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Planning Services Division

Print Version

MISSION: The mission of the Planning Services Division is to facilitate orderly growth and development of the City and the Surrounding Area.

The Planning Services Division is responsible for the administration of the City's zoning, subdivision and site plan regulations. Planning Services coordinates City activities relating to annexations and is responsible for maintaining the Comprehensive Plan. Staff provides support to the Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, Preservation Commission and Downtown Development. Planning Services collects and analyzes data on the community and the surrounding region. Staff members conduct special studies on issues as diverse as mass transit, waste management, and telecommunication facilities and assist with Downtown Development.

For more information about Planning Services and its activities, please contact:

Chris Wallace, Senior Planner
e-mail: cwallace@ci.carbondale.il.us
Phone: 618-457-3259

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Site Plan Review

Construction within the City limits of a new or an addition to a commercial structure or a residential building containing more than two units requires the approval of a site plan by the Development Assistance Committee. Applications for site plan approval and a checklist for completing the application process are available in the Planning Services Division. The site plan review requires that a plan be submitted by a design professional that addresses development issues including drainage design, parking lot design and lighting, utility connections and fire protection, disabled accessibility and landscaping.

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Zoning and Subdivision Administration

The City of Carbondale enforces a zoning and subdivision ordinance within and 1 1/2 miles outside of the City Limits. The Zoning Ordinance regulates the uses that can be placed on a property as well as building setbacks, height limitations, occupancy limitations and parking requirements.

Prior to changing the use of an existing building, constructing a new building, a building addition or placing an accessory structure on a lot within City limits or within the mile and 1/2 jurisdiction, a zoning certificate must be secured from the Planning Services Division. Before a new use of a property is proposed, the current or potential property owner should contact Planning Services to verify the zoning of the parcel. After the zoning is identified, staff will assist the owner is interpreting the zoning ordinance to ensure that the proposed change is either a permitted use or a special use. If the proposed use is not permitted in the existing zoning district the property owner may be required to apply for a Special Use Permit or may want to consider applying to have the property rezoned to a district that would permit the use. Special Use Permit and Rezoning Applications are processed by the Planning Service Division and require a public hearing be held before the Planning Commission prior to the City Council making the final decision on a request.

The Subdivision Ordinance regulates the division of property into new lots. Withing 1 1/2 miles of the City limits dividing a parcel into smaller lots must first have a subdivision plat approved by the City Council. The Engineering Advisory Committee (EAC) is comprised of representatives of City Departments that review the subdivision plans for compliance with applicable road standards, utility extensions and other development requirements. The Planning Services Division Coordinates the subdivision review process.

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Downtown Development

      Downtown Facade Improvement Loan Program (pdf)

      Carbondale Main Street

The Downtown Development is responsible for implementing Downtown improvement projects and assisting Carbondale Main Street with Downtown Activities.

For more information about the Downtown Development, please contact:

Chris Wallace, Senior Planner
e-mail:  cwallace@ci.carbondale.il.us 
Phone: 618-457-3259

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Preservation Commission

• Carbondale Historic Preservation Plan             
• History of Carbondale
• Information on the Audio Tour of Town Square
• Historic Preservation Awards Program
• Photographs of Historic Places in Carbondale

 

 

The duties of the Preservation Commission are to investigate, hold public hearings and recommend to the City Council the adoption of ordinances designating certain properties, improvements and areas having special historic, architectural or community value as historic districts, landmarks and neighborhood preservation districts. Other duties are to review applications for alteration, construction, and demolitions affecting property(ies) formally under consideration for designation or designated historic districts, landmarks, and neighborhood preservation districts.

Members:

Evelyn Koine (Chair)
Shirley D. Booker
Helen Deniston
Kevin P. Clark
Dorothy Ittner
Ed Van Awken
John Parkinson
Jason Sigler
Debbie Moore

For more information about the City of Carbondale Preservation Commission or any of it's activities, please contact:

Chris Wallace, Senior Planner
e-mail: cwallace@ci.carbondale.il.us
Phone: 618-457-3258

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Comprehensive Plan

In November 2008, the City of Carbondale began the process of drafting a new Comprehensive Plan that will guide the growth and development of the community through the next decade. The Comprehensive Plan is organized into six chapters; Community Overview, Land Use and Community Development, Community Mobility, Housing and Neighborhoods, Economic Development, and Implementation. In order to assist in the planning process the City contracted with Kendig Keast Collaborative a professional planning consultant firm to help lead the effort. The consultant was selected from 18 firms that submitted proposals for consideration. Important criteria used in the selection of a consulting firm included experience of the firm with working on comprehensive plans in communities of comparable size and character, related experience in working with university communities, overall knowledge of the area and local development issues, as well as their approach to completing the project.

A fifteen member Comprehensive Plan Review Committee (PRC) was appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council to serve as the voice of the community throughout the process. The PRC was comprised of residents from different segments of the community with diverse backgrounds, interests and expertise. Community involvement was essential in the drafting of this plan and the PRC helped funnel the community’s wishes to the City. Throughout the course of this planning process, each segment of the community was tasked with providing feedback on issues relevant to them. This feedback was used to help draft each chapter. A public hearing was held before the Planning Commission on May 19, 2010 and the Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the City Council on June 22, 2010.

Comprehensive Plan

For additional information about the Comprehensive Plan or how to obtain a complete copy of the plan, please contact:

Planning Service Division
Chris Wallace, Senior Planner
e-mail:  cwallace@ci.carbondale.il.us
Phone 618-457-3259

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Official Zoning Map

 

Official Zoning Map (pdf format 15.4MB) …last updated May 18, 2011.

This map should be used for reference purposes only. Please consult with the Planning Services Division for all official zoning determiniations.

For additional information please contact the Planning Services Division at 618-457-3248.

 

Zoning and Land Development Regulations Diagnostic Report

In February 2011, the City entered into a contract with Duncan Associates to assist in the updating of the City’s Zoning Ordinance. The project has developed in two phases. The first phase included the reorganization of Title 15 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance by taking the existing language and reorganizing it into a logical, cohesive order. This reorganized Title 15 will serve as the basis for all future edits. 

Phase II of the project is known as the Diagnostic Report. The Diagnostic Report will serve as the guide to the Ordinance update. The Diagnostic Report includes recommendations from the Comprehensive Plan, feedback received from the community through a series of stakeholder meetings, and staff comments. The detailed work involved in updating the Ordinance will be directly tied to the direction received based on the recommendations in the Diagnostic Report.

In order to gather input on the Diagnostic Report, there will be a public meeting on Wednesday October 19, 2011 at 7:00p.m. in room 108 of the Civic Center. This date coincides with the Planning Commission’s regularly scheduled meeting. Eric Kelly from Duncan Associates will be in attendance to give a short presentation on the report and answer any questions.

Staff expects to have a draft of the updated Ordinance sometime in early 2012 and hopes to have the project completed by April 30, 2012

If you have any questions please feel welcome to contact Chris Wallace in the Planning Services Division at 457-3248.