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Resource Center
Learn more about MPC past and present, read and print our reports, and discover our recommendations on the latest hot-button issues.
Organizational Overview & FAQ's
First, our official mission statement:
"Founded in 1934, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group of business and civic leaders committed to serving the public interest through the promotion and implementation of sensible planning and development policies necessary for an economically competitive Chicago region. MPC researches and develops policy recommendations and conducts outreach and advocacy in partnership with public officials and community leaders to enhance equity of opportunity and quality of life throughout metropolitan Chicago."
So … here's a break down of what that means, with answers to some frequently asked questions:
- How do you define "quality of life" and "equity of opportunity?"
MPC is pro-growth. But then, who would argue with new jobs, rising incomes, and other desirable characteristics of economically thriving areas, such as quality schools, transportation options, retail and recreation opportunities, and natural areas?
However, we know that growth alone will not improve the day-to-day lives of residents and business owners in the Chicago metropolitan region. The key is balanced growth. Whereas unplanned growth leads to a lifestyle with limited choices in which people live so far from work that they spend more time in their air-polluting cars than in their communities, clogging roads and ultimately putting the brakes on regional business - planning for balanced growth achieves the opposite. Through balanced growth, residential and commercial development is located near public transportation; infill development makes the most of the infrastructure we've already spent the money and resources to build; and pristine natural areas remain "forever open, free and clear" for everyone to enjoy. When people can walk, bike, or take public transit a comfortable distance to work, and thriving retail districts are centrally located so that Saturday errands don't require four separate car trips, congestion is reduced. A community with a first-rate quality of life offers residents a range of palatable choices for where they can afford to live, how they'll get around, and how they spend their free time.
Simply put, when our region achieves "equity of opportunity," all residents - whether low, middle or upper-income, city or suburban, black, brown or white - will have access to these types of communities.
- So just what is MPC doing to achieve equal opportunity and improve quality of life in the region?
MPC has four main areas of focus: housing, transportation, urban development, and regional development. We also co-founded and co-lead three coalitions: A+ Illinois for statewide school funding and property tax reform; Business Leaders for Transportation, a coalition of business leaders advocating for improved surface transportation funding and planning; and the Campaign for Sensible Growth, which aims to promote economic development while preserving open space, minimizing the need for costly new infrastructure and improving the livability of our communities. (Click to learn more about the specific goals of our different program areas and coalitions.)
To accomplish our goals, we work primarily on two levels: policy change and community assistance. We publish an annual policy agenda that outlines our legislative and administrative priorities for altering - or creating - local, state, and national codes, regulations, ordinances and laws. In the past five years, MPC has influenced legislation that has established Illinois' first comprehensive housing agenda, created the Regional Planning Board, extended stormwater management authority to 12 additional counties, created the a statewide water management system, and limited the use of restrictive covenants by Chicago grocery stores to block competition. We also played a key role in helping shape Chicago's new zoning code, updated in 2003 for the first time since 1957. We continue to advocate for an overhaul of the state's school funding system, a new state capital spending plan to replace the expired Illinois FIRST, and a state role in supporting local planning technical assistance and coordinated incentives to communities. To learn more about MPC's current policy initiatives, download our 2006 policy agenda.
Through our Community Building Initiative, we draw on expertise from our four program areas to help local communities tackle specific development and redevelopment projects. We focus on projects that address one or more of these concerns: revitalizing mature communities, broadening housing options in job-rich areas, and preserving natural areas by encouraging sustainable development in growing parts of the region. Our near-term goal is to connect local leaders with the tools and market-based strategies they need to overcome challenges facing many towns and cities in the region, including market pressures, lack of fiscal incentives, and need for development expertise.
The long-term goal of our Community Building Initiative goes hand-in-hand with our policy agenda: by demonstrating successful community development in areas around the region, MPC is illustrating the local and regional effects of the policies we pursue. And direct assistance to local communities helps sharpen the focus of our own work.
- Does MPC focus on local, state, or national policies?
While our Community Building Initiative remains focused on the expanding Chicago metropolitan region (including the "ring around the counties" and Northwest Indiana), for decades our policy work has encompassed local, state and national advocacy for better policies because all three levels of government affect residents living in Chicagoland.
- Who benefits from MPC's work?
Since 1934, MPC has served the public interest in the greater Chicago metropolitan region. While we continue to devote staff and resources to the traditional six-county Chicagoland region (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will), more and more we are working in counties "at the fringes" of new metropolitan growth, such as Kankakee, Kendall, and LaSalle. And some of our work has statewide implications, meaning we have worked with partners across Illinois, in places such as Peoria, East St. Louis, and Canton. If you look closely at our logo, you'll notice the fuzzy border around the six-county metropolitan region. That was intentional: with the region expected to grow by some 2 million people and 1 million cars by 2030, we expect our boundaries to continue to expand as well.
- So MPC isn't a governmental organization?
