On September 19, 2008, CMAP issued a draft process for reviewing Developments of Regional Importance. The document is a culmination of work over the past year by the Programming Coordinating Committee, its subcommittee, the CMAP Board's working committees, and the staff to develop a DRI process as called for in CMAP's enabling legislation. Through December 1, 2008, the public may submit comments on the draft DRI process document (420KB PDF). For more information, contact Tara Fifer (tfifer@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8758). Please send comments via email or postal mail to Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Attention: DRI Public Comments, 233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.
CMAP Board chairman Gerald Bennett is also co-chairing the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus 2016 Olympic Regional Coordinating Committee. He recently appeared on the Comcast Network's Political Update, along with committee co-chairman Karen McConnaughay and caucus executive director David Bennett. Click here or see below for the video, which is about 30 minutes long.
We've added links to biosketches of the CMAP Board members at our "About CMAP" page, where you'll also find a map showing the Board's geographic composition. This diverse group of 15 voting members (plus two non-voting seats) has balanced representation from across the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will. The board is chaired by Gerald Bennett, mayor of Palos Hills.
On Tuesday, August 5, 2008, U.S. Representatives Melissa Bean, Judy Biggert, Bill Foster, and Don Manzullo hosted a hearing about the Canadian National railway's pending purchase of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern railway. Held at Chicago's Dirksen Federal Building, the event saw testimony from speakers who included CMAP executive director Randy Blankenhorn. Click here for Randy's testimony, and here for related coverage in the Daily Herald and other news media. The federal Surface Transportation Board issued its draft Environmental Impact Statement. The draft is now open for public comment through September 30. See the related STB news release and fact sheet for details on how to comment, along with information about eight public meetings to be held by the STB during August and September 2008 in metropolitan Chicago.
CMAP executive director Randy Blankenhorn was recently interviewed on Comcast's "Political Update" public affairs show. He talked about CMAP's vision for metropolitan Chicago, and the agency's innovative GO TO 2040 planning campaign to implement that regional vision.
Executive director Randy Blankenhorn was interviewed on WTTW's Chicago Tonight as part of the agency's launch of GO TO 2040, metropolitan Chicago’s first truly comprehensive regional planning campaign. Click here for a collection of other GO TO 2040 news links, and read more about the launch in the CMAP press release. The agency also announced its new partnership with The Chicago Community Trust, which is providing financial and research support. CMAP and the Trust are developing a set of regional indicators that will predict the effects of policies and investments that the region should implement to achieve its vision for the future.
Now in its 18th year, Chicago’s award-winning multimedia public affairs series, Chicago Matters: Growing Forward has been launched to examine how the choices we make today impact our environment and the future of our region. All of the topics that will be covered in the series are integral to the work of CMAP. Please see http://www.chicagomatters.org for the programming list and more information. The series is sponsored by the Chicago Community Trust.
CMAP is developing a series of Regional Snapshot reports to summarize important issues that will be part of the GO TO 2040 comprehensive plan. The latest snapshot report attempts to identify potential infill opportunities across the region. Redeveloping infill sites can offer substantial benefits. It can revitalize stressed communities, increase tax revenues, provide opportunities to create affordable housing, preserve natural resources in undeveloped areas, and effectively use existing infrastructure and services. Click the image at right to download the Regional Snapshot on Infill (1.4 MB PDF).