The Homewood Village Board approved amendments to the village’s zoning ordinance at the May 12 meeting to update off-street parking requirements and align local regulations with the new recent state law. 

According to Homewood Interim Director of Economic and Community Development Noah Schumerth, the amendments respond to Illinois’ People Over Parking Act, which was implemented in October 2025. The law limits the ability of municipalities to enforce parking requirements near transit hubs and transit corridors. 

“The bill will have significant impacts on the Village of Homewood, due to the village’s proximity to various transit services,” Schumerth said in a memo addressed to the board. 

The changes remove minimum parking requirements in Homewood’s Downtown Core B-1 and Downtown Transition B-2 zoning districts. The amendments also revise parking ratios for residential developments, including apartment buildings, townhomes and manufactured home parks, Schumerth said. 

The ordinance also clarifies rules related to off-site parking, including where parking facilities may be located and when shared parking agreements can reduce the number of required spaces, he said. 

The proposal creates a new zoning category for off-site parking facilities and requires those facilities to go through the village’s limited use permit review process, Schumerth said. 

The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the proposal April 23 and voted unanimously, 6-0, to recommend approval to the village board, he said. 

The amendments are intended to align Homewood’s zoning regulations with state law while supporting redevelopment efforts and modern planning practices. Village officials reviewed engineering standards, planning guidance and feedback from peer communities while preparing the changes, Schumerth said.