Campaign for Sensible Growth Co-Sponsors Elburn TAP
The
Village
of
Elburn,
Ill., is at a crossroads. As development
continues to march in from the East (Chicago) and the West (the proposed Prairie
Parkway development), village residents and leaders have acknowledged that to
preserve Elburn’s friendly, quiet streets, low crime rate, and plentiful open
space, they must plan for future growth.
The
village has sought the help of development experts, organized by the Campaign
for Sensible Growth and the Urban Land Institute Chicago (ULI). A Technical
Assistance Panel (TAP) composed of developers, planners, architects, financiers,
lawyers and consultants will gather Sept. 29 and 30 to study Elburn’s strengths
and opportunities as it struggles to manage its growth. Elburn, for instance, is
the site of a new rail yard and station that marks the terminus of a Metra line.
The village also has issued some 100 building permits in the Blackberry Creek
nature preserve area. At the end of the two days, the panel will present a
report to the village detailing specific suggestions. Media are invited to
attend Thursday afternoon, when panelists will deliver their report to community
members.
“Through TAPs, city and
village leaders have the chance to pick the brains of some of the region’s
most well-informed development experts,” said
MPC’s
Scott
Goldstein, vice president, policy and planning. “By pooling
resources, we can help northeastern
Illinois
build on best practices and
innovations for sensible growth.”
In other news, the Campaign for Sensible Growth, along
with the Illinois Associations of County Board Members, Zoning Officials,
Resource Conservation & Development Councils and Regional Planning Councils
will co-sponsor the second annual Partners in Planning Conference Oct. 27 and 28
at the Holiday Inn, Peoria , Ill. The conference will feature sessions on
stormwater management, telecommunications, GIS and more, as well as panel
discussions, lectures and keynote addresses by Cong. Ray LaHood and Lt. Gov. Pat
Quinn, among others. Visit the Campaign for Sensible Growth Web site, www.growingsensibly.org,
for more information or to register. Look for further details in October’s Media
Tips.
MPC Contact: Scott Goldstein , Vice President, Policy
and Planning 312.863.6003 or sgoldstein@metroplanning.org
Contact: Greg Hummel, Member, Bell , Boyd & Lloyd
LLC; Chair, Elburn TAP; Former Trustee, ULI; and Governor, ULI
Foundation
312-807-4253 or ghummel@bellboyd.com
MPC: Illinois State Toll Highway Authority’s Plan Has Room for Improvement
Northeastern Illinois residents, as well as business, civic and local leaders
turned out to make their opinions known at a series of public hearings held by
the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority on its recently released but
not-yet-approved long-term plan, “Open Roads for a Faster Future.” The hearings’
healthy attendance rates indicate a growing concern over congestion in the
Chicago metropolitan region.
Karyn Romano, MPC’s Transportation
Director, testified on behalf of MPC at two of the hearings. Romano noted that
there’s room for improvement in the plan. She offered several suggestions,
outlined in MPC’s official position statement on the plan, including making the
O’Hare bypass a priority project now, regardless of the timing of the O’Hare
expansion; lowering the minimum start-up balance for low-income and senior
I-PASS users from $40 to $20; and urging the Authority to work with other
regional agencies to develop a multi-modal plan that coordinates tollway
improvements with transit initiatives.
Several of the plan’s elements are
consistent with recommendations made by MPC over the years, including an
emphasis on “fix it first,” congestion pricing for trucks, and incentives for
expanded I-PASS use.
“The tollway’s long-term plan is a
big step in the right direction for the Authority,” Romano told the crowds. “It
will minimize congestion, improve the condition of the overall system, and use
technology to promote open-road tolling, helping to reduce travel times for
tollway users.”
The Illinois State Toll Highway
Authority board is expected to vote to approve the plan on Sept. 30, according
to Romano. “The public’s overwhelming support for the tollway plan goes to show
that people are fed up with congestion and want relief – even though they know
that means they’ll have to pay for it,” she said.
MPC Contact: Karyn Romano,
Transportation Director
312.863.6005 or
kromano@metroplanning.org
Contact: Thomas H. Morsch, Jr., Vice President, Marsh,
Inc.; Member, MPC’s Transportation Committee
312.627.6352 or Thomas.Morsch@marsh.com
Home Builders Association, MPC, ULI Chicago Co-Sponsor New Award
Throughout the
Chicago
metropolitan
region, communities are raising the bar for new developments—and developers are
responding with innovative projects.
To recognize those developers and
communities that demonstrate excellence in applying sound land use principles
and best practices in the
Chicago
region, the Metropolitan Planning
Council and Urban Land Institute (ULI) Chicago have joined with the Home
Builders Association of Greater Chicago to present the new Community Vision
Award.
Each year the Community Vision
Award will recognize one urban/in-fill project and one suburban project that
demonstrates unique development vision in location, density and design; access
and transportation; environment; and public benefits.
The award will be presented for
the first time on Oct. 8 as part of the Home Builders Association of Greater
Chicago’s annual Key Awards, which recognize exceptional work in the home
building industry.
The creation of the Community
Vision Award marks the first time that ULI Chicago, MPC, and the Home Builders
Association of Greater Chicago have joined together to recognize outstanding
vision in responsible land use and represents a commitment to work jointly on
shared goals.
“The three organizations
sponsoring this award work every day to make the Chicago metropolitan region a
livable place, with affordable homes near jobs, public transit, quality schools
and open space for relaxation and recreation,” said MarySue Barrett, MPC’s
president. “The region’s best developers are doing the same work, creating
attractive new communities where people want to live, work and play. Our hope is
that recognizing industry leaders with the Community Vision Award will encourage
more developers to make use of best practices in sensible
development.”
MPC Contact: MarySue
Barrett, President
312.863.6001 or
msbarrett@metroplanning.org
Contact: Cindy McSherry, Coordinator, Urban Land
Institute Chicago; Executive Director, McCarthy, McSherry & Associates, Ltd.
773.549.4972 or cmcsherry@mma90.com