Sauk Village Comprehensive Plan Existing Conditions Report

DRAFT

SAUK VILLAGE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT

NOVEMBER 06, 2018

Prepared for Sauk Village and The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

Teska Associates Inc., in association with AECOM, Infrastructure Engineering Inc., and Far South CDC CONTENTS

SECTION PAGE NUMBER

1 Introduction 01 2 Planning Process 05 3 Demographics & Housing 07 4 Land Use & Zoning 15 5 Commercial & Industrial 27 6 Transportation & Mobility 43 7 Community Facilities, Programs, & Services 51 8 Open Space & Natural Resources 57 9 Key Findings 65

ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Marcus A. Atkins Ed Paesel Mayor Derrick Burgess Pastor John G. Pitt Juanita Burgess Charles Pondexter Marva Campbell-Pruitt, Village Clerk Clara Siedelmann Alvina Casara Gene Steinmarch Emmet Farmer Gene Tsao Superintendent Dr. Donna Leak Joseph Wiszowaty Kathie Newton

FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGMENT: This project was supported through the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s (CMAP) Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, which is funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the Chicago Community Trust, Cook County Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR), and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). Sauk Village and CMAP would like to thank these funders for their support for this project. Introduction 1 SAUK VILLAGE... is located 30 miles south of Chicago’s Loop. What is now Sauk Sauk Village is home to approximately 10,350 people, with Trail, which runs east west through the Village, is based on the community mostly comprised of residential and industrial a Native American trading and transportation corridor. The areas. There are also opportunities for growth among vacant trade route later became known as the “Main Street” and or agricultural lots both within and surrounding the Village’s center of activity within Sauk Village. Sauk Trail became one boundaries. of the most important roadways in American History, which is now within the nationally designated Lincoln Highway scenic The Existing Conditions Report is the first step in preparing byway across Illinois. The Village incorporated in 1957 and Sauk Village’s new Comprehensive Plan. It studies Sauk Village’s soon added residential neighborhoods, community facilities past and present in order to understand the Village’s potential and additional businesses. for the future by looking at demographics, housing, land use, commercial and industrial demand and transportation issues. Sauk Village has tremendous opportunity for business and economic expansion given its proximity to the interstate The Existing Conditions Report will inform and frame goal- highways and Chicago. Sauk Village is located in Cook County, setting for the Comprehensive Plan by providing a common with a small southern portion extending into Will County. set of facts, challenges and opportunities facing the future of the Village. Many key findings of this report are summarized in Chapter 9.

WHAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? • A guide to coordinated, long-range growth and development over the next 15-20 years. • Focuses on Village’s vision for the future through goals + policies • A chance to REFLECT on history, CONNECT with community, and PROGRESS into the future

FIGURE 1.1: Regional Location Map

30-mile from Downtown

O’Hare Airport

Downtown Chicago

Midway Airport 10-mile from Sauk Village Gary Airport

Sauk Village

Future South Suburban Airport

2 | Existing Conditions Introduction GROWING FROM THE PAST... While the last major update to the Comprehensive Plan was completed in 1999. A number of related documents have been developed by the Village or have been regional plans with the participation of the Village. SAUK VILLAGE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN | 1999 The 1999 Comprehensive Plan’s goals are listed below along with brief updates of accomplishments since the adoption of the plan.

LAND USE AND COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Goal: Promote annexation of unincorporated land area to encourage residential, commercial and industrial development, while protecting natural resources and town character.

Progress: The Village pursued key annexations to expand the boundaries of the Village. A large industrial park called the LogistiCenter was developed to expand economic development opportunities in the Village.

VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN TRANSPORTATION Goal: Update and construct a coordinated street and walking pathway network.

Progress: Improvements have been made to I-394, but there continue to be gaps in the street and sidewalk networks in the Village.

PARKS AND LEISURE TIME PURSUITS Goal: Develop additional parks and recreational facilities.

Progress: Albert Welch Veterans Memorial Park was developed. No major improvements were made to the Lincoln-Lansing Drainage District that were recommended in the plan.

NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT Goal: Assure a wide diversity of quality homes.

Progress: There have been new residential developments at key locations such as along Steger Road east of I-394. Due to effects of the foreclosure crisis, there has been concern over the decline of residential homes and the increased rate of absentee-owned and rental housing.

GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION AND COOPERATION Goal: Continue communication and cooperation with surrounding municipalities concerning joint solutions to common problems.

Progress: There have been many efforts toward regional planning such as the IL Route 394 / IL Route 1 Corridor Plan and the formation of the South Suburban Land Bank.

PLAN UPDATES Goal: Annually review this comprehensive plan and report its findings and recommendations for changes to the Village Board of Trustees for consideration.

Progress: There has not been a major update to the Comprehensive Plan. In 2017, the Village developed A Strategic Plan for Progress that laid out the vision for the Village and the importance of planning to improve quality-of-life and economic opportunities. (See next page).

Existing Conditions Introduction | 3 IL ROUTE 394/IL ROUTE 1 CORRIDOR PLAN | 2015 The purpose of the IL Route 394/IL Route 1 Corridor study was to anticipate future transportation, land use and economic development patterns and develop a cohesive Vision for the Corridor. The Vision was developed in a collaborative effort by the 11communities and two counties, Cook County and Will County, along the Corridor.

The overall project goal was to develop a comprehensive plan that unites future development along the Corridor to make it a more attractive transportation and activity center, while improving the functionality of the roadway network. The plan included frontage road connectivity, appropriate land use planning around existing and future interchanges, promoted connectivity of pedestrian infrastructure, promoted regional scale bike trail development and focused development around existing sites and infrastructure.

SAUK TRAIL INTERCHANGE The Corridor Plan developed two alternative designs. Alternate 1 is an interchange concept to convert the at-grade intersection to a grade-separated interchange elevating Sauk Trail on a bridge over Route 394. Alternate 2 proposed improvements to the at-grade intersection providing a sidewalk and multi- use path on both sides of Sauk Trail, reconstructing right turn lanes onto and off of I 394 and providing additional left turn lanes and staking space for east to north movement. The Village is pursuing ways to make the intersection safer and be able to accommodate pedestrian and bicycle crossing. A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR PROGRESS | 2017 The Strategic Plan for Progress sets out a vision that “Sauk Village will be known as one of the best Villages for its size in the entire region.” The Plan calls for:

Establishing a foundation to build for the future through extensive and innovative strategic planning including pursuing a new comprehensive plan, updating the Village’s commercial design standards and guidelines and leading a strong economic development strategy.

Making the Village government more efficient, innovative and improve fiscal management of the Village.

Building strong and cohesive neighborhoods that will work together to form a vibrant and diverse community, inclusive for all.

Doing a better job of planning for development, transportation, traffic control and housing. The Plan recommends a strategic plan to strengthen neighborhoods including establishing a Citizens Advisory Council Board to mobilize neighborhoods to address their concerns and celebrate their strengths, creating a neighborhood network on the home page where residents can easily identify what is happening in their neighborhood and encouraging volunteerism. The Plan also recommends efforts to expand economic development initiatives, especially to bring more development to LogistiCenter and infrastructure improvements to serve the community.

Setting and maintaining high standards of public safety through implementing a public safety plan and develop community policing in our neighborhoods as well as a five and ten year capital plan for Police, Fire and EMA Departments.

Creating and maintaining an atmosphere of clean streets, safe parks and neighborhoods, and activities for all citizens, including improving parks, recreation and youth services.

4 | Existing Conditions Introduction Planning Process 2 PROJECT PHASING:

PHASE 1 This Existing Conditions Analysis is the first phase of the Sauk Village EXISTING Comprehensive Plan. The Analysis focuses on data collection, review of past CONDITIONS documents and land use, market and transportation conditions. ANALYSIS

PHASE 2 The second phase of the Comprehensive Plan involves engaging citizens PUBLIC and stakeholders. The public’s input informs the Advisory Committee work ENGAGEMENT in establishing a common vision for future growth and development in Sauk Village.

