(a)

Purpose of O Office District. The O Office District is intended to create a commercial environment of a non-retail nature for the development of office structures and related uses, within a well landscaped setting. Areas within this district should have access to major streets or public transportation facilities.

(b)

Purpose of B-1 Retail and Office District. The B-1 Retail and Office District is intended to provide an environment suitable for a variety of retail, service, office and mixed (residential above ground-floor commercial) uses. Additionally, this district is intended to accommodate uses that: provide for the needs of local residents; are oriented to pedestrian access; generate relatively minimal vehicular traffic; and have minimal off-street parking demands. Areas within the district should have access to major streets and/or public transportation and may be located adjacent to residential districts.

(c)

Purpose of B-2 General Commercial District. The B-2 General Commercial District is intended to provide an environment suitable for a variety of retail, service and office uses that have higher traffic, illumination and other operational impacts on surrounding areas than those in the B-1 District. Additionally, this district is intended to accommodate uses that: serve both local and regional patrons; are oriented to the demands of heavy vehicular traffic, and provide for relatively high off-street parking demands. Ideally, areas within this district should be adjacent to major streets and should be either physically separated or adequately buffered from R-1 and R-2 residential areas.

(d)

Purpose of B-3 General Commercial, Wholesale and Service District. The B-3 General Commercial, Wholesale and Service District is intended to provide appropriate locations for specialized general commercial uses, including wholesaling, equipment storage and a variety of business services, which are oriented toward supporting other retail goods and personal service establishments, and not necessarily focused upon the shopping public. Areas within this district should have direct access to major streets and be generally situated in locations removed or buffered from residential uses.

(e)

Purpose of B-4 Uptown Business District. The B-4 Uptown Business District is intended to sustain the current commercial, pedestrian-oriented character and economic viability of the central business district. New development will be consistent with the Uptown's established scale, architecture and mix of uses. In order to refine the regulations for this district, a series of sub-districts with corresponding use and bulk regulations have been established, as described in Section 8.2 (B-4 District Sub-Districts) below.

(Ord. No. 2017-23, § 2, 4-5-2017)

Because various areas of Uptown have different mixes of uses, physical characteristics and functions, the City has identified four (4) sub-districts, each with its own set of allowable uses and bulk regulations. The sub-districts are identified on the Official Zoning Map. The general purpose and intent of each sub-district is described below.

(a)

Purpose of the Uptown Core Sub-District. The Uptown Core Sub-District (U-Core) is the traditional center of the City's Central Business District. The U-Core Sub-District is intended to preserve buildings located within the Central Business District that are of architectural significance, and ensure the new development is compatible with and maintains the historical character of the core. The U-Core Sub-District is characterized by a mix of small retail and service uses within a mixed-use pedestrian-oriented environment. Retail, restaurant and entertainment uses shall be located along the ground floor, with personal service, office and residential above.

(b)

Purpose of the Uptown Commercial Sub-District. The Uptown Commercial Sub-District (U-Comm) is intended to support the Uptown Core with a mixed-use environment. The mix of uses and the bulk regulations within this sub-district are structured to relate directly to the Uptown Core, but are distinct in that they allow service uses on the ground floor. This sub-district is also designed to be pedestrian-oriented.

(c)

Purpose of the Transitional Commercial Sub-District. The Transitional Commercial Sub-District (U-TC) is intended as a transitional area, where low-intensity office buffer surrounding single-family neighborhoods from the U-Core Sub-District. The mix of uses includes primarily low intensity office and institutional uses, including on-site parking and open space.

(d)

Purpose of the Public/Institutional Sub-District. The Public/Institutional Sub-District (U-P/I) is intended to accommodate existing public, open space and institutional uses, including government offices. These public and institutional uses offer important community services, and provide a focal point and civic character for Park Ridge and the Uptown Business District.

Table 4: Commercial Districts Permitted and Special Uses lists permitted and special uses for the commercial districts. A "P" indicates that a use is considered permitted within thatdistrict. An "S" indicates that a use is considered a special use in that district and must obtain special use approval as required in Section 4.6 (Special Use). No letter (i.e., a blank space), or the absence of the use from the table, indicates that use is not permitted within that district.

