Frankfort Amends Zoning Code to Update Special Use Permits and Downtown Residential Materials

Frankfort Village Board Meeting | April 20, 2026

Article Summary: The Village Board approved a package of text amendments that untether Special Use Permits from the land and establish strict exterior building material requirements for residential properties in the downtown historic district.

Zoning Ordinance Amendments Key Points:

• Special Use Permits can now be tied to specific business entities or ownership, rather than automatically running with the land in perpetuity.

• The amendments clarify that a Special Use Permit automatically expires if the use is discontinued for 12 consecutive months.

• Residential construction within the Downtown Frankfort Boundary Map is now prohibited from using vinyl, aluminum, plywood, or masonry veneer as primary exterior materials.

The Frankfort Village Board on Monday, April 20, 2026, unanimously passed Ordinance No. 3561, adopting several text amendments to Articles 1, 3, 6, and 12 of the Village Zoning Ordinance. The updates refine the regulatory processes for Special Use Permits (SUPs) and codify exterior building material standards to protect the historic character of downtown Frankfort.

Trustee Adam Borrelli presented the amendments, explaining that the changes to Articles 1 and 3 alter how the Village handles the ownership and lifespan of Special Use Permits.

Previously, an SUP attached to the property itself in perpetuity. Under the amended code, the Village Board can specifically condition an approving ordinance to tie the SUP to the current tenancy, ownership, or management. Furthermore, the amendment clarifies the distinction between the revocation of an SUP—which requires a formal hearing process—and discontinuance. A Special Use Permit will now automatically expire and cease to be of any effect if the use is discontinued for 12 consecutive months, eliminating the need for a revocation proceeding.

The ordinance also addresses Article 6 and Article 12 by introducing “Special Regulations for Residential Development in the Downtown Frankfort Boundary.” Driven by the 2019 Downtown Residential Design Guidelines, the amendment dictates that all residential structures within the boundary map must be constructed of solid masonry, full-dimensional masonry, wood products, or fiber cement products.

The new code explicitly prohibits the use of masonry veneer, EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems), steel, unfinished/smooth face concrete block, plywood, vinyl, or aluminum siding as primary building materials. Additionally, at least two architectural accent elements—such as a bay window, chimney, or columns—must be constructed with full-dimensional masonry.

Finally, the amendment enacted a minor clean-up to the Village’s Sign Regulations, removing the term “mural” from the definition of a wall sign, establishing a separate maintenance and compliance process for public art installations.