Village of Franklin Park Adopts New Transit Zoning Regulations

November 3, 2014

RTA Community Planning Program Funds Help Village Take Step Forward

Chicago – The Village of Franklin Park Board of Trustees recently adopted new zoning regulations that will help to improve the area around the downtown Franklin Park Metra station.  The work to amend the zoning regulations was funded by the Regional Transportation Authority’s Community Planning program, in partnership with the Village.

These new transit-oriented development (TOD) zoning regulations encourage transit-friendly development in the downtown area, as recommended in the RTA-funded Franklin Park West Line Station Area Planning study.  The plan’s goal is to provide guidance to the municipality on ways to attract and retain businesses, increase tax revenues for the Village, enhance transit access and encourage development in the TOD area.   

“This will help the Village attract the development we would like to see in our Metra station area and empowers our staff to work closely with prospective developers on potential projects,” said Mayor Barrett Pedersen, Village of Franklin Park. “The RTA’s assistance helped the Village move towards creating a more transit-supportive environment that encourages more people to use the region’s transit system.”

The new zoning regulations will help the community achieve a good mix of land use that is pedestrian-friendly and complementary to the downtown’s character.  Additionally, these new form-based regulations streamline the approval process for potential projects that follow the standards set forth in each of four newly created zoning districts.

"The RTA is pleased to have contributed to the Village of Franklin Park’s growth by providing this assistance to updating its TOD area zoning regulations,” says Leanne Redden, RTA Executive Director, “The Village’s efforts to implement the Station Area Planning Study we supported illustrates the type of transit-oriented improvements we work on to bring to riders and residents throughout the RTA region.”   

This is one of many TOD planning and implementation projects funded through the RTA’s Community Planning Program. To date, the program has completed more than 90 TOD and implementation plans since the late 1990’s using a combination of RTA, local and federal funds, totaling nearly $10 million.

For more information about the RTA’s Community Planning Program, visit www.rtachicago.org/cp. 

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With three transit systems and more than two million riders a day, there is always something interesting going on at the RTA. Get the latest scoop on everything all in one place. For all media inquiries, please contact Susan Massel, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, at 312-913-3256 or at communications@rtachicago.org.