The regulations set forth in this Article or set forth elsewhere in this Appendix A when referred to in this Article, are the district regulations for the VC Village Center District. The VC District is the main civic, business and mixed use core of the Village. It includes a wide range of retail, service, office and institutional uses within a geographically compact area near the center of the Village. The Village Center area is intended to be the core of the community's retail activity. Height and bulk regulations, site plan review and specific standards are intended to ensure high quality architectural and site plan design. All such development should promote a planned, pedestrian oriented Village Center compatible with the character of the Village as a whole that will strengthen real estate values throughout the Village. It is further deemed appropriate that the Village Center District contain some housing for young professionals, area residents seeking to downsize their homes, and aging residents provided that it is part of an overall development project that is designed to take advantage of the variety of retail uses, commercial and civic services, and office and employment areas provided in a relatively compact and intensive core of the Village.

While the Village Center is intended to create an inviting pedestrian environment, sufficient parking must also be provided for the patrons, employees and residents of the district. Off street parking lots, loading areas and drive-through facilities must be designed with appropriate screening and located so as not to dominate the street frontages. The Village Center District is ideally situated and well served by major thoroughfares and arterial roadways. Therefore, safe, efficient and convenient vehicular traffic access and circulation must be provided within the district. The traffic and parking impacts of each development proposal must be studied and planned so as not to cause adverse effects on adjacent properties. Development within this district should be consistent with the locations and goals as provided for in the Village's Comprehensive Plan. (Ord. 08-1377, 4-15-2008)

1. Permitted Uses.
   
   Affordable housing development.
   Antique vendor.
   Apparel store.
   Appliance store.
   Art gallery/studio.
   Bakery (retail).
   Bank and other financial institution.
   Barber/beauty shop/day spa.
   Bicycle shop.
   Books/periodicals shop.
   Camera/photography equipment store.
   Carpet/rug store.
   Cellular/digital telephone sales.
   China/glass sales.
   Coffee shop.
   Consumer electronics sales.
   Department store.
   Dressmaker/tailor.
   Drugstore/pharmacy.
   Dry cleaner (retail).
   Dwelling unit above first-floor commercial.
   Educational services/tutoring.
   Florist.
   Furniture/home furnishings store.
   Hardware store.
   Housewares/kitchen store.
   Ice cream/dessert shop.
   Interior decorating shop.
   Jewelry store.
   Kitchen and bath showroom with less than 2,500 square feet of floor area.
   Leather goods store.
   Medical/dental office with less than 5,000 square feet of floor area (located above the first floor).
   Municipal use.
   Musical instrument sales and repair.
   Music, dance, or athletic school.
   Music/musical instruments store.
   Nail salon.
   Office.
   Office supply store.
   Online sales (pick up & drop off).
   Optician/optometrist offices, including laboratories, less than 5,000 square feet of floor area.
   Paint/wallpaper store (retail).
   Pet grooming facility.
   Pet store.
   Photocopying/duplicating services.
   Photography studios.
   Picture framing shop.
   Restaurant, Full Service.
   Restaurant, Outdoor dining.
   Sewing/craft store.
   Shoe store.
   Small wireless facilities in right of way.
   Sporting goods store.
   Toy/hobby/game store.
   Travel agency.
   (Ord. 03-1155, 3-18-2003)
   
2. Special Uses. (See Article XVI of this Appendix A for standards.)
   
   Amusement establishment.
   Automated teller machine (ATM).
   Catering establishment.
   Community center in existence as of January 1, 2003.
   Culinary school.
   Daycare (center).
   Drive-through facility.
   Fitness class studio.
   Fitness facilities with less than 15,000 square feet of floor area.
   Food store.
   Garden center and supply store.
   Gas station (only on Willow Road) (see Chapter 11 of this Code).
   Health/fitness club.
   Hospital/24-hour emergency clinic.
   Massage therapy.
   Medical/dental office with 5,000 square feet or more of floor area (located on the first floor).
   Micro-production of alcohol.
   Other public uses/structures.
   Parking structure/surface parking (as a principal use).
   Pet daycare facility.
   Pet training facility.
   Planned unit development.
   Preschool.
   Restaurant, Fast Food.
   Restaurant, Limited Service.
   Seasonal/temporary uses (see Article XIX of this Appendix A).
   Senior housing facility (dependent).
   Senior housing facility (independent).
   Small wireless facilities outside right of way.
   Theater (indoor).
   Veterinary clinic.
   Wine shop.
   (Ord. 03-1155, 3-18-2003; amd. Ord. 05-1231, 2-15-2005; Ord. 13-1546, 3-19-2013)