Right, and we would add that, as a nonpartisan nonprofit, we are fiercely nonpartisan. We are a well-respected nonprofit organization that advocates for, among other things, improved government coordination of land use and transportation planning - but we nudge, we don't call the shots. Since 1955, the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) has been the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO), responsible for transportation funding and planning. And since 1957, the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission has been the region's comprehensive planning agency, focusing primarily on land use. On Aug. 8, 2005, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich signed legislation creating the Regional Planning Board (RPB), now known as the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, which combined NIPC and CATS into a single agency designed to integrate planning for land-use, growth, and transportation in the Chicago metropolitan region. MPC advocated for the change along with groups such as Chicago Metropolis 2020, who understood that planning transportation separate from land use, and vice-versa, makes no sense.
- What makes MPC and Chicago Metropolis 2020 different?
Chicago Metropolis 2020 (CM2020) was formed seven years ago to carry out the recommendations of the Metropolis Plan, a report released in March 1999 that sets forth a strategy for "ensuring the preeminence of the Chicago metropolitan region in the 21st Century." The report was the result of a two-year study conducted by The Commercial Club of Chicago, which MPC was proud to assist. Among its first actions was the creation of a strong, business-backed organization to push its recommendations.
MPC's foundation, which dates back to 1934, started in housing. Our interest in planning grew from the realization that quality housing depends on healthy, economically vibrant neighborhoods, which in turn need a range of transportation options, job opportunities, and good schools. So, while the histories of MPC and CM2020 are different, our leadership is intertwined, and our aims - furthering Chicago's reputation as a first-rate destination for residents, visitors, and businesses - are similar, which explains why we both focus on key regional issues such as transportation, housing and land use.
At the same time, CM2020 and MPC have distinct agendas. For instance, MPC has become a leading organization working on statewide water quality and quantity, while CM2020 has been leading change on juvenile justice and violence. Whether or in partnership or apart, the work of both organizations is vital to achieve our shared aim: a world-class Chicago region.
- Who is MPC's Board of Governors?
MPC's 60-member Board of Governors is active, diverse, and represents a range of corporations and institutions with a presence in Chicagoland. Board members are specialists in law, real estate, industry, retail, education, finance, energy and more, and they share their expertise with MPC to help us focus our efforts on regionally significant projects and accomplish our objectives. Click here for a complete list of board members.
- How many people are on staff?
MPC has a small, but dedicated staff of about 25 full-time employees, in addition to a few part-time consultants, and four very hard-working interns.
- How is MPC funded?
MPC's generous and numerous funders of our $3.5 million budget in 2005 include foundations, corporations, financial institutions, municipalities, individuals, and others. Click here for a complete list of our funders.
- How did MPC get its start?
Great question, because it's a great story. In the 1930s, far too many Chicagoans lived in overcrowded, rat-infested, ramshackle tenement slums. Poised for change, in 1934, a group of concerned citizens founded the Metropolitan Housing Council (MHC). They wasted no time in advancing their main objective: improving the city's housing stock by enforcing standards, collecting statistics, and promoting neighborhood planning. Even then, the Council wasn't above a attention-grabbing stunt: at the 1934 Century of Progress World's Fair in Chicago, MHC transformed a Chicago shack into a "Cape Cod cottage" in 24 hours, proving it was possible to change the city's slums. By decade's end, they had made considerable headway toward that end, and the rest, as they say, is history (which, by the way, you can read by clicking on that link.)
Want to learn more about MPC? Contact Mandy Burrell, MPC communications associate, at 312-863-6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org.
History
You can view the timeline or download the PDF: "A History of Progress."
Recent Reports & Reports Archive
Download our most recent reports and publications, listed below by topic. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, or you want to review older reports or publications, check out our resources index. If you need assistance, contact Mandy Burrell, MPC communications associate, at 312-863-6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org.
Education
A+ Illinois Media Kit, February 2004
Housing
Employer-Assisted Housing 2006 Year-End Report, September 2007
Homegrown case studies, January 2007
CHA Plan for Transformation Update, August 2006
Rolling Meadows: Preserving Local Housing Options in the Path of Redevelopment, April 2006
2005 Mid-Year REACH Report, a status report on the regional employer-assisted housing initiative, November 2005
CHA Plan for Transformation Update, November 2005
Welcome Home: Housing Our Community, a video highlighting the demand for affordable housing, September 2005
CHA Plan for Transformation Update, July 2005
CHA Plan for Transformation Update, January 2005
Accommodating the Housing Needs of Families and Workers as the Chicago Region and Illinois Grow, February 2004
For Rent: Housing Options in the Chicago Region, a regional rental market analysis, November 1999
Regional Development/Sensible Growth
Retail 1-2-3, February 2007
Planning 1-2-3, a joint publication with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and Campaign for Sensible Growth, September 2006
10 Ways Communities Can Be More Competitive, a joint publication with Urban Land Institute Chicago, October 2005
Thinking Inside and Outside the Box: Elburn, Illinois, a Campaign for Sensible Growth report on a Technical Assistance Panel conducted in partnership with the Urban Land Institute, April 2005
