Batavia releases draft of comprehensive plan

The city of Batavia has released a draft of its new comprehensive plan for public review and comment. The comprehensive plan is a guide for the development of the community.

The comprehensive plan contains nine elements: land use; transportation and circulation; environment; economic development and redevelopment; housing, neighborhood conservation and historic preservation; public facilities and services; parks and open spaces; urban design; and regional and interjurisdictional issues.

Each element contains a background discussion, identification of key issues, and a number of goals and policies. In addition, there are maps illustrating existing features and planned improvements for each element. The land-use element contains the official comprehensive plan land-use map showing the planned use and density for all property in the plan area.

The comprehensive plan area extends generally to the city's boundary with Geneva on the north, and to its boundary with Aurora and North Aurora on the south. The planning area includes Fermilab on the east, and the Dick Young Forest Preserve on the west. The planning area is larger than the current city limits.

The city invites the public to read the draft plan and to comment on it. There are several ways to view the plan. It is available online at www.cityofbatavia.net.

Free CDs of the draft plan can be picked up at the Community Development Department in the Batavia Municipal Center, 100 Island Ave., Batavia. Printed copies of the plan may be viewed at the Batavia Municipal Center, the Batavia Public Library, the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, Batavia Main Street, the Batavia School District and the Batavia Park District. E-mail comments, and questions are encouraged at compplan@cityofbatavia.net.

Over the next two months, there will be a series of meetings and open houses where interested parties can find out more about the comprehensive plan and provide feedback. Public comment on the draft plan will be accepted at each regular plan commission meeting.

After the two-month comment period is over, the plan commission will evaluate the public comment received and will hold a formal public hearing. The commission will then revise the plan and make a recommendation to the community development committee of the city council.

The full council is expected to vote to adopt the new comprehensive plan in December.