Chicago Counties Approve Long-Range Plan

The Chicago 30-year regional plan is referred to in some quarters as ''Burnham Plan II.''

On October 13, 2010, leaders of the seven Chicago area counties unanimously approved the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning's (CMAP) ''GO TO 2040,''the region's first comprehensive plan since Daniel Burnham's in 1909.

CMAP was formed in 2005 at the urging of local elected officials and business leaders. GO TO 2040 www.cmap.illinois.gov/2040 is designed to guide development and investment decisions here for the next 30 years.

Quite an ambitious undertaking from the sound of it, although an article in the Chicago Sun-Times wagered that most Chicagoans have never even heard of the CMAP, even though the plan took into account recommendations from more than 35,000 area residents.

Getting all seven counties to work together is considered a real achievement here. It came down to the counties realizing that competing for dollars would make for winners and losers, instead of pooling scarce investment dollars.

''Our 284 communities and seven counties must work together to address our big regional challenges, which require coordinated local solutions,''said Gerald Bennett, CMAP board chairman and mayor of Palos Hills. ''How we respond will be key to preserving our status as one of the world's few global centers. GO TO 2040 is the region's best chance to achieve prosperity that can be sustained for generations to come.''

CMAP estimates there is more than 100,000 acres within municipal boundaries vacant or under-used. GO TO 2040 promotes the redevelopment of this land with a mix of residential and nonresidential uses, which could accommodate half of the region's projected growth (about 1.2 million people).

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program has awarded $4.25 million to spur the implementation of GO TO 2040.

The Sun-Times calls the CMAP plan ''far-reaching, pragmatic and nuanced.''The plan encompasses water and energy conservation, open space, recommendations for transportation projects, aging infrastructure, new construction, public transit improvements, schools and work-force development.