Arlington Heights Streamlines Process for New Restaurants

The process of opening a small restaurant, outdoor café or carry-out restaurant in Arlington Heights is about to become more streamlined.

New businesses usually have to apply for permits, go through a review with village staff, then go on to the Plan Commission and get final approval from the village board.

But Arlington Heights plans to start issuing a special use waiver for restaurants that will bypass the Plan Commission and village board.

“We felt this would help smaller businesses and restaurants…to go through a fairly expeditious administrative review,” said Charles Perkins, director of Planning and Community Development.

A special use waiver applies to three situations:

• Sit down restaurants that are no larger than 1,500 square feet.
• All carry out restaurants regardless of size.
• Outdoor cafés in conjunction with a legally established restaurant

Perkins estimates about 30 percent of businesses applying for permits would quality for the waiver.

“If we felt there was anything of concern to a neighborhood, we have the ability to send it to the Plan Commission,” Perkins said, adding the administrative review is similar to how the village handles requests for antenna structures.

“This is one of the programs that has made it easier to do business in the village of Arlington Heights,” Mayor Arlene Mulder said. “We are always open to how to make our processes user friendly yet make sure our standards, our codes are being met.”