Comprehensive Plan River Forest, Illinois November 2003 Parking ...................................16 Railroads................................38 Table of Schools ..................................16 Park/Open Space................16 Section 6 Corridor Plans ..........................40 40 CoConnntentstents Private Recreation...............16 Public/Semi Public ..............17 Corridor Plans......................................41 Table of Contents..................................1 Forest Preserve ....................17 North Avenue Corridor Plan..................42 Introduction...........................................2 Vacant Land..........................17 North Avenue Corridor Land- Zoning ................................................19 Use and Improvement Plan The River Forest Community .................................................42 ................................................... 2 R1 - Wide Lot Single-Family Residential.............................19 Harlem Avenue to William Purpose of the Street......................................43 Comprehensive Plan ............ 3 R2 - Single-Family (Detached) Residential.............................19 William Street to Jackson Organization of the Plan...... 3 Avenue...................................43 Maps and Graphics............... 3 R4 - Multi-Family Residential .................................................19 Forest to Thatcher ...............44 C1-Commercial....................19 Madison Street Corridor Plan...............46 Section 1 Community ProfileProfile...........................44 C2-Commercial District .....19 Madison Street Corridor Community Profile.................................5 C3-Commercial District .....19 Land-Use and Improvement Plan.........................................46 Historical Perspective........... 5 ORIC- Thatcher Avenue to Gale Regional Setting..................... 5 Office/Research/Industrial Avenue...................................47 Demographics........................ 5 /Commercial ........................19 PRI- Gale Avenue to Keystone Public/Recreational/Institutio Avenue...................................47 Section 2 Goals & Objectives ................9 9 nal ...........................................19 Keystone to Forest ..............47 Goals and Objectives............................10 Land Use Plan .....................................21 Forest Avenue to Park Avenue...................................47 Overall Community Goals 10 Land-Use Classification ......21 Park Avenue to Franklin Community Appearance and Residential.............................21 Avenue...................................48 Character...............................11 Commercial ..........................22 Franklin Avenue to Ashland Housing and Residential Community Facilities ..........23 Avenue...................................48 Areas ......................................11 Ashland Avenue to Lathrop Commercial, Retail and Section 4 Community FacilitiesFacilities...... 26 Avenue...................................48 Office Development..........12 Transportation......................12 Community Facilities............................27 Lake Street Corridor Plan......................51 Community Facilities and Schools & Educational Lake Street Corridor Land- Services..................................13 Facilities .................................27 Use and Improvement Plan Parks, Recreation and Open Parks, Recreation and Open .................................................52 Space......................................13 Space......................................28 Corridor Commercial Area53 Intergovernmental and Cook County Forest Preserve Village Center Area.............53 Organizational Cooperation District....................................29 Residential/Recreation Area .................................................14 Public/Semi Public Facilities .................................................54 Fiscal and Economic .................................................30 Development .......................14 Religious and Other Institutions.............................32 Section 7 Implementation ....................56 56 Transportation......................32 Implementation...................................57 Administrative Actions .......57 Section 3 Land UseUse............................................................1515 regulatory ..............................58 Existing Land Use.................................16 Section 5 Transportation............Transportation............ 35 Single-Family Residential....16 Capital Improvements Attached Single-Family Transportation.....................................36 Program.................................58 Residential.............................16 Streets ....................................36 High Priority Action Agenda Multi-Family Residential.....16 Parking ...................................36 .................................................58 Mixed-Use.............................16 Mass Transportation ...........37 Review and Revision ..........59 Commercial ..........................16 Walking/Biking Path ...........38 River Forest Comprehensive Plan Action Agenda ............60 Comprehensive Plan: River Forest, Illinois Page 1 Commercial and office uses are COMPREHENSIVE PLAPLANNNNINGNING PROCESS IntroduIntroducccctiontion concentrated along and near North Avenue, Harlem Avenue, In the Spring of 2002, the Village This is the updated Comprehensive Madison Street, and Lake Street. selected Trkla, Pettigrew, Allen & Plan for the Village of River Forest, Payne, Inc. to assist in the prepara- Illinois. It sets forth long-range rec- River Forest contains a large tion of an update to the existing ommendations for the mainte- amount of land devoted to parks, Comprehensive Plan. nance and enhancement of exist- forest preserves, open spaces, pub- ing community areas, and for de- lic buildings and institutional facili- The planning process in River For- sirable improvements, develop- ties, all of which add significantly est has entailed a multi-phase pro- ments and redevelopments in se- to the Village’s special image and gram consisting of: 1) reviewing lected locations. overall character. and analyzing the existing Com- prehensive Plan and Corridor Plan This updated Plan summarizes the There is little vacant land remaining reports; 2) analyzing existing con- results of a public planning pro- for new development within the ditions; 3) identifying issues and gram in River Forest. Village’s corporate limits. concerns; 4) formulating goals and objectives; 5) preparing updated THE RIVER FOREST COMCOMMUNITYMUNITY As a built-up community, River community-wide plans for land- Forest is expected to experience use, transportation and community The Village of River Forest is a ma- very little future growth in popula- facilities; 6) updating and develop- ture community with a population tion and households, although the ing plans and policies for key “tar- of approximately 11,600 persons. high quality of life and favorable get areas;” and 7) preparing final It is located in Cook County, ap- location has created a strong mar- plan and implementation recom- proximately 10 miles west of ket demand for residential homes. mendations. downtown Chicago (see Figure 1). New development will likely entail replacement of older existing uses, River Forest’s planning program River Forest is an attractive and the redevelopment of marginal and has entailed local input and par- desirable community noted for its deteriorated properties, and the ticipation. A close working rela- established, historic residential development of remaining vacant tionship was established between neighborhoods, and its religious land. Village staff, the Consultant, and and educational institutions. the Plan Commission. Workshops River Forest’s most recent Com- In terms of physical development, and community facility surveys prehensive Plan was prepared in River Forest is primarily a single- were undertaken early in the proc- March 1987. While the Plan has family residential community. Exist- ess to elicit ideas and perceptions served as an effective guide for ing residential neighborhoods about issues and potentials within improvement and development, range from older, historic River Forest. Public meetings were an update to the Plan is now neighborhoods in the central por- also undertaken at key junctures to needed to respond to the unique tion of the Village, to multi-family present information, discuss find- needs and potentials of a mature, residences along its eastern and ings and conclusions, and establish built-up community. northern boundaries and along the consensus. Union Pacific tracks and Lake Street. Comprehensive Plan: River Forest, Illinois Page 2 PURPOSE OF THE promote River Forest’s unique as- and presents future steps and con- COMPRCOMPREEEHENSIVEHENSIVE PLAN sets, and it can be used to help siderations for strengthening their attract new families and desirable role in contributing to the quality The Comprehensive Plan is River new investment and development of life in River Forest. Forest’s official policy guide for to the community. land-use and development. It con- SECTION 5: Transportation. This siders not only the immediate ORGANIZATION OF THE PLAN section contains transportation needs and concerns of the com- analysis and recommendations to munity, but also projects im- The Comprehensive Plan report is ensure the Village is served by a provement and development 10 to divided into 7 sections, as follows: