Have a say in the Geneva of tomorrow

The city of Geneva will co-host a workshop along with Kane/Kendall Council of Mayors and Kendall County at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, in the Geneva Public Works training room, 1800 South St.

The workshop will be conducted by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, as part of the 2040 comprehensive regional planning campaign entitled "Invent the Future with GO TO 2040."

"At the workshop, residents will learn more about the choices we face in planning the future of the region, and possible outcomes from those choices," said Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns. "Should rapid growth outward continue? Or should we consolidate housing and jobs where infrastructure already exists? Should we emphasize roads or transit - or invest in both? How can we reduce energy use while also strengthening our region's economy?"

"It is fitting as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Burnham Plan for Chicago that we form a new plan for the region, and strive to make it the very best it can be," he said. "Growth in Kane County and Geneva will continue, and will certainly pose both challenges and opportunities. The 'Invent the Future' workshop offers citizens an excellent opportunity to express their views on how growth and change should be directed as we move forward."

It is predicted that the seven counties making up the Chicago metropolitan region will add 2.8 million additional residents by 2040, also adding the need to make some critical decisions about land use, transportation, housing, jobs, natural resources, education and other quality-of-life issues. Geneva residents along with other residents from across the region can create their own detailed versions of what they think the year 2040 should look like and compare them with CMAP's scenarios.

In holding the workshops around the Chicago metropolitan region, CMAP hopes to make it easy for residents and stakeholder groups to express their preferences. Residents can also express their preferences online at www.GOTO2040.org. For information, call the city of Geneva Community Development Department at (630) 232-0818.