securing an Ace Hardware tenant. Updated zoning regulations and a revised comprehensive plan now guide development priorities for the next 10 to 20 years. REMOVING BARRIERS TO BUSINESS For Mayor Trilla, supporting entrepreneurs is deeply personal. A small-business owner himself, he emphasizes direct access and open communication as essential to a healthy business environment. “When I go to the chamber of commerce, my first line is,‘I’m one of you,’” he explains.“I understand what a village can do for you and what it can do against you.” Early in his tenure, he visited every business in town and shared his personal contact information. “That changed everything,” he adds.“We went from being seen as anti-business to being approachable.” Operationally, the village supports that philosophy with streamlined permitting processes and online Anchor businesses such as Willowbrook Ford and Willowbrook Kia are planning significant expansions, while major retailers, including Target and Whole Foods, continue reinvesting in their properties. A recent relocation of Binny’s Beverage Depot into a former Bed Bath & Beyond nearly doubled its footprint. The village also worked proactively to ensure the former Binny’s location did not remain vacant, 254 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 01
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