Sensible Tools for Healthy Communities: A Decision-Making Workbook for Local Officials, Developers, and Community Leaders, a joint publication with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and Campaign for Sensible Growth, August 2004
Technology
From Broad Shoulders to Broadband, a multi-media presentation to complement Access to Redevelopment, February 2004
Access to Redevelopment, a research report on the need to expand broadband delivery throughout Chicago, February 2004
Transportation
Making the Case for Public-Private Partnerships in Illinois, a Business Leaders for Transportation publication, February 2006
Guiding Principles for the Next State Capital Program, a joint statement with Chicago Metropolis 2020 and Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, January 2006
New Designs for New Times, Transportation Issue Brief, March 2005
Transportation Priorities: Who Decides? A Better Way to Select Transportation Priorities?, August 2004
Critical Cargo, a publication on challenges and solutions for the region’s freight industry, April 2002
Urban Development
Rules of the Game: Metropolitan Planning Council Weighs in on Chicago’s Olympics Proposal, May 2006
Strength in Numbers: Building Vibrant, Compact Communities, October 2004
Water
Trim Creek Watershed Action Plan, a publication of the Trim Creek Watershed Planning Project with assistance from MPC, Openlands, and the Campaign for Sensible Growth, February 2006
Greater Marengo-Union Area Watershed Action Plan, a publication of the Greater Marengo-Union Area Watershed Planning Project with assistance from MPC, Openlands, and the Campaign for Sensible Growth, February 2006
Troubled Waters: Meeting Future Water Needs in Illinois, a joint publication with Openlands and the Campaign for Sensible Growth, January 2006
Sensible Water Strategies, ideas@work vol. 4 no. 1, January 2005
Watershed Planning for Sustainable Communities, ideas@work vol. 4 no. 2, January 2005
Changing Course: Recommendations for Balancing Regional Growth and Water Resources in Northeastern Illinois, a joint publication with Openlands and the Campaign for Sensible Growth, December 2004
MPC General
2006 Metropolitan Planning Council Election Guide, December 2006
2005 Policy Agenda: Priorities for Legislative or Administrative Action, February 2005
Metropolitan Planning Council Annual Report 2004, August 2004
Opinions
Explore these op-eds and columns, featuring MPC staff and board members weighing ins on our favorite topics: transportation, housing, development, water, education, planning, and more.
Bus rapid transit a good approach
Paul C. Carlisle
Chicago Tribune, 10/2/2008 Next leader must get it: Major cities need major investment
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 9/8/2008 Response to: Public Housing Limbo Chicago Tribune, 7/6/08
Robin Snyderman, MPC and Maria Hibbs, The Partnership for New Communities
Letter sent to the Chicago Tribune, 7/17/2008 Employer-assisted housing some relief during downturn
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 6/16/2008 Skosey: Bus rapid transit plan puts a glimmer in developer's eyes
Peter Skosey
yochicago.com, 6/16/2008 Benefits of buses
Peter Skosey, VP of External Relations, Metropolitan Planning Council
Crains Chicago Business, 6/9/2008 Illinois needs plan for managing its water resources
MarySue Barrett
submitted to newspapers across Illinois, 4/28/2008 The Opportunities of Growth
Michael Davidson
submitted to Chicago Tribune, 3/31/2008 Congestion pricing worth exploring in metropolitan Chicago
Peter Skosey
submitted to the Daily Herald, 3/14/2008 Chicagoans want a say in development
Peter Skosey
Chicago Tribune, 2/6/2008 Chicagoans want a say in development
Peter Skosey
Chicago Tribune, 2/6/2008 Metro areas need to use power of their votes
MarySue Barrett
The Chicago Sun-Times, 1/22/2008 No choice but sprawl
MarySue Barrett
Chicago Tribune, 12/2/2007 Mortgage counseling
Robin Snyderman
Chicago Tribune, 9/29/2007 Another Take: Employers help workers find housing
Robin Snyderman, MPC Housing Director
Daily Southtown, 9/26/2007 At what cost?
Calvert W. Audrain, Member, MPC Urban Development Committee
, 9/14/2007 CTA woes affect all of us: Illinois leaders relying on the public's long-held transportation myths
MarySue Barrett
Chicago Tribune, 9/14/2007 Long-term solution needed
MarySue Barrett
Chicago Sun-Times, 9/14/2007 Claim of ‘record investment’ in schools is hollow
Mary Ellen Guest, Manager, A+ Illinois
Daily Southtown, Springfield Journal-Register, Southern Illinoisan and the Rockford Register Star online edition., 8/28/2007 Green neighborhoods: the next eco-logical step
Michael Davidson, Manager, Campaign for Sensible Growth
Wednesday Journal, 8/1/2007 Letter to the Editor: Support stable homeownership for working Americans
MarySue Barrett
Submitted to New York Times, 7/16/2007 Designing their fate – and their communities
Peter Skosey
Illinois Real Estate Journal , 5/30/2007 Stronger RTA would prioritize urgently needed transit funds
MarySue Barrett
Crains Chicago Business, 5/22/2007 Unclogging streets
Thomas Kirschbraun and Mary Ludgin, co-chairs, MPC Urban Development Committee
Chicago Tribune, 5/22/2007 Transportation needs must be met to win Olympics
Kristi DeLaurentiis, guest columnist
Star Newspapers, 5/17/2007 Letter to the editor
Michael McLaughlin Transportation Director Metropolitan Planning Council
Sent to the New York Times, 4/9/2007 Enduring CTA headaches
Michael McLaughlin, Transportation Director, MPC
Chicago Tribune, 4/8/2007 Transforming the Chicago Housing Authority
Robin Snyderman
Urban Land, 4/2/2007 The Next Frontier
Scott Goldstein
Urban Land, 4/2/2007 A Region of Big Shoulders
MarySue Barrett
Urban Land, 4/2/2007 Cash, sunshine needed for state transportation network
Michael McLaughlin
Daily Southtown, 3/28/2007 Funding schools
MarySue Barrett
Chicago Tribune, 3/15/2007 Letter to the Editor: Quality education
Lee M. Mitchell, Partner, Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, and Chair, Metropolitan Planning Council
Chicago Tribune, 2/20/2007 MPC supports transit expansion
MarySue Barrett
submitted to the Chicago Tribune, 11/17/2006 School funds: A core issue
Bindu Batchu
Peoria Journal Star, 11/12/2006 SouthEast Service Line: can residents and business leaders get it?