There is no minimum lot area for lots in the VC district except planned unit developments which must be at least one-half (1/2) acre or planned unit developments with affordable housing which must have a land area of at least twenty five thousand (25,000) square feet. (Ord. 03-1155, 3-18-2003; amd. Ord. 05-1231, 2-15-2005)

(Ord. 03-1155, 3-18-2003; amd. Ord. 08-1377, 4-15-2008)

1. Purpose. The Village Center district benefits from a desirable location adjacent to the Eden’s Expressway and it is recognized that those properties abutting this regional thoroughfare are appropriate for more intensive use than other Village Center properties. These key properties provide an excellent opportunity to promote the presence of the Village's main civic, business and mixed use core. As such, increased building heights and residential densities are permitted for properties within the Village Center overlay district. Development within this overlay district should be consistent with the location and goals as provided in the Village's Comprehensive Plan.
2. Bulk Regulations. The following provisions supplement the bulk regulations set forth in Section 13-4 of this Article for the VCOD.
   
   

   Building height	Maximum of 60 feet or 6 stories. The Village Board, on the recommendation of the Plan and Zoning Commission and the Architectural Commission may approve a building height of 80 feet or 8 stories provided the enhanced design meets the economic and parking criteria of the Village Center design guidelines as determined by the Village Board1.
   Upper story setbacks	Stories above the third floor shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet from any lot line adjoining a residential district and any story above the fifth floor shall be set back a minimum of 30 feet from any lot line adjoining a residential district.
   1 The commissions and the Village Board shall give consideration to the following factors, among others, in determining whether or not to grant an increase in height above 60 feet: a. The architectural and overall aesthetic quality of the building. This shall include not only the visual impact and style of the building, but the attention to detail and materials. Sloping roofs should be included. b. The environmental friendliness or "green" quality of the building and landscaping, including the use of covered walkways. c. Any height above 4 stories should not cover more than 65 percent of the footprint of the building. d. Any height above 6 stories should not cover more than 35 percent of the footprint of the building. e. The first floor should be devoted to high quality retail tenants that would provide above market sales tax per square foot rates, demand higher than market rates on tenant build out and lease rates. f. Provision of additional parking that will benefit the entire Village Center district.

(Ord. 08-1377, 4-15-2008

The Village Center district benefits from the presence of the Middle Fork of the north branch of the Chicago River along its western district boundary line. This natural resource provides an opportunity to create an aesthetically appealing and pedestrian friendly corridor. Redevelopment of Village Center properties along this waterway must address this distinctive feature and incorporate appropriate setbacks and provide the opportunity for pedestrian linkages. Development within this overlay district should be consistent with the location and goals as provided for in the Village's Comprehensive Plan. (Ord. 08-1377, 4-15-2008)

All planned unit developments are subject to the conditions and review as set forth in Article XVII or XVII-A of this Appendix A. All special uses are subject to the conditions and review as set forth in Article XVI of this Appendix A.

The entire Village Center zoning district, along with the overlay districts as set forth above, shall be considered an area of special development control which shall apply to any new use, change of use, new structure, addition to a structure or interior modification that may result in a more intensive use.

1. Public Hearing. No change as set forth above shall be permitted in the Village Center district except pursuant to a public hearing before the Plan and Zoning Commission of the Village, the submission of findings and recommendations to the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Northfield and a determination by the President and Board of Trustees that:
   1. The proposed change is in conformance with the Village's Comprehensive Plan; and
   2. Will not cause an increase in parking problems, traffic or congestion; and
   3. Will not compromise pedestrian safety; and
   4. The proposed change is in the best interest of the economic development of the Village; and
   5. The physical characteristics of the structure will be consistent with recent development in the Village Center district; and (Ord. 08-1377, 4-15-2008)
   6. The proposed change is in conformance with the Village Center design guidelines. (Ord. 09-1403, 1-20-2009)
2. Consistency. The foregoing shall apply even if the proposed use change is otherwise permitted within the Village Center District and the Village may attach such conditions as it deems appropriate to cause the proposed change to be consistent with the standards set forth in subsection (A) of this Section.
3. Exceptions. The following changes may be approved by the Director of Community Development so long as the changes are otherwise in compliance with Village Codes:
   1. If the nature of the use is unchanged (i.e., retail to retail) and will involve no additional parking and no exterior change other than signage.
   2. Additions that are smaller than ten percent (10%) of the existing floor area, but only if the use remains unchanged.
   3. An affordable housing development which is in compliance with Article XVII-A of this Appendix A. (Ord. 08-1377, 4-15-2008)
      

Proposed projects that represent a significant departure from the Comprehensive Plan may elect to submit for a preliminary project review, which is entirely elective. See Appendix D, Article I, "Fees", of this Code for the associated fee. (Ord. 09-1436, 12-7-2009)