Developers may find an easier path to building in Barrington after some village commissioners pledged to stop second-guessing each other.
The Barrington Zoning Commission has agreed to support guidelines for contractors as they move their proposals through various village commissions.
Zoning commissioners last week addressed the procedures the Appearance Review Commission and Plan Commission must take in reviewing planned-unit developments.
Historically, the ARC and Plan Commission have been pitted against each other. The proposed zoning ordinance that the Zoning Commission supports better defines its roles, with the Plan Commission being in charge of reviewing land uses and the Appearance Review Commission being in charge of reviewing the building appearance.
The proposed zoning ordinance recommends development plans receive a recommendation from the ARC before going on to the Plan Commission for review.
The Zoning Commission also agreed on the specific duties of each panel. The ARC would review a building’s size as it relates to the property and its neighbors, the type and quality of materials used, the design of the building and how it fits in with neighboring properties.
The Plan Commission would then consider issues related to village codes such as height, tree regulations, setbacks and building size.
The ARC already has begun to follow the guidelines even though the zoning ordinance hasn’t been approved by the Village Board.
ARC and Zoning Commission member Michael Tardrew said, “These (changes) empower the ARC because to go to the next step, (developers) have to get past us.”