Kristi DeLaurnetiis
The Star, 10/29/2006 A healthy city
Todd C. Brown, Vice chairman, ShoreBank; Co-chair, Metropolitan Planning Council Community Building
Chicago Tribune, 9/5/2006 Public, private partnerships at work throughout the region
Kristi DeLaurentiis
The Star, 8/20/2006 Development-fuel connection
Michael Davidson, Campaign for Sensible Growth and Josh Ellis, MPC/Campaign for Sensible Growth
Chicago Tribune Web site, 8/17/2006 Ill. pols should concentrate on school funding, tax relief
Bindu Batchu
Crain's Chicago Business, 7/17/2006 Ill. pols should concentrate on school funding, tax relief
Bindu Batchu
Crain's Chicago Business, 7/1/2006 Downzoning Pilsen
MarySue Barrett
Chicago Tribune, 6/23/2006 Letter to the editor
Bernard Loyd and Sylvia Puente
Sent to the Chicago Tribune, 6/12/2006 Response to "A 40-Year Fight for Fairness"
MarySue Barrett
Sent to the Chicago Tribune, 5/31/2006 Lift funding ban
Thomas H. Morsch Jr.
Crain’s Chicago Business LTE, 5/1/2006 Student resources
Bindu Batchu
Chicago Tribune online, 4/27/2006 Downtown Chicago-bound?
Kristi DeLaurentiis
Star Newspapers, 4/3/2006 There are alternatives to the Dan Ryan
Kit Hodge
Daily Southtown, 4/2/2006 LTI Seminar Makes the Case for Employer-Assisted Housing
Robin Snyderman
National League of Cities Web site, 3/20/2006 Letter to the editor
Kit Hodge
Chicago Tribune, 3/5/2006 'No-tax' pledge is irresponsible
Bindu Batchu
Daily Southtown, 3/2/2006 Finally!
Peter Skosey
Chicago Journal, 2/3/2006 Metropolitan Planning Council Comments ON SB 3086
Scott Goldstein
Sent to Ill. Sens. Susan Garrett and Dan Cronin in response to SB3086, 1/27/2006 Planning for Illinois' water needs
Kristi DeLaurentiis
Joliet Herald News, 1/26/2006 Two states, one vision
MarySue Barrett
Northwest Indiana Times, 1/21/2006 Spending in Illinois
Ann M. Drake, Member, Board of Governors, Metropolitan Planning Council, CEO, DSC Logistics Inc.;
Chicago Tribune, 1/21/2006 Housing help beneficial
Bob Campbell, Rockford Area Affordable Housing Coalition; John Mecklenberg,SwedishAmerican Medical F
Rockford Register Star, 1/21/2006 Voice of the People: Reliance on gas
Scott Goldstein, Vice president of Policy and Planning, Metropolitan Planning Council
Chicago Tribune, 11/4/2005 Big pitch for better planning
Kristi DeLaurentiis
Joliet Herald News, 10/30/2005 Dose of housing assistance aids nurses
Robin Snyderman
Chicago Sun-Times, 10/13/2005 Soak up conservation
Ellen Shubart
Chicago Tribune, 9/7/2005 10 Ways to Make Your Community Competitive Lessons Learned from the Chicago Region
Scott Goldstein
Urban Land, 9/6/2005 Next test: state leaders must deliver transportation dollars home
Kristi DeLaurentiis
Star newspapers (also ran in the Joliet Herald News), 8/29/2005 Regional Planning Board: the Promise of More Livable Communities
MarySue Barrett
Metrocommuter, 8/19/2005 Making the Case for Employer-Assisted Housing
Robin Snyderman
Shelterforce, 6/28/2005 Decision workshop aids officials
Kristi DeLaurentiis
Joliet Herald, 6/27/2005 Is your development plan right for your community?
