Glencoe unveils draft comprehensive plan

After more than a year of planning, research and study, Glencoe officials express optimism that an updated comprehensive plan for the village will be implemented within the next few months.

For more than a year, the Glencoe Plan Commission has been working to fully update the village’s comprehensive plan; This is an action that hasn’t happened since 1996.

“The village and the world have changed over the last 27 years, and our plan needs to keep up with those changes,” Village Trustee Dudley Onderdonk said at a Feb. 29 forum at the Writers Theatre.

The purpose of the plan, under the title of the process called All In Glencoe, is to guide future decision-making processes.

“This is a long-term look at the community. This is general, but the idea here should be approximately right rather than completely wrong,” Onderdonk said. “If you know where you’re going, you can adjust your resources to meet those goals.”

There are currently five main ideas integrated into the draft. According to Taylor Baxter, Glencoe’s Director of Development Services, these themes include enhancing the existing character of the village, integrating sustainability, maintaining economic resilience, providing care and support to the community, and delivering excellence in planning management and governance.

The updated comprehensive plan will serve as a backdrop for planning as village officials recently face important decisions on several issues, including the potential relocation of the public works building currently located next door to Village Hall downtown.

Other topics on the horizon include the possible expansion of multifamily housing opportunities and the near future of the village. 100 year old water facility.

While the entire village’s comprehensive plan was last updated nearly three decades ago, there was a review of downtown Glencoe adopted by the Village Board in December 2016. This new plan will not replace that project, but it does include a new look at the downtown planning process and what’s in store for the central business district.

“There is a constant balance of preserving the character of the community, encouraging ground floor retail and vibrant shops,” said Plan Commission Chairman Bruce Huvard.

Village Trustee Gail Lissner said the draft currently has 48 separate action items and acknowledged that it is unlikely every idea in the plan will be realized.

“You can’t do everything,” Lissner said. “It’s an inspiring plan and you need to focus on different things at different times. It is difficult to make progress in every aspect.”

The plan is currently in draft form and the village is seeking additional public comment both on its website and at plan commission meetings. Baxter said the plan commission is working to hold a public meeting before the draft is presented to the village board for adoption.

“We want to make informed, reasoned, unbiased decisions,” Onderdonk said. “Glencoe is a community of choice and we need to work to keep it that way.”

Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for the Pioneer Press.