TABLES 4 & 5: FOOTNOTES:

¹ The terms in this column ("Use") are defined in Section 17 (Generic Use Definitions).

² In the Uptown Commercial, professional office uses located on the ground floor along Northwest Highway shall be considered special uses. In all other areas of the Uptown Commercial, professional office uses located on the ground floor are considered permitted uses.

³ Only wireless telecommunications antennas that comply with the stealth design standards of Section 10.3.R.10 shall be considered permitted uses.

⁴ Ordinance 2008-83,11/17/2008

⁵ Ordinance 2008-55, 8/18/2008

⁶ Ordinance 2009-50, 7/6/2009

⁷ Ordinance 2010-33, 4/5/2010

⁸ Ordinance 2010-84, 12/6/2010

⁹ Ordinance 2012-57, 12/3/2012

¹⁰ Ordinance 2015-37, 6/1/2015

¹¹ Ordinance 2014-63, 11/17/2014

¹² Ordinance 2012-39, 8/20/2012

¹³ A Medical Cannabis Cultivation Center is not permitted within the City due to the distance requirements contained in The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act, 410 ILCS 130/1 et seq.

¹⁴ In the U-Comm sub-district, allowed only north of Touhy Avenue; not allowed in U-Comm sub-district south of Touhy Avenue.

(Ord. No. 2014-56, 10-20-2014; Ord. No. 2020-30, § 3, 3-18-2020; Ord. No. 2021-04, § 3, 2-1-2021; Ord. No. 2022-03, § 4, 1-18-2022; Ord. No. 2024-54, § 3, 9-3-2024; Ord. No. 2024-57, § 3, 9-16-2024; Ord. No. 2024-62, § 3, 10-21-2024; Ord. No. 2025-28, § 3, 4-21-2025)

Table 5: Commercial Districts Yard and Bulk Regulations establishes yard and bulk regulations for the commercial districts.

TABLE 5: FOOTNOTES

¹ All appurtenances must meet building height requirements.

² In some cases between certain districts and/or uses, a transition yard may be required. Such transition yard may require additional landscaping and screening, as well as a larger yard dimension to accommodate these plantings. Such transition yards shall be as required by Section 13 (Landscaping and Screening).

³ In the B-1, B-2 or B-3 Districts, a rear yard is not required where an alley or railroad tracks are located between the commercial use and a residential use or district.

(Ord. No. 2022-03, § 5, 1-18-2022)

(a)

Temporary Uses. See Section 10.4 (Temporary Uses) for standards governing temporary uses.

(b)

Accessory Buildings, Structures, and Uses. See Section 11.4 (Accessory Buildings, Structures and Uses) for standards covering accessory buildings, structures and uses. Attached garages shall not be considered an accessory structure but shall be subject to the requirements of Section 11.4.F.2 (Attached Garages).

(c)

Permitted Encroachments. See Section 11.5 (Permitted Encroachments) for standards governing encroachments.

(d)

Environmental Performance Standards. See Section 11.6 (Environmental Performance Standards) for standards governing environmental performance standards.

(e)

Off-Street Parking and Loading. See Section 12 (Off-Street Parking and Loading) for standards governing off-street parking and loading.

(f)

Landscaping and Screening. See Section 13 (Landscaping and Screening) for standards governing landscaping and screening.

(g)

Signs. See Section 14 (Signs) for standards governing signs.

(a)

Architectural Styles.

(1)

Conformance to established architecture is encouraged, but not required. However, the exterior design of buildings shall emphasize traditional architecture consistent with buildings in the Uptown Business District of architectural significance.

(2)

Predominant façade colors shall be subtle, neutral or earth-tone colors, such as red, buff, cream and gray. Primary colors, high-intensity colors, metallic or fluorescent colors, and black are prohibited as predominant façade colors. Building trim and accent areas may be brighter and include primary colors.

(3)

Ceramic tile, terra-cotta brick, stone and glass surfaces shall not be painted.

(b)

Building Materials.

(1)

Permitted Materials. The following materials are permitted for use on exterior elevations:

a.

Clay brick

b.

Natural or cast stone

c.

