Village to look to SmithGroup for form-based code in Downtown Master Plan

The Village of Mahomet Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to place the hiring of SmithGroup to develop a form-based code and architectural/design standards and guidelines for portions of the downtown area on the April 28 consent agenda. 

Smithgroup worked to develop Mahomet’s downtown Master Plan. 

The upcoming form-based code and architectural/design standards document will cost the Village $18,000. Sufficient funds were approved in the FY2019-20 budget. 

Originally, the Downtown Master Plan included recommendation of developing and using a form-based code to guide current and future land use and development in lieu of the Village’s standard “use based” code.

The Village has been allocating funds to subsidize private investment in façade improvements and intends to continue and even expand the façade improvement program. Including architectural design guidelines and standards that can be used to make the downtown façade improvement program more objective and contribute to a cohesive public realm and public experience. 

“I will add as far as the discussions that we’ve had with various interested parties in our downtown planning, from a private development side of things,” Mayor Sean Widener said. “I’ve  made a point to let them know that form based codes were part of our overall plan and it would be coming.

“These are a little bit different than your traditional zoning codes that we currently operate under. I have not heard any opposition from those folks; most I’m going to are experienced developers already working in other communities that have and utilize form based codes.

Community Development Director Kelly Pfeifer said that the codes should be done by September. July was the original date, but she said the Village wants to re-engage the community advisory group and give some other entities more review time than found in some of the more typical Village zoning changes.