Change does not come quickly in Richmond.
Many in the village, population 1,016, take pride in the fact that Main Street is still thriving, passers-by greet each other by first name and growth has not gotten out of hand.
Village officials are now considering a new comprehensive plan that appears to fit perfectly with the small municipality’s approach to growth. It would force the board to plan for development and introduce at an early stage minimum requirements for the preservation of natural resources.
The concept, called “performance zoning,” has been used by other municipalities all over the country for at least two decades, said Richmond Planner Lane Kendig. Locally, Lake Villa in Lake County has been using performance zoning successfully for about 12 years.
But no other municipality in McHenry County has adopted the method. Critics caution that it is difficult to implement and far too complex to work effectively.
“It’s wonderful . . . but it’s not that easy a concept,” Richmond Village President Sue Klouda said as the board reviewed the draft comprehensive plan. “The plan doesn’t match our zoning, and I’m uncomfortable with the amount of work it will take to change it. It’s a commitment, and we would be somewhat the test case in McHenry County.”
A municipality’s comprehensive plan presents a snapshot for preferred land uses, both within its borders and within a 1 1/2-mile radius beyond.
Conventional planning designates land areas by different categories such as residential, industrial, business, municipal and parks.
The “performance zoning” concept, proposed by the Richmond Plan Commission in collaboration with Kendig, takes the general classifications one step further, by adding specific standards for the protection of natural resources during development.
For example, the builder of a residential home on a zoned 1-acre parcel would know at the outset that a certain percentage of the site must be kept as open space, and may even be told where on that lot the open space should be located.
Performance zoning could also integrate minimum requirements for such things as landscaping, lighting or access roads.
“Instead of the municipality urging the protection of natural resources, for instance, `to the maximum extent possible,’ this approach will set specific standards that are no longer debatable or subject to interpretation,” said Kendig.
If the draft were accepted by the Village Board, current zoning laws and subdivision code would require revision to reflect the new land-use criteria.
Therein lies the problem with performance zoning, according to Frank Dobbs, director of planning and development for McHenry County.
“Zoning laws are complex enough to deal with in the traditional form,” he said. “Performance zoning aggravates the process, making it virtually impossible for the public to understand. Credibility can be lost.”
By becoming more exact about what is allowed and not allowed in a zoning category, Richmond will find its code multiplied by volumes, warned Dobbs.
“Their first problem will be to find an administrator, highly trained in the technical process. Then they’d have to re-educate their entire zoning and planning departments, and it’s a tough concept to teach,” he said.
Lake Villa in neighboring Lake County, however, has seen performance zoning work to its advantage, according to Mayor Frank Loffredo. The village, with a population of 4,000, also uses Kendig as a planner.
All new residential developments in Lake Villa have some level of performance zoning in their design.