PHASE 3 During this phase, an interactive public workshop will engage citizens and FORM other stakeholders. That public input will be used to inform Committee COMMUNITY work in establishing a common vision for future growth and development VISION in Sauk Village, building on the Strategic Plan for Progress.

PHASE 4 As a way of preparing the draft Comprehensive Plan in a way that focuses on items of greatest community interest and concern, this phase will develop DEVELOP PLAN preliminary recommendations. The findings will be drafted into an Interim OPPORTUNITIES Plan Report as a tool to gather consensus on goals, strategies and projects that will guide the Comprehensive Plan.

PHASE 5 The Comprehensive Plan will build on key findings to provide plan DRAFT PLAN recommendations including goals, strategies and projects. Key resources AND ADOPTION and partners will be identified for major projects. This phase includes the second public open house and input from the Village Board prior to adoption.

6 | Existing Conditions Planning Process Demographics & Housing 3 SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE TRADE AREA CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA

10,343 Residents 118,102 Residents 9,461,105 Residents uu uuuu uuuuuu

3,734 Housing Units 45,351 Housing Units 3,797,247 Housing Units 3,164 Households 41,801 Households 3,475,726 Households

SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE TRADE AREA CHICAGOAverage METROPOLITAN AREAAverage Average Household Household Household Size Size Size 3.27 2.68 2.68

10,343 Residents 118,102 Residents 9,461,105 Residents $52,975 $58,813 $62,058 uu uuuuMedian Householduu IncomeuuuMedianu Household Income Median Household Income

3,734 Housing Units 45,351 Housing Units 3,797,247 Housing Units 3,164 Households 41,801 Households 3,475,726 Households

Average Average u Average u u Household Household Household Size Size 17% Vacant Size 9% Vacant 8.5% Vacant INTRODUCTION 3.27 2.68FIGURE 3.2: Demographic2.68 Data (2016) Sauk Village’s demographic profile provides an overview 20.3%SAUK Hispanic VILLAGE Population 5 13.3%MILE Hispanic TRADE Population AREA CHICAGO20.7% METROPOLITAN Hispanic Population AREA of population trends since the last Comprehensive Plan was completed in 1999. The $52,975data provides information$58,813 $62,058 on population, households,Median education Household Incomelevels, and Medianracial Household Income Median Household Income background of the Village’s residents. The chapter also provides an overview of housing issues in the Village including 10,34310,388 Residents 118,102 Residents 9,461,105 Residents type of tenure, vacancy and cost burden.

Median Age: Median Age: Median Age: POPULATION u u uu uuuuu uuuuuu 17% Vacant 9% Vacant 3,734 Housing32 Units 8.5% Vacant 45,351 Housing39 Units 3,797,247 Housing36 Units The population of Sauk Village has stayed stable since 2000, 3,164 Households 41,801 Households 3,475,726 Households just after the 1999 Comprehensive Plan was completed. Population has declinedSAUK slightly20.3% VILLAGE from Hispanic 10,669 Population to 10,3885 MILE within13.3% TRADE Hispanic AREA Population CHICAGO20.7% METROPOLITAN Hispanic Population AREA the Village. Esri forecasts a slight continued decline over the next six years to reach 10,266 residents. CMAP’s 2040 Average Average Average Household Household Household projections for Sauk Village, however, forecasts an increase Size Size Size to 16,947 residents. The 2040 Forecast was based on policy u u u changes that support infill and redevelopment. One of the 10,343 Residents 118,102 Residents Median Home3.27 Value:9,461,105 Residents Median Home2.68 Value: Median Home2.68 Value: purposes of the current update to the Comprehensive Plan $102,411 $171,067 $238,253 is to determine policies and goals thatMedian can Age:support increased Median Age: Median Age: investment in the communityuu and be a place whereu peopleuu u uuuuuu choose to move to Sauk Village. $52,975 $58,813 $62,058 3,734 Housing Units32 45,351 Housing Units39 Median Household3,797,247 Income Housing36 UnitsMedian Household Income Median Household Income 3,164 Households 41,801 Households 3,475,726 Households Racial composition has changed over the past seventeen FIGURE 3.3: Racial Breakdown for Sauk Village 2000-2017 years. In 2000, 60% of the population was White while 32% were Black, 7% Other and 12% Hispanic of any race. This has 25% changed to a mix of 33% White, 56% Black, 11% Other, and Average Average Average 14% Hispanic of any race. Household Household Household 20% Sizeu uSize uuSize u u Education levels have improvedMedian since Home Value:2000. The shareMedian of Home Value: Median Home Value: 17% Vacant White 9% Vacant 8.5% Vacant residents over age 25 without3.27$102,411 a high school degree or$171,0672.68 $238,2532.68 15% equivalent has gone down from 20% to 14%, while the share Other of residents with Associates, Bachelors or Graduate degrees 20.3% Hispanic Population 13.3% Hispanic Population 20.7% Hispanic Population has increased form 16% to 23%. $52,975 $58,813 $62,058 Median Household Income Median Household Income Median Household Income FIGURE 3.1: Sauk Village Population 2000-2022 25% $238,253 Source: Demographic data from US Census – Esri Forecasts 20% FIGURE 3.4: EducationMedian Age: Attainment Over AgeMedian 25 Age: Median Age: u uWhite u 2000 2010 2016 2022 Other 15% 17% Vacant 9% Vacant 8.5% Vacant Total Population 10,669 10,506 10,388 10,266 32 39 36