Wood

In order to adapt to changing technology, the development of new materials and so as not to limit the designer, additional materials other than those specified above may be permitted. The use of alternate materials shall be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, in the context of each individual project, by the Appearance Commission.

(2)

Prohibited Materials. Any language to the contrary in (1) above notwithstanding, the following building materials shall be prohibited as the predominant surface finish material in the construction of new residential buildings and related accessory structures within the Uptown Business District. However, such materials may be used as part of decorative or detail elements, or as part of the exterior construction that is not used as a surface finish material.

a.

Concrete masonry units (CMU);

b.

Utility brick;

c.

Aluminum, steel or other metal sidings;

d.

Metal wall panels;

e.

Exposed aggregate (rough finish) concrete wall panels;

f.

Exterior insulating finish systems (EIFS) on the ground floor;

g.

Rustic shingles and shakes;

h.

Plastic

(c)

Building Scale.

(1)

The Pickwick Theater building shall be maintained as the visual focal point of the Uptown Business District. No new construction shall compete visually with the Pickwick Theater building.

(2)

New construction shall be compatible with the traditional color and scale of the Uptown Business District and the sub-district in which the new construction is to take place.

(3)

Facades of large buildings shall be visually broken into bays to avoid the appearance of large, blank walls. Visual breaks in the façade shall be accomplished by alterations in the plane of the façade, height of the façade, changes in materials, color, texture or pattern, and/or the addition of columns, pilasters and/or windows. Bays shall be twenty (20) to thirty (30) feet in width.

(4)

Buildings shall be designed with a definable base, middle and top. Rooflines, cornice treatments, window design and parapets are encouraged to divide larger buildings. Arcades may be used provided that the upper levels of the building line up with the streetwall and the columns are aligned with the façade of the building.

(d)

Door and Window Design.

(1)

Punched openings in the wall plane shall be provided in which to set windows and doors. Flush-mounted windows and doors are prohibited. Fenestration should match the surrounding traditional character and design. Bay windows on upper stories are permitted provided they are in character with surrounding buildings.

(2)

Each ground floor space with street frontage shall have its primary entrance on the public sidewalk. Additional entrances may be provided from a parking area or access corridor. Buildings that face more than one (1) street may have an angled front entry at the corner.

(3)

All public entrances shall be articulated from the building mass. Examples of such articulation include: recessed entries, overhangs, arcades, raised corniced parapet walls over the door, peaked roof forms, arches, outdoor patio or seating areas, display windows, details such as tile work and moldings integrated into the building design, and integral planters or wing walls that include landscaping or seating.

(4)

In order to recognize the pedestrian orientation of the Uptown Business District, windows shall meet the following requirements:

a.

Along the length of façade(s), if a building faces the public street and sidewalk and has a retail, personal service and/or office use located on the first floor, fifty percent (50%) of the first floor façade shall be display-type windows. A minimum eighteen (18) inch and maximum of thirty (30) inch high knee-wall shall be required beneath glazing so as to allow pedestrians to see into the windows.

b.

First story glass shall be clear and non-tinted. Tinting of second and third story glass shall not vary by more than twenty percent (20%). Reflective glass is prohibited.

(e)

Roof Design.

(1)

Roof lines shall either be varied with a change in height or the incorporation of a major focal point feature, such as a dormer or projected wall feature. Parapet walls are encouraged and shall feature three-dimensional cornice treatments or other shadow-creating detail elements along their tops.

(2)

Gable, sloped mansard, shake and shingle roof designs are prohibited.

(3)

"Green roof" designs are encouraged.

(f)

Historical Preservation. The following design guidelines apply to existing buildings with historical or architectural significance within the B-4 Uptown Business District.

(1)

Existing buildings should be restored to their original condition. False fronts and incompatible façade treatments should be removed.

(2)

Distinguishing features of existing buildings, such as cornices and façade detailing, should be retained, repaired and restored. Original building materials should be maintained and restored.

(3)

Improvements and additions to existing buildings should reinforce and enhance the original character of the building.

(4)

Existing windows should not be covered over or boarded up. New doors should match the original style and character of the façade.

(5)

The original roofline and cornice treatment should be maintained and restored.