Kristi DeLaurentiis
The Star, 6/19/2005 Chicago City Council Ordinance May Curb Restrictive Land Covenants
Peter Skosey
Submitted to Illinois Real Estate Journal, 6/8/2005 Land Use Ordinance Deserves Approval
Peter Skosey
Chicago Tribune, 5/24/2005 Balanced planning necessary for region
Ellen Shubart
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , 5/20/2005 Planning helps guide growth, protect water resources
Kristi Delaurentiis
The Star, 4/24/2005 Business must back tax changes to boost education spending
John A. Buck
Crain's Chicago Business, 4/11/2005 Coordinate transit plans
Natashia Holmes
Chicago Sun-Times, 2/25/2005 Housing help works
Robin Snyderman
Chicago Business, 2/22/2005 Budget affects state's long-term health
Kristi DeLaurentiis
Joliet Herald and Star newspapers, 2/22/2005 It's time to fix our broken school funding system
Bindu Batchu
Chicago Tribune, 2/7/2005 Letter to the Editor: Illinois’ first comprehensive housing plan
Robin Snyderman
Sent to the Chicago Tribune, 1/28/2005 Letter to the Editor: Ballooning Class Size Tied to Inadequate School Funding
Bindu Batchu
Sent to Chicago Tribune, 1/28/2005 Our water quality can be protected
MarySue Barrett
Daily Herald, 1/13/2005 Illinois still has ways to go in school funding
Bindu Batchu
Rochelle News-Leader , 1/12/2005 CHA's Mixed-Income Neighborhoods Need Community Support
MarySue Barrett, Joseph A. Gregoire, Bernard Loyd
Sent to Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, and Crain's Chicago Business, 12/31/2004 Kids shortchanged by state
Bindu Batchu
Daily Southtown, 12/10/2004 RTA Must Mediate Transit Funding Debate
Karyn Romano
sent to Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Herald, Daily Southtown, 10/26/2004 State passing the buck on school funding
James Compton, Jerome Stermer
Chicago Sun-Times, 10/24/2004 Improve schools, reduce property tax
MarySue Barrett
Daily Southtown, 9/23/2004 Transit woes
MarySue Barrett
Chicago Tribune, 9/22/2004 Helping employees avoid congestion
Samantha DeKoven
Daily Southtown, 9/15/2004 Extension is a beginning, not the end
Kristi DeLaurentiis
Star Newspapers and Herald News, 9/7/2004 Kudos for new zoning code
Peter Skosey, vice president of external relations
Sun Times, 6/9/2004 New zoning code can help city find its retail balance
Peter Skosey
Crain's Chicago Business, 5/3/2004 Whoever the retailer, city needs reform
Peter Skosey
Chicago Sun-Times, 4/16/2004 Re: "Rich, Poor Feel Bite of House Taxes"
Bindu Batchu, Campaign Manager, A+ Illinois
Submitted to the Chicago Tribune, 4/8/2004 Re: "Taxing Politics"
Bindu Batchu, Campaign Manager, A+ Illinois
Submitted to the Chicago Tribune, 3/30/2004 Lt. Governor pushes housing assistance in Lake County
Corinne Reynolds
Lakeland Media, 3/4/2004 Employer-assisted housing gets a push
Mick Zawislak
Daily Herald, 2/21/2004 More are buying homes with the boss' help
Guy Tridgell
Daily Southtown, 12/11/2003 Time to find an equitable school funding solution
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 12/8/2003 Affordable Housing Gets a Boost
Marlene Hunt
Vernon Hills Review, 11/13/2003 A new perk: Cash to buy house
Mick Zawislak
Daily Herald, 11/8/2003 No STAR line talks until spring
Karen Schoffner
Hoffman Estates Review, 10/30/2003 Urban planners can help us take a load off
Peter Skosey
Chicago Sun-Times, 9/6/2003 Fences, offenses and good neighbors
MarySue Barrett
Chicago Tribune, 8/25/2003 Reinvestment in Riverdale boosts village, and region too
Scott Goldstein
The Star, 8/14/2003 Riverdale technical assistance panel - letter to the editor
Scott Goldstein
(submitted The Star), 7/31/2003 Affordable housing - letter to the editor
MarySue Barrett
(submitted to the Chicago Sun-Times), 7/25/2003 Transportation investment - letter to the editor
Rob Nash for Business Leaders for Transportation
(submitted to the Chicago Tribune), 7/23/2003 Chicago freight plan - letter to the editor
Karyn Romano
(submitted to the Chicago Sun-Times), 7/21/2003 "Land of the Fat" - letter to the editor
Peter Skosey
(submitted to Chicago Sun-Times), 7/9/2003 Big payoff in helping staff live closer to the workplace
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 6/30/2003 Plastic is not an ideal alternative for the lawn
Ellen Shubart
Chicago Tribune, 5/29/2003 Lawmakers tackle Chicago's railway bottleneck
Dennis Conrad, AP
Daily Southtown, 5/23/2003 Regional coordination key to Illinois’ fair share of federal transportation dollars
MarySue Barrett, Gerald Roper and George A. Ranney, Jr.
