The City of Elmhurst has announced the kick-off of the Elmhurst Downtown Plan. The Plan will serve as the City’s official guide for downtown growth and development. Informed by existing conditions, community consensus, community vision, and future potentials, the plan will serve as a road map to the future for the core of the City.
The new plan will guide downtown policy decisions and help the community achieve its long-term objectives – a downtown that is a destination for residents and visitors, boasts high appearance standards and improvements, and is known for business retention and recruitment. The Downtown Plan will address land use and development, redevelopment opportunities and catalyst sites, transportation, parking, pedestrian mobility, streetscape, and placemaking and public realm improvements.
When completed, the Elmhurst Downtown Plan will be the product of the community, with a vision and recommendations guided by valuable input received from residents, business owners, community leaders, and other stakeholders. Over the next year, residents should stay active and aware of the project as it progresses by tracking it through the project website, which will be available at elmhurst.org/downtownplanupdate.
Also at the web site, stakeholders can access the online survey and create their own map with issues and opportunities for Downtown Elmhurst.
Public events scheduled for input, feedback
On Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 8 to 9:30 a.m., a Downtown Business Listening Session will be held at City Hall. It is targeted to Elmhurst’s corporate citizens, property and business owners, and developers, as an important Downtown stakeholder group. The purpose of this listening session is to establish a dialogue and obtain feedback from those members of the business community that have a unique insight and perspective, and whose assistance and involvement is crucial to the Downtown Plan’s ultimate success.
Also Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at City Hall, there will be a Downtown Plan Public Workshop, which will allow residents and stakeholders to provide input before any plan recommendations are formulated. Attendees will learn about the planning process to be undertaken and the project schedule. The project team will give a presentation and conduct a Downtown issues and opportunities activity with attendees. For more information, visit elmhurst.org/downtownplanupdate.
