Aug. 4DANVILLE The Danville Area Planning and Zoning Commission will meet at 5:15 p.m. Thursday at city hall to act on a zoning petition requested by the city's zoning administrator regarding gambling.

The city's Zoning Administrator/Community Development Administrator Logan Cronk is requesting approval of a text amendment to the city's zoning ordinance for definitions and addition to a table of uses.

Cronk said this is in anticipation for when the Illinois General Assembly does further expansion of gaming activity that would be regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board.

Casino will be added to the definitions, defined as: "A facility with a main floor level of at least 10,000 contiguous square feet that is authorized by the Illinois Gaming Board to conduct gambling games pursuant to the Illinois Gaming Act."

Casino also would be added to the table of zoning district uses in B-3 business zoning and I-2 industrial zoning districts. Off-street parking spaces required: 1/400 square feet of floor area.

According to a memo from Cronk and Corp. Counsel James Simon to the zoning commission: "The city would like to be in a position to respond quickly if and when the Illinois Gaming Board approves other forms of gaming within the State of Illinois. Such other forms might include greater or an unlimited numbers of video gambling terminals, expanded off-track betting parlors (OTB), expanded college and professional sports wagering, and/or a combination of these and other possible forms of gambling."

"The commission, as well as the city council, must be mindful that rezoning and zoning text amendments may have an impact on one or more properties in the effected zoning districts. Zoning places limitations on how property owners may use their properties that may, in turn, diminish the value of their properties."

Casino-type activity could be located in other B-3 and I-2 zoning districts other than the ones located on the city's southeast side, such as the Stoney Creek area and East Fairchild Street in terms of I-2 districts, and along U.S. 150 but south of the North Gilbert and Main streets intersection in terms of B-3 districts.

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The city already has 33 establishments with 180 video gaming terminals in operation.

"Consistent with the city's interest in promoting economic development and redevelopment and in anticipation that new forms of gambling activity may be authorized by the Illinois General Assembly beyond video gaming and traditional casino activity, allowing gambling activity in the B-3 and I-2 zoning districts could facilitate the further economic development of these districts as well as go towards eliminating blight and filling vacant structures within those districts."

The B-3 zoning district already provides for cultural, entertainment and recreation facilities as permitted uses. However, inclusion of the casino definition and including casino on the use table will clarify the city's position on where new gaming activity could be developed, according to city officials.

This change would not create any new restrictions on property use in B-3 and I-2 zoning districts, but would increase the number of uses permitted in order to expand opportunities for future economic development.

City staff spoke with Joliet planning staff who said: Joliet's Harrah's Casino was developed within a blighted and low property value area. Property values increased greatly after construction and development of Harrah's Casino. Joliet's planning staff attribute the significant increase in property values in and about Harrah's Casino to that project.

Also, Hollywood Casino & Hotel was constructed and developed in an industrial corridor in Joliet. Joliet planning staff told Danville officials that following completion of that casino, the corridor has remained predominantly industrial. The construction and development of that casino had had no negative impact on adjacent and nearby industrial property values.

"(Danville) city staff see no reason to believe that an expansion of gaming activity within a B-3 and/or an I-2 zoning district would have any negative impact on the values of adjacent and nearby properties," according to Cronk and Simon.

To date, the city hasn't received any noise complaints from neighbors of establishments that make video gaming available where such complaints relate to the gaming function in those facilities.

Also in discussions with city planners in other casino communities, they've reported their casinos and video gaming locations have had no appreciable impact on crime within the facilities' areas and they've had a positive influx of visitors enjoying the casinos and spending money elsewhere in their communities, according to Cronk and Simon.

"The future revenue that the city hopes to gain from allowing additional lawful gaming activity in the city can be used for further improvements to infrastructure, blight reduction and additional economic development separate from that which could be generated by adoption of the city's proposed text and table of uses amendments," Danville staff state.

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Zoning commission to act on gambling locations - Yahoo News