(submitted to Crain's Chicago Business), 4/17/2003 A sensible plan for growth could save state big bucks
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 3/17/2003 Not always best to convert industrial land
Peter Skosey
(submitted to the Chicago Sun-Times), 3/11/2003 Illinois schools need funds along with accountability
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 9/16/2002 Freight gridlock solutions picking up steam
MarySue Barrett
Chicago Sun-Times, 8/7/2002 Early election-season tips for candidates in guv race
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 6/24/2002 Marshaling public will to transform the CHA
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 3/25/2002 Redefining job description of Chicago's zoning code
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 1/21/2002 Behind minority census data: clues for tomorrow
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 10/29/2001 Beyond O'Hare: mapping out a regional transit plan
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 8/6/2001 When it comes to schools, state lawmakers flunked
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 6/4/2001 . . .and lessons from past may help seal our deal
MarySue Barrett
Crain's Chicago Business, 4/9/2001
Campaign for Sensible Growth Archive
Campaign/ULI Research/Events |
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Industrial Renaissance: Establishing a Creative Industries District, Cermak Road, Chicago (1196k) 2/21/2008
Report on Pilsen/Cermak Road Technical Assistance Panel
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Building Connections between the East Side and Hill Communities, Chicago Heights, Illinois (991k) 12/10/2007
Report on Chicago Heights Technical Assistance Panel
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Kishwaukee Watershed Technical Report (5561k) 9/18/2007
Full Technical Advisory Report for the Kishwaukee Watershed | | Trim Creek Watershed Technical Report (3550k) 9/6/2007
Full Technical Advisory Report for the Kankakee River Watershed | | Remaking an Historic Corridor: Archer Avenue/Bridgeport, Chicago, Illinois (3337k) 6/25/2007
Report on Archer Avenue/Bridgeport Technical Assistance Panel | | Reclaiming Trim Creek: Managing growth and protecting resources in the Kankakee River Watershed (622k) 4/30/2007
The Trim Creek Watershed Planning Project is the third phase of a joint initiative of the Metropolitan Planning Council, Openlands, and Campaign for Sensible Growth called “Water Resources and Sustainable Growth.” The project’s research reports, Changing Course and Troubled Waters, stressed the importance of local governments in effective watershed planning and plan implementation. | | Preserving the Kishwaukee Watershed: Guiding development in the Marengo-Union region (722k) 4/11/2007
The Trim Creek Watershed Planning Project is the third phase of a joint initiative of the Metropolitan Planning Council, Openlands, and Campaign for Sensible Growth called “Water Resources and Sustainable Growth.” The project’s research reports, Changing Course and Troubled Waters, stressed the importance of local governments in effective watershed planning and plan implementation. | | Building a Strong Village Center: Midlothian, Illinois (1026k) 1/12/2006
Located about a half-hour train ride from downtown Chicago,
the southwest suburb of Midlothian, Ill. initially grew up nearly a century ago around the Midlothian Country Club and the
Rock Island Railroad train station. Named after Sir Walter
Scott’s book, “The Heart of Midlothian,” about a township in
Scotland where the game of golf originated, the Country
Club’s golf course created a heritage the town continues to honor. | | Troubled Waters: Meeting Future Water Needs in Illinois (879k) 1/9/2006
Careful planning and management of our water resources is critical to ensuring supplies of clean ater at a reasonable cost in the future. | | 10 Ways Communities Can Be More Competitive (738k) 11/2/2005
Over a decade ago, New York Post reporter Roberta Brandes Gratz inspired community leaders across the country with the The Living City. She contended that neighborhood redevelopment techniques were having a much greater impact on the revival of cities than far more costly strategies such as building sports stadiums. | | Thinking Inside and Outside the Box (1654k) 4/13/2005
Until recently, Elburn managed to retain its small town
charm even as land speculation increased development
activity. The region’s growth pressures will arrive at the village’s front door when Metra expands its commuter rail
service from Geneva to Elburn by late 2005. | | Changing Course: Recommendations for Balancing Regional Growth and Water Resources in Northeastern Illinois (1745k) 12/16/2004
An examination of the relationship between development practices and water quality and quantity in a 12-county northeastern Illinois region. | | Joliet, Illinois
Downtown Redevelopment Strategy (2232k) 10/28/2004
Report on Joliet, Ill. Technical Assistance Panel | | Sensible Tools For Healthy Communities (Web publication) 8/4/2004
A Decision-Making Workbook for Local Officials, Developers, and Community Leaders | | Retail 1-2-3: A workbook for local officials and community leaders (Web publication) 2/6/2007
| | | Planning 1-2-3 (Web publication) 9/20/2006
A Step-by-step Workbook for Writing a Comprehensive Plan in Illinois | | Retaining and Attracting Businesses and Jobs: Peterson-Pulaski Industrial Corridor (809k) 5/10/2006
The Peterson-Pulaski Industrial Corridor, a 47-year-old
business and employment zone on the northwest side of
Chicago, is home to 22 small to midsized companies that
collectively employ approximately 1,900 people. The irregularly shaped parcel runs from Bryn Mawr Avenue on the
south to Devon Avenue on the north, and from Kostner
Avenue on the west to Pulaski Road on the east, generally
paralleling the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way. Virtually the entire area is currently zoned for manufacturing. | | Preserving, Supporting and Extending Local Retail: Andersonville and North Clark Street (1415k) 3/21/2006
| | Riverdale, Illinois — A Vision for the PaceSetter Neighborhood (1291k) 10/1/2003
Results of a 2003 Campaign for Sensible Growth/Urban Land Institute Chicago Technical Assistance Panel sponsored by Bank One.
