One of the most significant pieces of legislation to come out of Springfield in years is currently under consideration in the Illinois General Assembly. Known as the “Building Up Illinois Development” or “BUILD” Program, this multi-faceted proposal represents a major shift in how land use decisions would be made throughout Illinois
If adopted in its current form, the BUILD program would establish statewide standards that would override many local zoning and development procedures that communities like Darien have relied upon for decades. Among the proposed changes are reduced lot size requirements and expanded allowances for housing types such as duplexes, townhomes, and accessory dwelling units in areas that have historically been reserved for single-family homes. Two brief examples include: Two or three townhomes being constructed on a parcel that previously permitted only one detached home, or smaller lot size requirements allowing homes to be built closer together with reduced setbacks from neighboring properties. The program would also limit the ability of local governments to deny or modify certain developments; they would require strict timelines for permit approvals, restrict zoning regulations to those deemed “clear and objective,” and standardize impact fees. These changes would not be optional, they would be mandated at the state level.
Darien has developed a community identity over time through careful planning, community input, and local decision-making. The way our community looks today reflects consideration of many important factors, including infrastructure capacity, traffic impacts, school enrollments, stormwater management, and the overall character of our neighborhoods. The BUILD program legislation would significantly reduce our ability to make those decisions locally. In its place, it would introduce a one-size fits all framework that would not reflect the unique needs, priorities, and constraints of our community. In effect, Darien would remain responsible for managing growth and addressing the impact of development, but with far less authority to guide how that growth occurs.
Local governments such as ours are closest to the people we serve; we understand the specific needs of our residents and neighborhoods in ways that cannot be replicated at the state level. While there is no question that Illinois must address housing challenges across the state, the real question is how it should be done. The BUILD program does not address our housing needs or increase the affordability of homes, instead it deals simply with increasing density, and decisions regarding density are best made at the local level where residents and their elected representatives have a better idea as to the needs and design of the community.
I strongly encourage all Darien residents to contact our state representatives to let them know that we want to be the arbiters of our future, and that we oppose this legislation in its current form, and we support preserving local control over planning and zoning decisions that directly affect our community.
You can contact:
Representative Nicole LaHa at laha@ilhousegop.org
Representative Marti Deuter at marti@repmartideuter.com
Senator John Curran at senatorcurran@gmail.com