RTA-led zoning code updates kick off in Fox Lake, Joliet

Aerial shot of the Joliet Metra station next to a baseball field

This month, two new projects that will make new development in two communities throughout the Chicago region more equitable, accessible, and transit-friendly will kick off, thanks to support from the RTA Community Planning program. This program provides funding and technical assistance to local governments to help foster growth of sustainable and walkable communities centered on the region’s transit services. Since 1998, more than 200 projects have been completed.

Fox Lake Zoning Code Update

The Village of Fox Lake in the northwest suburbs is partnering with RTA on a zoning code update that advances transit-oriented development (TOD) in and around the Village’s downtown and Metra station area. This effort will implement key recommendations from the Fox Lake Downtown Master Plan, recently adopted by the Village, by updating zoning regulations to support a vibrant, walkable, and economically resilient downtown that takes full advantage of its transit and waterfront assets.

The TOD-specific zoning code changes will focus on the Downtown Fox Lake area, including the Metra station area, waterfront district, and adjacent corridors where compact, mixed-use development is encouraged and currently allowed as envisioned in the Downtown Master Plan.

The Fox Lake Downtown Master Plan provides a strategic framework for enhancing the Village’s core through targeted development, improved connectivity, public realm investment, and a mix of uses that leverage the area’s unique location along the Chain O’Lakes and its access to Metra’s Milwaukee District North (MD-N) Line.

The zoning code update aims to

Increase height minimums and maximums in appropriate areas to support higher density, mixed-use development while maintaining compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods.
Encourage active ground-floor uses such as retail, restaurants, and services to enhance the pedestrian experience in the downtown and along lakefront corridors.
Incentivize wider sidewalks, street trees, pedestrian lighting, benches, and other streetscape amenities.
Encourage outdoor dining areas and establish clear guidelines for their placement, design, and operation.
Update parking requirements to remove minimums near transit, encourage shared parking, and increase bicycle parking provisions.
Streamline development approvals for projects consistent with TOD and downtown revitalization goals to encourage private investment.
Encourage mixed-income housing within the downtown area, with zoning incentives for affordable housing near transit and the lakefront.
Integrate waterfront access and view corridor protections into the zoning code to ensure new development enhances rather than obstructs public enjoyment of the lakefront.

The planning process began in January 2026 and is expected to wrap up in October 2026.

Joliet Zoning Code Update

The City of Joliet in the southwest suburbs is partnering with RTA on a zoning code update that advances equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) in the area surrounding the Joliet Gateway Transportation Center. This zoning code update will be a critical step in implementing the Downtown Joliet Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Plan, completed through the RTA’s Community Planning Program and adopted by the Joliet City Council on July 15, 2025.

The ETOD-specific zoning code changes will be focused on priority areas identified in the ETOD Plan, particularly the area surrounding Joliet’s Gateway Transportation Center in Downtown Joliet.

The City of Joliet’s ETOD Plan provides a vision, policy framework, and implementation strategies to promote compact, walkable, mixed-use development around transit that benefits all residents—with a focus on equitable outcomes for historically underrepresented and transit-dependent populations. The Plan recommends zoning changes that will remove regulatory barriers to ETOD, support a diverse array of housing options, encourage small business growth, and enhance the public realm. Zoning changes will be rooted in the recommendations from the Plan.

The zoning code update aims to:

Update existing zoning districts or create an ETOD overlay district to allow for multi-family and mixed-use development by right and denser development near transit stops and stations.
Allow taller building heights.
Update parking requirements to remove minimums near transit, encourage shared parking, and expand bicycle parking provisions.
Implement an inclusionary zoning or density bonus policy, which would incentivize or require that a portion of new residential developments within the study area be affordable for low- and moderate-income households.
Streamline the development review and approval process for ETOD projects.
Allow for new small neighborhood commercial buildings or for the rehabilitation of former commercial buildings back to commercial use.

The planning process began in January 2026 and is expected to wrap up in October 2026.

Learn more about the RTA’s Community Planning program.