| | Park Forest, Illinois — Building on the Legacy:
Creating a New DownTown (283k) 10/1/2003
Results of a 2003 Campaign for Sensible Growth/Urban Land Institute Chicago Technical Assistance Panel sponsored by Bank One | | Creating a Village Center Using Transit-Oriented Development
Hanover Park, Illinois (254k) 9/25/2003
Results of a 2003 Campaign for Sensible Growth/Urban Land Institute Chicago Technical Assistance Panel | | Growing Pains:
Chicago, Hanover Park, Highwood and Richmond (11800k) 8/19/2003
An executive summary of 2002-2003 Technical Assistance Panels offered by the Campaign for Sensible Growth and Urban Land Institute (ULI) Chicago. | | New Places for a Changing Population:
Highwood, Illinois (252k) 5/12/2003
Findings from the Campaign for Sensible Growth and Urban Land Institute Chicago's 2002 Technical Assistance Panels | | Invest in the Past to Plan for the Future:
Richmond, Illinois (2713k) 3/27/2003
Findings from the Campaign for Sensible Growth and Urban Land Institute Chicago's 2002 Technical Assistance Panels
| | Housing Policies in Appreciating Markets:
Perspectives from the Development Community
in the City of Chicago (1595k) 2/13/2003
Findings from the Campaign for Sensible Growth and Urban Land Institute Chicago's 2002 Technical Assistance Panels | | Recommendations for Developing Workforce Housing in Hanover Park, Highland Park and Humboldt Park in the Chicago Metropolitan Area
(1079k) 9/14/2001
DRAFT findings from an advisory workshop focused on infill workforce housing for the Campaign for Sensible Growth/Urban Land Institute Chicago District Council Forging Partnerships: Overcoming Community Resistance to Developing Workforce Housing Symposium | | | Creating Value Through Sensible Growth: Executive Summary (Web publication) 12/31/2000
Highlights of leadership forums sponsored by
The Urban Land Institute and the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | Creating Value through Sensible Growth:
Transportation and Development Leadership Forum (69k) 10/1/1999
Creating Value through Sensible Growth:
Transportation and Development Leadership Forum | | Creating Value through Sensible Growth:
Housing Options and Infill Development Leadership Forum (69k) 10/1/1999
Creating Value through Sensible Growth:
Housing Options and Infill Development Leadership Forum | | Creating Value through Sensible Growth: Conservation Development Leadership Forum (94k) 10/1/1999
Creating Value through Sensible Growth: Conservation Development Leadership Forum | Guidebooks | | Sustainable Development: Meeting the needs of today’s communities and protecting the needs of the future (591k) 3/30/2004
This fourth guidebook in a series by the Campaign for Sensible Growth examines local efforts to foster growth that protects the environment, stimulates economic development, and promotes opportunity for all. | | Changing Faces: New Trends in Reinventing Communities (808k) 4/1/2000
By the year 2020, the population of the six-county Chicago region is forecast to grow to more than 9 million, far exceeding the region's development during the last 20 years. New development to accomodate this growth can occur in well-established town centers, existing job corridors and urban neighborhoods. | | Revitalizing Industry (1586k) 1/1/1999
A Look to the 21st Century. Presents 20 case studies of industrial businesses throughout the Chicago metropolitan region that have successfully navigated the redevelopment process. | | Growing Sensibly: A Guidebook of Best Development Practices in the Chicago Region. (Web publication) 1/1/1998
Drawing from examples from throughout the Chicago metropolitan region, this guidebook features best development practices of site and neighborhood level planning and design that have responded to the challenges of traffic congestion, environmental degradation, loss of community, etc. | Ideas@work | | Ideas@work vol. 4 no. 2
Watershed Planning for Sustainable Communities (990k) 1/27/2005
Water and land use are inter-related. Communities cannot develop without sources of drinkable water. Conversely, poorly planned development is often a major cause of water pollution, can result in water shortages, and can be a major factor in both local and regional flooding. In response, some communities have turned to watershed planning to encourage sustainable growth and protect their water resources. This ideas@work provides an overview of watershed planning and how it can be a tool to guide land use decisions and safeguard our water supplies. | | Ideas@work vol.4 no. 1
Sensible Water Strategies (450k) 1/24/2005
Although planners, naturalists and agricultural experts have long defined land according to its drainage areas, only recently has watershed planning become widely recognized as an important planning tool to connect land-use decisions and water resource protections. | | ideas@work volume 3 number 2 — Zoning for a Sustainable Economy and Social Equity (860k) 11/14/2003
This issue of ideas@work offers specific suggestions for how communities can adapt their zoning ordinances to embrace economic development and social equity. | | ideas@work volume 3 number 1 — Zoning for Environmental Sustainability (849k) 11/14/2003
This issue of ideas@work offers specific suggestions for how communities can adapt their zoning ordinances to embrace sustainable development that respects the environment. | | ideas@work volume 2 number 6 — Right at Home: Local Support for Employer-Assisted Housing (315k) 10/10/2003
This issue focuses on employer-assisted housing programs: how they benefit individuals, employers, and communities, and the nuts and bolts of putting a program in place. It also looks at government incentives to encourage employer-assisted housing initiatives. | | ideas@work volume 2 number 5 — Designing Quality Public Spaces (260k) 1/2/2003
