'Think regionally,' planner tell execs

'Think regionally,' planner tell execs

Planning and development experts urged business and community leaders to become involved in big-picture policy issues and develop public-private partnerships at a “Regional Consensus” luncheon hosted by the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce.

Bola Delano of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and Kristi DeLaurentiis of the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) addressed the pivotal role that business can play in development, transportation and housing, in keeping with the presentation’s theme of “Thinking Regionally, Acting Locally.”

More than 150 area business and community leaders attended the event at the Tinley Park Convention Center.

Delano, CMAP’s executive director for economic and community development, emphasized how important it is that government officials and business owners and executives get involved in regional issues.

“We are in changing times in planning for the region, and the only way to get involved is to participate. We need to develop a regional vision and it is important to develop public-private partnerships,” she said.

“We need you involved in the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning campaign “Go to 2040.”

Delano said the recently introduced campaign asks participants to envision the region through 2040 and beyond. It is intended to get everyone thinking forward and participating in the first comprehensive and sustainable plan for the region.

“It is a plan to develop a regional policy to help capture anticipated job growth and emerging trends in the region,” she said. “The region is at a crossroads, with 2 million additional residents and 1.2 million more jobs projected by 2040.”

Her report indicated that the top five industry sectors today in the Southland are health care (64,114 employees), retail (56,831), manufacturing (45,910), accommodations (30,823) and transportation and logistics (28,220).

“With the expected increase in these numbers, we need to aggressively shape a sustainable future and make wise transportation investments that will mitigate congestion,” Delano said. “We need to deal with potential water shortages, protect air quality, our open spaces and our natural resources.

“We need information from you, our local leaders, to enable CMAP to address this wide range of planning issues that are critical to the regions prosperity and livability.”

Delano urged communities to start attending regional strategy analysis workshops conducted throughout the region by CMAP.

“If your community priorities are not on the map in 2010, they will not be considered,” she said. “We want to make informed decisions and be proactive instead of reactive.”

Also calling for stronger public-private partnerships was DeLaurentiis, manager of local government and community relations for the MPC, who explained that the 74-year-old non-governmental policy-making body is geared to translating policy into on-the-ground strategies.

“We are a bridge between public and private sectors, offering direct technical assistance for communities with specific development challenges,” she said.

She reported that the agency works closely with the Mayors’ Caucus and community leaders to address transportation, housing and development issues across the region.

“In the last two years we have prepared and distributed a series of workbooks under the umbrella title of ‘Sensible Tools for Healthy Communities.’ We have completed Planning 1-2-3, Retail 1-2-3 and are planning distribution of Housing 1-2-3 in early fall. These books are available, at no cost, to elected officials, municipal staffs, commission members, and others,” she said.

DeLaurentiis said that the MPC is both a partner and a resource on transportation issues.

“We are currently working with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) on a congestion crisis study and we are involved with the Project Selection Criteria for Transportation Expansion,” she said.

“It is important for communities to know that for a project to move forward, it must be deemed necessary by the region. We all need to work together.”

Joining the Chicago Southland Chamber in co-sponsoring the event was the Holiday Inn Select Hotel & Convention Center Tinley Park and Ford Motor Company.

Sharon Filkins Jenrich, Contributing Writer

Posted on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 (Archive on Wednesday, August 13, 2008)
Posted by jstoltz Contributed by jstoltz

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