Chaddick Municipal Development Award

For more than a decade, the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development has hosted the Municipal Development Award competition recognizing innovation and leadership in managing the development process.  Past winners deserve wide recognition for their excellence in using zoning, development approvals, subdivision regulation, and design to build stronger and more livable communities.

PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS

The Institute worked in conjunction with Trails for Illinois to recognize municipalities that are creatively planning, designing, and utilizing trailways that run through their downtowns.  Our expert panel considered connectivity, multi-jurisdictional involvement, and areas where the trail has enhanced recreational and mobility options.  Well planned and effectively "branded" trails can bring enormous economic, community, and cultural benefits.

2015 WINNERS

 

In 2014, Chaddick coordinated with both Metra and the RTA, which provided us with a list of notable communities employing TOD strategies. We then worked with our distinguished panelists to select the following two winners:

WINNER OF THE 2014 MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD: VILLAGE OF ORLAND PARK

Commuter Rail Station Area Development Award for its outstanding transit-oriented development, including Ninety7Fifty Project at the 143rd St. Metra Station. 

WINNER OF THE 2014 MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD: VILLAGE OF SKOKIE

Transit Station Area Development Award for its visionary transit-oriented development and planning process at the Oakton Yellow Line Station. 

 

The Village of La Grange earned this award for its outstanding administrative process to streamline the zoning variation process for minor adjustments to zoning regulations. This new process is to address competing issues of controlling bulk for teardowns/new construction and prompting protection of existing historic housing. As a result, the variation process has been simplified and shortened.

The committee was impressed that the village had adopted a staff review process that does not require the time and expense of a ZBA hearing. The process allows homeowners to update their properties with small additions, garages, unenclosed front porches which are consistent with the village's scale, character and charm.  The streamlined zoning process encouraged improvements to historic residential properties in older neighborhoods.

The Village of Schaumburg earned this award for its excellence in the development review of the Woodfield Regional Center guidelines. The Woodfield Regional Center Overlay District (WRC) contains the Woodfield Mall as well as surrounding office, industrial, and retail/commercial space, including over 50 shopping centers and 20 hotels, a dozen car dealerships, and close to 200 restaurants. Therefore, quality design from a site layout, landscaping and architectural perspective is critical to the economic and aesthetic success of the area.

The committee was impressed that the informal, business friendly process is streamlined so proposals that are consistent with the design guidelines are approved quickly. In the 10 years since the village updated and revised the design guidelines, the new projects have met the village's aesthetic standards and the application of the guidelines has been well received by local businesses.

2012