This issue focuses on planning and zoning techniques that foster vibrant, livable communities that use open space as an important asset. Examples from around the United States illustrate how new twists on old zoning techniques can be employed to incorporate design principles into local regulations. | | ideas@work volume 2 number 4 – Smart Communities: Zoning for Transit-Oriented Development (255k) 10/29/2002
TODs can be vibrant, high-density, mixed-use areas designed for pedestrians, bicyclists and multiple modes of transportation, and are becoming an increasingly important tool for sensible growth. | | ideas@work volume 2 number 3 – Shaping Community Character Through Zoning (286k) 10/29/2002
No longer simply a way to limit height, bulk and use, communities are increasingly using zoning ordinances as a tool for shaping strong, positive and unique community identities. | | ideas@work volume 2 number 2 – Historic Preservation: Old Buildings as New Tools for Sensible Growth (266k) 10/29/2002
This issue examines the complementary relationship between municipal historic preservation programs and the sensible growth goals of promoting infill development and redevelopment, and building strong community character. | | ideas@work volume 2 number 1 – Wired Communities: Using Technology for Sensible Growth (206k) 8/14/2002
This issue looks at how technology infrastructure can support sensible growth and be used as an economic development tool. Case studies include Chicago’s CivicNet, e-Elgin and the Southland Telecommunications Assessment and Plan. | | ideas@work volume 5 — Smart Rent: Helping Families and Property Managers Use Housing Choice Vouchers
(149k) 8/24/2001
Quality rental housing is a crucial part of a healthy housing market and is fundamental to the stability of families and communities throughout the Chicago region. Renters are a diverse group, from young adults starting out on their own, to working families with children, to households with special needs, to senior citizens looking to simplify their lifestyles. A range of rental options is needed for a growing workforce, whether hourly employees or highly specialized professionals. | | ideas@work volume 4 — Traffic Calming: Creating Livable Communities
(221k) 7/1/2001
This issue focuses on techniques and devices that can be used to calm or slow traffic. These techniques fit into a larger strategy of balanced land use and transportation planning that makes communities more livable and safer for residents. | | ideas@work volume 3 — Expanding Housing Options through Inclusionary Zoning
(184k) 6/1/2001
The widespread shortage of affordable housing is prompting some local governments to rethink conventional zoning in order to expand the variety and availability of their housing stock. One innovative tool is inclusionary zoning. | | ideas@work volume 2 — Beyond the Traffic Jam: Local Strategies to Reduce Congestion
(446k) 4/1/2001
Chicago area communities can take action to reduce traffic congestion and traffic's negative impact. To create more livable communities, planners should consider residents’ mobility and lifestyle needs and integrate various modes of transportation. | | ideas@work volume 1 — Sensible Growth Legislative Models from Nearby States
(374k) 2/1/2001
Sensible growth responds to the concerns of citizens and local communities. No longer are balanced growth tools associated with a few isolated states. | Newsletters | | Growing Sensibly, Fall 2003 (926k) 9/11/2003
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | Growing Sensibly, Spring 2003 (2847k) 6/25/2003
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | Growing Sensibly, Winter 2003 (4010k) 1/7/2003
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | Growing Sensibly, Fall 2002 (2948k) 9/9/2002
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | Growing Sensibly, Spring 2002 (5081k) 6/7/2002
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | Growing Sensibly, Winter 2002 (5292k) 2/26/2002
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | Growing Sensibly, Fall 2001 (271k) 9/12/2001
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | Growing Sensibly, Spring 2001 (212k) 6/1/2001
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | | Growing Sensibly, Winter 2001 (Web publication) 3/1/2001
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | | Growing Sensibly, Winter 2000 (Web publication) 3/1/2000
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | | | Growing Sensibly, Spring 2000 (Web publication) 6/1/2000
The quarterly newsletter of the Campaign for Sensible Growth | References | | Chicago Southland Economic Development Index (132k) 1/31/2004
A matrix of planning, economic, and community development organizations and agencies working in the Chicago Southland area. | | Leading Organizations Promoting Sensible Growth in Illinois (56k) 2/1/2001
Data matrix | | Resource Guide for Northeastern Illinois (166k) 8/22/2000
A directory of contact information and available resources for "sensible growth" practitioners in the Chicago metropolitan region
| | A Sensible Growth Agenda for Illinois (180k) 1/1/1999
A paper prepared for the Campaign for Sensible Growth by the American Planning Association looking at trends in population growth, land consumption, job shifts and farmland loss in the last four decades. The paper makes recommendations for a sensible growth agenda for Illinois, including the perspectives of private sector stakeholders as well as government leaders. Also includes a literature review of similar studies around the country. | Other | | Sensible Growth in Illinois (1071k) 12/1/1999
This document outlines a set of strategies that support local communities implementing sensible growth policies and practices.
Sensible Growth Index. An innovative effort to clearly assess, through four indicators, the long-term impact of development patterns in northeastern Illinois.
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