Spring Valley adopts zoning map

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SPRING VALLEY — Spring Valley aldermen adopted a new zoning map at their meeting Monday that will take effect Nov. 1. In December 2005, Mayor Jim Narczewski announced the creation of the Zoning Commission, to update regulations unchanged since the 1960s.

Commission members used the city of Princeton’s new ordinance code as a blueprint to create new regulations for Spring Valley, and the council approved the new code over the summer.

The vote came after a public hearing held before the council meeting. City Attorney Jim Andreoni said the purpose of the hearing was to answer questions and explain how the transition will occur.

Andreoni then explained several features of the new zoning ordinance. The current Spring Valley zoning code has three commercial classifications, C1, C2 and C3.

The Princeton ordinance had four B classifications, terming the properties business rather than commercial. The new code will change the downtown business district from mostly C3 to B1.

Andreoni said they tried to look at current use and put it in the new ordinance. Properties that are currently non-conforming uses will remain non-conforming uses under the new code. Two examples are the Big House restaurant and the Tastee Freeze ice cream parlor. Both businesses are non-conforming use in a residential district, and that will remain the same under the new map.

Andreoni said they also avoided creating any new non-conforming units, but some could not be avoided. The current system is a pyramid system, where each ascending classification allows for everything in the previous classification plus additional items. Because of the pyramid nature, it had been possible to apply for a building permit for a residence in a commercial-zoned district, and the city could not prohibit it.

This led to a situation in some blocks along Dakota Street with single-family homes side by side with businesses. Andreoni said the blocks will be zoned commercial, and since residences can’t be built in a commercially zoned district, some non-conforming uses were created.

Andreoni said if one of those houses were to burn down, the owner would be able to rebuild another residence on the property.

Another change will occur with activities that are now legal, but would not be under the new zoning map. These activities would require a special use permit, but that permit will be granted automatically when the new map takes effect.

One example is the three Horizon House group homes. Andreoni said currently no special use permit is required, but it would be under the new map. The permit will be given with no hearing required.

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