Officials Release New Oswego Ordinance Recs, Ask For Public Input

OSWEGO, IL — The village of Oswego is creating a new Unified Development Ordinance – and is asking for the public's input based on recommendations it recently released.

The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) will be the result of a community-based process to update and modernize Oswego's Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances, according to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning's website.

It will address zoning district updates, uses, subdivision standards, zoning applications (special uses, variances, amendments, etc.), parking, landscaping, and definitions.

The new Ordinance will be designed by local stakeholders with assistance from CMAP, which in 2019 chose to help the village as part of its Local Technical Assistance program.

CMAP recently released a Recommendations Memo to be used as a point of discussion ahead of drafting the new ordinance. The memo covers theoretical updates to zoning application processes, as well as proposed subdivision development standards and zoning district regulations.

"The goal of this phase of the project is to reach a consensus with Village staff and the Steering Committee on key issues facing the community prior to drafting the standards that will make up the Ordinance," the Memo reads. "The Recommendations Memo also helps the project team identify issues that may require further research, analysis, and discussion prior to the drafting phase of the project."

Now that the recommendations have been completed, Oswego residents can provide their input on future village zoning laws by filling out a zoning survey on the CMAP website.

The survey poses questions such as "Would you like to see more outdoor dining in Oswego?" and asks residents to mark the types of sustainable features, accessory dwelling units, and green infrastructure practices they would like to see in Oswego.

"Public input is crucial to developing an ordinance that is driven by the needs and vision of the community," officials said on the CMAP website.