. No date has been set yet, she said, but once solidified, it will be published on Homewood’s website. Community members are encouraged to attend.

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