Kenilworth zoning code rewrite could include commission consolidation and setback, signage rule changes

The first comprehensive update to Kenilworth’s zoning code in more than 50 years is coming full circle. 

Kenilworth trustees at their Tuesday, Dec. 9 meeting heard an extensive briefing regarding the ongoing work to bring the zoning code up to date and make it more functional for the town’s residents and business owners. 

Carol Brobeck, a representative from the Village’s planning consultant, Teska Associates, led the presentation and offered what she described as the “high-level” feedback and progress of work thus far. 

The village’s quest to update its zoning code started in 2024 when trustees earmarked it as a goal. Teska officials soon began auditing the code, finding that it needed clarification, reorganization and modernization, according to the village’s website. 

An ad-hoc zoning code working group, which features representatives from various village commissions, has joined Teska in the project. 

After detailing the extent of work thus far, Brobeck highlighted some of the key takeaways from community feedback. 

Residents have told project planners that revising guidelines in the town’s business district, making updates to the sign code and putting forth procedural enhancements are some top priorities, Brobeck said. 

In the business district, residents are hoping the code can further clarify landscaping and safety guidelines.

Brobeck noted that residents support a significant rewrite of the signage code and exploring how to combine the village’s architectural review and plan commissions. 

Parking pads were also a point of discussion as Brobeck noted there’s been several requests for them over the last couple of years; however, residents showed little support for the idea and expressed favor toward continuing to avoid them. 

The core of Brobeck’s presentation focused on potential changes — several of which aligned with residents’ priorities — that eventually will be recommended to the Village Board.

Brobeck began with a suggestion to remove from the code setback restrictions for residential pools, outdoor kitchens and accessory structures. 

“It seems like a small (change) but it’s a big one because of the number of requests that we get for these types of items,” she said, adding it would be a “substantial change” to the code. 

“I’ve had too many tough conversations about the beautiful design that someone put so much time and energy into just doesn’t jibe with the zoning code.”

Multiple recommendations involved the village’s certificate of appropriateness process, which is used to enable consistency with the town’s zoning ordinance and design guidelines. Right now, this process is required for all signs, any nonresidential use in a residential district and essentially all cases of development in the business district. 

Brobeck said planners have had “significant conversations” related to the process, noting that while well intended, it could be “going too far.”

The recommendation would limit when this process would be required to largely complete or brand-new redevelopments in the business district and what was classified as “larger, more impactful projects.” 

Regarding the business district, breaking permitted uses into categories versus the current specifications is also a planned recommendation as well as revising the design guidelines in the district. 

Changes related to floor area extension for homes in the village could also be on the docket. 

Trustee Amelia Hannus, who chairs the board’s building, planning, and zoning committee, explained the reason behind some of the ongoing conversations related to updates. 

“All the changes go back to that idea that we heard from residents from the first outreach that we did that there is some value to the overall feel of Kenilworth and we’ve all sort of chosen it for that reason,” she said. 

“And it’s not that it’s all cookie-cutter but that it’s all beautiful and respectful of the neighbors. So all of these things should enhance that thought process to maintain what we love and also enable people to maintain their older homes … but modernize it at the same time.” 

The zoning code working group will hold a final meeting later this month, and after that, Teska representatives will prepare a full draft of an adjusted zoning code. That draft will go to village staff and will then shortly thereafter be shared with the community, so residents “can get a sense of what the changes are,” Brobeck said. 

“This is a massive document that we know the community will be very interested in to get a sense of it but probably not read the whole thing,” she said. “So the rollout of how to bring this to the community is very top of mind and will likely be the very first step of the adoption process.”

The next piece will be a public hearing with the plan commission, which will then make a recommendation that will come before the Village Board. The plan commission will likely hold several meetings related to the code updates before it reaches the board. 

That process will likely take up much of the first quarter of 2026 and given current uncertainty over how long it will take, a precise timeline for final adoption is still ambiguous. 

Village President Cecily Kaz thanked all involved for their work this far while expressing the importance of the next steps. 

“This is very, very helpful,” Kaz said. “There is a lot of work here and I think that the next few months are really important in terms of making sure that the actual changes that are vetted by the community.”

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