Development within the City of Wood Dale is guided by a number of official planning documents:

• Zoning regulations can be found within Chapter 17 of the Municipal Code, the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The Zoning Map shows the specific zoning designation of every property within the City.

• Long-term land use is governed by the City's new Comprehensive Plan that was adopted August 2, 2018. The recommended future land uses for every parcel within the City can be found on the Future Land Use Plan exhibit. 

The City's redevelopment efforts are currently focused on two main areas: the downtown and the Thorndale Corporate Corridor. In 2013, the City adopted a Downtown Vision Plan with ideas for improving the traditional central business district (centered around the intersection of Irving Park and Wood Dale Roads).

In 2011, the City adopted a zoning overlay district for the Thorndale Corporate Corridor based on the goals identified in the 2009 Thorndale Corridor Master Plan. Regulations for properties within the overlay district can be found in Chapter 17, Article 9 of the Municipal Code.