In 2022, the Village adopted the Robbins TOD and Industrial Areas Plan that provides a vision for the portions of Robbins that will become developable following the completion of the Robbins Stormwater Park and Midlothian Creek Restoration Project (Robbins Park). Robbins Park will be a public park that functions as a stormwater retention facility that removes significant portions of the Village from the 100-year flood plain. In turn, areas in the Village that were previously subject to routine flooding will be more appealing sites for development, particularly the encouragement of mixed-use transit-oriented development (TOD) with high-quality multi-family housing.

The Village aims to attract residential development of varying densities around the Robbins Metra station, increase residential and commercial investment that serves residents’ daily needs, create transportation connections to the Metra station such that it acts as a hub for the community, and support industrial development.

To realize the vision outlined in the plan, the Village is coordinating with the RTA and a consultant team to make amendments to its Zoning Code. Currently, the Village lacks TOD-specific zoning regulations that encourage high density, mixed-use development in the station area; the active regulations only permit commercial and industrial uses in this area. The plan notes that because much of the area surrounding the Metra station is zoned for industrial use, the Village’s Zoning Code should be updated to allow compatible mixed-use developments that include residential, light manufacturing, and commercial development.

In addition, the plan recommends creating a Planned Unit Development (PUD) overlay designation for the TOD area to encourage development. A PUD overlay would permit developers to be creative and flexible while also achieving the Village’s goals for desired land use.