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January 12, 2023

Annual Business Registration Renewal fees were due on December 30, 2022. If you missed the deadline, the renewal fee is now $70 through January 31, and escalates to $140 on February 1. To ensure you do not incur additional fees, and a possible fine of up to $550, please make your payment by February 1.

Past due payments should be mailed to:

City Hall - Office of Business Development

1707 St. Johns Avenue

Highland Park, IL 60035

Digital parking with Passport is now live throughout the City and its associated business districts. The following permits are available for purchase online only through the dedicated Highland Park Passport Permit site. 

• Permit Types: Daily Commuter, Commuter Annual, Commuter Quarterly, Commuter Remote, Commuter Overnight, Employee Annual, Employee Quarterly, Remote Employee, Employee Underground, Student Permit, All-night O Parking permits, Garage Overnight - Resident, Garage Overnight - Non-Resident, Commercial A Permit (1671 Old Skokie), Residential Parking Permit (1770 First St), Port Clinton Overnight, Low Income Commuter Overnight, Low Income All Night Permit, Low Income Commuter

If you are a local business owner/manager who purchases permits in bulk for your employees, please contact the Finance Department at finance@cityhpil.com or 847.432.0800 to set up your business permit account. The City will send a unique link to the website where permits may be purchased and managed on behalf of your business. 

Permit holders for classes of permits that require additional information, such as Employee Permits, will be prompted to upload the required documentation at the time of online purchase. City staff will then review and approve virtually, at which time the sale will be completed.

Purchasers may identify up to two license plates per permit, allowing users to switch between vehicles without having to change information in the system regularly. Note that no more than one vehicle may use the permit at a given time; when both cars are utilizing permit spaces, only the primary will be covered by the permit. 

The City of Highland Park’s Small Business Facade Improvement Program (SBFIP) provides assistance and incentive to property owners and local businesses to improve the appearance and functionality of their property and place of business. The SBFIP is available for small business operators and commercial property owners citywide. Eligible owners of commercial/retail buildings and small business owners operating within a commercial/retail building may apply for a City grant that may reimburse up to 50% of the approved improvement(s) to a maximum of $5,000 per project. A small business is defined as having a net worth of less than two million dollars, and as showing less than an average of two hundred thousand dollars in profit per year for two years after taxes. The following are a few examples of eligible expenses:  

• Installing new awnings/signage
• Replacing, repainting, or restoring exterior doors
• Repairing or upgrading exterior lighting
• Painting building exterior 

The City of Highland Park encourages women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned businesses to provide their status and contact information to the City. The Office of Business Development will keep the information on file and contact businesses about economic opportunities such as state and federal grants, training, and other programs for which they may qualify as they become available.

Please share the following via email to businessdevelopment@cityhpil.com:

• Name of business (or DBA name)
• Email address
• Web URL
• Primary mailing address

For more information, please contact the Office of Business Development at 847.926.1027.

The City encourages business owners and managers to share information regarding upcoming events, promotions or news for possible inclusion in the City's marketing modalities, including The Weekender, Enjoy Highland Park, and social media. Please send these items to the City via email to: businessdevelopment@cityhpil.com.

For general business inquiries and assistance, contact Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch at chersch@cityhpil.com.

Questions regarding enjoyhighlandpark.com should be addressed to Amanda Civitello, Communications Manager, at acivitello@cityhpil.com.

SCORE offers in-person or virtual sessions using phone, email, or video

All sessions are free and confidential. SCORE mentors are successful business professionals, some retired, some working, from all industries and experiences.

Visit northchicago.score.org and register to “Find a

Mentor”. You will be asked to provide the nature of your business interest.

Please include whether you prefer in-person or virtual mentoring (phone,

email, video) and note the Highland Park Public Library even

if you prefer a virtual session.

For general business inquiries and assistance, contact the City's Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch at chersch@cityhpil.com or 847.926.1027.

This newsletter is produced by the City of Highland Park's Office of Business Development. If you have information you would like to include in this weekly mailing, please submit information, photos, and news to businessdevelopment@cityhpil.com. The City reserves the right to edit and/or filter submissions.