Village planners updating comprehensive plan
LOMBARD, Illinois— The Village of Lombard's Community Development Department is undertaking an update to the Village's Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted in 1998.
Since that time, the plan has been updated on a regular basis to accommodate land use changes and new developments, in-depth area studies focusing on Roosevelt Road and downtown, and new policy directions such as senior housing and open space.
Given all of the changes that have occurred during the last 13 years, it is time for the Comprehensive Plan to be brought back to the Plan Commission and Village Board for re-adoption as a whole.
Typically, many communities hire planning firms to complete an updated comprehensive plan, costing the municipality more than $150,000. However, this updated Plan will be done completely by Village staff utilizing the resources of the Village's professional planning staff.
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
The Comprehensive Plan is the Village's official policy guide for future growth and development. It provides community focus and direction regarding future physical and economic change in the community over the next 10-15 years. It includes goals, objectives and long-range recommendations for land use, annexation, transportation, economic development and community facilities.
While the plan by its very nature is long-range in orientation, it has been developed and organized in a manner to help guide day-to-day administration and decision making. For the plan to be meaningful, it must be useful to the community in managing and monitoring physical and economic change.
What will be the process?
Staff intends to present portions of the Comprehensive Plan to the Plan Commission for monthly workshop discussions prior to a public hearing in Spring 2012. To date, staff has presented a schedule for the upcoming workshops as well as an outline of the proposed Plan. The proposed workshop schedule is as follows:
• November 21, 2011: Review the updated introduction and goals
• December 19, 2011: Review Section 1 of the Visioning/Land Use section focusing on long-range vision
• January 2012 (TBD): Review Sections 2, 3, & 4 of the Visioning/Land Use section focusing on land use, annexation, and transportation
• February 20, 2012: Review Sections 5, 6, & 7 of the Visioning/Land Use section focusing on economic development, facilities and areas of concern
• March 19, 2012: Review the first draft of the complete document, including the implementation section
• April 16, 2012 (tentative): Hold a public hearing on the final draft and make a recommendation to the Village Board
Members of the public are welcome to attend any of the Plan Commission meetings, which are held in the Village Board room on the third Monday of every month at
7:30 p.m. (with the exception of the January meeting, which has yet to be rescheduled due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday.)
The meetings may also be viewed via The Lombard Channel live (or rebroadcast on Tuesdays-Thursdays) or the Village's website (live or on demand). Additional opportunities for public comment will also be available during public open house events sometime in spring 2012.
Anyone with questions regarding the Plan and the process may contact the Community Development Department at (630) 620-5749.