Fairmont Area Continues Planning Project

The Will County Land Use Department is developing a plan to guide land use and other decisions for decades to come for the unincorporated Fairmont area, which is located between the cities of Lockport and Joliet.  As part of that effort, the County invites local residents, business owners, community leaders and other stakeholders to attend a special community planning event to plan for the future.

More than 50 people attended the first public meeting held in May. Participants defined community values and identified key issues and opportunities. This second public meeting is designed to build on those efforts. The meeting will be held on Thursday, August 11, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church, 18101 Oak Avenue, Lockport, IL 60441.  The evening includes a meet-and-greet from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments and childcare will be provided.  

For information or to RSVP, contact Cynthia Hernandez (chernandez@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8623).

The Fairmont Neighborhood Plan will include recommendations for future land use and development, infrastructure improvements, economic development, community synergy, and improved public areas and cultural opportunities.  A grant to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is enabling CMAP staff to provide technical assistance to Will County’s Land Use Department, including help with public participation and the plan’s development.

Planning Process

In the plan’s first phase of development, an existing conditions analysis was completed to verify current land use, study community facilities, and obtain initial public input regarding the issues and opportunities of the area.  The second phase of planning, which is being kicked-off at this August 11^th meeting, will be to create a shared vision for the community with specific goals and recommendations to help achieve the community’s vision.  The third phase of planning will include development of an implementation strategy that will assist the County, residents, and others in undertaking the plan’s recommendations.

HUD and CMAP build capacity for local planning

Especially in challenging economic times, many communities have difficulty allocating enough resources to plan as proactively as they would prefer.  At the same time, proactive planning is necessary for economic prosperity and protecting community assets.  The HUD-funded effort is helping fill this gap by making staff resources and grants available to assist with local planning projects that help to implement GO TO 2040, the first comprehensive plan for metropolitan Chicago in more than 100 years. 

The HUD grant to CMAP was announced one day after leaders of the seven-county region, on October 13, 2010, unanimously adopted GO TO 2040.  The region’s plan establishes coordinated strategies that help the region’s 284 communities address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, the environment, and other quality-of-life issues.  See www.cmap.illinois.gov for more information.

With the three-year $4.25 million HUD award (http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/press-release-10-14-10), CMAP has begun a new Local Technical Assistance program sponsored by HUD as part of the federal interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. CMAP issued a call for projects in early 2011, prompting more than 220 proposals from over 130 municipalities, counties, interjurisdictional groups, and nongovernmental organizations -- an indication of significant unmet demand for local planning capacity. 

In March, CMAP began partnering with the first wave of 62 local governments, nonprofits, and intergovernmental organizations selected for assistance.  Like the Fairmont area effort, these projects address local issues at the intersection of transportation, land use, and housing, including the natural environment, economic growth, and community development.  Download a full list of projects at http://goo.gl/1nYBM.

CMAP is the official regional planning organization for the northeastern Illinois counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will.