The Central Business
District, Skokie Highway Corridor, Ravinia Business District, and
other business districts are home to more than 1,000 businesses
which provide a wide array of goods and services to the community
and region. The Central Business District fulfills an additional
role by serving as the focal point of the community and adding
to Highland Park's unique identity. In addition, these businesses
generate significant property and sales tax revenues which help
provide the high-quality municipal services, schools, parks, and
public
infrastructure desired by the residents.
The health and vitality of these business districts is, therefore,
vital to the quality of life in Highland Park. The following Goals
and Objectives are intended to protect and strengthen the community's
economy. This category addresses Goals and Objectives related to
the following values: maintaining healthy and attractive business
areas; retaining local businesses while attracting new growth;
providing for the transportation and parking needs of businesses
and residents; improving Highland Park's share of the regional
retail market; and providing government with adequate revenues
to provide the services and facilities desired by residents and
businesses.
| Goals |
Objectives |
Policies/Actions |
|
1. To provide a diverse economic base by retaining and attracting
a range of businesses and industries compatible with the
community's character and by maintaining a healthy, supportive
climate conducive to investment and the conduct of business.
|
a. Continue to enhance
the partnership between the City, residents, and Chamber
of Commerce to support existing businesses while marketing
the community to new businesses. |
Conduct annual surveys of existing businesses to determine
their needs and problems and their suggestions on the role
that the City should play in helping
meet their needs.
|
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2. To support a sound economy as a means of generating revenue
to finance public services and capital improvements, thereby
achieving the community's major environmental, social and
public goals. To expand income-producing land uses to generate
tax
revenues in excess of the cost of public services.
|
b. Work with the Chamber of Commerce to develop a strategic
plan to retain current businesses and attract selected retail,
office, research and light industrial
activities which will:
- Stabilize and enhance the business environment;
- Contribute
to the diversification of the economic base;
- Significantly contribute to the local commercial tax
base;
- Have little or no adverse environmental
impact;
- Emphasize attracting and retaining local retailers.
|
Waivers or variances
may be used as incentives to retain or attract businesses and
industries that will provide economic and other benefits to
the community. Environmental protection standards, zoning,
and building codes should be applied to all new businesses
and industries with flexibility while maintaining high standards
and
without compromising quality. |
| 3. To provide a sound
and diverse employment base for the community by retaining
and attracting businesses that will hire area residents. |
c. Continue aggressive
revitalization of Downtown expanding on the success of Port
Clinton Square. |
Continue to allow
home-based businesses that will not create negative impacts
in neighborhoods. |
| 4. To increase regional,
state, and national awareness of the uniqueness of Highland
Park as a strong, safe and vibrant community by communicating
our location and strengths. |
d. Work with the Chamber of Commerce, property owners, and
businesses in the
Downtown to:
- Capitalize on the new U.S. Export Office;
- Reduce vacancies by attracting a desirable mix of retailers,
services businesses, and
restaurants;
- Provide management assistance as requested;
- Explore uniform hours of operation, including evenings
and Sundays;
- Identify the desirable limit of horizontal and vertical
growth of the Central Business District.
|
Construct streetscape
features such as lighting, special pavements, and street furniture
in pedestrian-oriented business districts. |
| 5. To protect and
strengthen all commercial areas in the community, including
all neighborhood business districts, to meet the needs of residents
and effectively capture Highland Park's share of the region's
retail sales. |
e. Identify economic
opportunities in all business districts and develop pro-active
strategic plans for each area similar to the Ravinia Strategic
Plan and the Skokie Highway Corridor Strategic Plan, including
a sign and graphic identification program featuring entry identification
markers. |
Expand public parking
as needed in all business districts, including parking structures,
by implementing the Parking Subcommittee's "Final Report and
Recommendations for
Parking in the Central Business District". |
| 6. To protect and
strengthen the economic vitality of the Skokie Corridor in
order to realize its full market potential as a regional center
not in competition with
downtown. |
f. Improve the image
of all business districts by creating an attractive and unified
appearance, relating new construction to the architectural
character of existing buildings. Establish urban design standards
for business districts that provide for additional yet sensitive
treatment of signage and expanded parking. |
Work with all automobile
dealers to identify and resolve their needs for additional
visibility, access, and signage. |
| 7. To maintain a compact,
clearly-defined, and prosperous downtown that will satisfy
the community's needs for a wide array of shopping and dining
opportunities and services as well as civic, cultural and entertainment
facilities. |
g. Recognize Ravinia
Festival, Apple Tree Theater, Suburban Fine Arts Center, and
the Highland Park Community House as important visitor destinations
and build upon these attractions to promote Highland Park's
dining and shopping opportunities. |
Continue to work with
landlords and Realtors to maintain a database of available,
leaseable business spaces in Highland Park for use by prospective
business tenants. |
| |
h. Encourage owners
of existing businesses which do not comply with applicable
environmental protection, zoning, and building codes to upgrade
their properties over time in order to approve site appearance
and bring sites into compliance with current
regulations. |
Use all home-rule
municipality powers as needed to assist in economic development
activities. |
| |
i. Continue working
with Highland Park Hospital and other health care providers
to maintain and enhance the level of health care services available
in Highland
Park. |
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