At the September 25 City Council Regular Meeting, the City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the Pedestrian Oriented Shopping Overlay (POSO) District Boundaries. This proactive change aims to increase downtown commercial occupancy and to ensure the long-term economic viability of the Central Business District (CBD). This change will concentrate retail use within the CBD core but allow new types of services such as medical or law offices in the areas outside of and adjacent to the new POSO boundaries. As a next step, the City Council directed staff to consider additional service uses in CBD and possible modification of parking restrictions.
Allowing additional service uses in shopping districts is a national trend in response to the increased popularity of online shopping. By locating some service uses within a retail corridor, synergistic advantages can be achieved to help support retail stores as clients and employees of service businesses patronize retail and restaurant establishments. Along with the gradual shift in the retail market, the consideration for the change is also based on input from downtown property owners, businesses owners, realtors, and other downtown stakeholders.
At the August 1, 2017 Plan Design Commission (PDC) Meeting, the Commission continued a public hearing to consider the amendment and voted 5-1 in favor to amend the POSO boundaries in the CBD. In addition, they recommended the City Council consider additional service uses.
“Increased occupancy equates to more feet on the street to dine in our restaurants and shop at our businesses. It is our hope that this proactive step will help attract and retain businesses,” said Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch. “The City is dedicated to ensuring that doing business in Highland Park remains attractive. Our community benefits when our business districts thrive.”
The POSO was created in 2004 and allowed only retail or retail-oriented service businesses to use the ground floor storefronts in all of the buildings along selected streets within the CBD. The POSO helps promote and preserve a balanced presence of retail and commercial uses and helps maintain the shopping character of the downtown area.
To view the POSO map approved at the September 25 City Council meeting, please visit http://highlandparkil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=4242.