A New Strategic Plan for West Chicago
West Chicago, Illinois: July 7, 2015 - The City of West Chicago is pleased to announce the kick-off of a community planning process that will result in the creation of a visioning and strategic planning document. The West Chicago Strategic Plan (WCSP) will guide City leaders and have a direct impact on the future of the community. At its core, the WCSP will focus on what the City of West Chicago can be in the future, establish the community's long-range goals, and identify strategies by which to achieve them. The WCSP addresses where the City is now, where the community wants it to go, and how it will get there. It will be implemented by City leaders and staff, as well as critical community partners including residents and local businesses.
The WCSP will be driven by the community, and its vision and policy recommendations will be grounded in community outreach and public participation. An advisory committee comprised of elected and appointed officials, as well as local residents, will help guide the planning process in partnership with the City and a planning consulting team.
Over the summer, residents and stakeholders will have numerous opportunities to participate, both in-person and online. The WCSP is expected to be completed before the end of 2015.
Forums in July
The City is hosting two forums in July 2015. One forum will focus on the perspective of residents and community stakeholders, and a second is aimed at West Chicago business owners and operators. These forums are the first of several face-to-face community outreach events scheduled throughout the planning process. The purpose of these first forums is to allow attendees to voice what they value most about the community and the issues they would like to see addressed.
All forums are open to the public and will begin with a review of the purpose of the WCSP and the planning process, and conclude with an interactive exercise to listen to views on issues, opportunities, and potentials within the community. All meetings will take place at City Hall, 475 Main Street.
Business Forum
Tuesday July 21, 2015
8:00 a.m.
Community Forum
Tuesday July 21, 2015
7:00 p.m.
Stay Updated on the Plan's Progress
The public can stay active and aware of the project as it progresses over the summer months by tracking it through a project website which may be accessed from a button labeled "Strategic Plan" on the homepage of the City's website, www.westchicago.org.
The project website will not only have meeting announcements for upcoming events, but will also serve as the clearinghouse for draft documents ready for review and comment, summaries of completed public meetings and outreach events, and other project information. In addition, the project website features online outreach tools including questionnaires and sMap, an online mapping tool. The website is an efficient resource for residents, businesses, and community stakeholders to stay engaged throughout the planning process and ensure their voices are heard at each stage of the project.