Total Households20.3% 3,394 Hispanic Population 3,226 3,18113.3% 3,139 Hispanic Population 20.7% Hispanic Population Source: Demographic data from US Census – Esri Forecasts u u u Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Median Home Value: $102,411 $171,067 $238,253 Median Age: Median Age: Median Age: Source: Demographic data from US Census – Esri Forecasts 8 | Existing Conditions Demographics32 & Housing 39 36

25% u u u 20% White Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Other 15% $102,411 $171,067 $238,253

25%

20%

White Other 15% SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE TRADE AREA CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA

HOUSING 10,343 Residents 118,102 Residents 9,461,105 Residents In 2017, Sauk Village consisted of approximately 3,700 housing units. Approximately 55% of units are owner-occupied, 30% rental and 17% of units are vacant. As shown in Figure 3.6, single-family homesu uare the predominantuu housinguu type, althoughuu uthereu areu u

some townhomes, multi-family units and mobile homes. 3,734 Housing Units 45,351 Housing Units 3,797,247 Housing Units SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE3,164 TRADE Households AREA CHICAGO41,801 HouseholdsMETROPOLITAN AREA 3,475,726 Households Homes currently for sale in Sauk Village (as of June 1st, 2018), had an average listing price of $76,733. A total of 103 single family residential homes were sold from April 2017 through May 2018 with an average sale price of $58, 829 per Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED). Although homes within certain areas (e.g. Lincoln Meadows,Average Deer Creek Estates) Averageare listed at price points aboveAverage 10,343 Residents 118,102Household Residents 9,461,105Household Residents Household $100,000. SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE TRADE AREA CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREASize Size Size SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE TRADE AREA CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA Sauk Village added housing units at a slower annualuu rate than Will uCountyu3.27u (10%u of Will County’suu long-term2.68uuu growthu rate and2.68 50% of Cook County’s long-term growth rate), and its annual growth (long-term and post-Recession), mirrored that of its neighboring 3,734 Housing Units 45,351 Housing Units 3,797,247 Housing Units 10,343 ResidentsSAUK VILLAGE118,102 Residents5 MILE TRADE AREA9,461,105CHICAGO Residents METROPOLITAN AREA Cook County communities. Sauk Village’s neighbors3,164 Households in Indiana and41,801 Will Households County (Dyer & Crete)3,475,726 added Households housing units at faster annual rates than Sauk Village’s other neighbors between 2000 and 2016.$52,975 $58,813 $62,058 Median Household Income Median Household Income Median Household Income uu uuu10,343u Residentsuuuuu118,102u Residents 9,461,105 Residents SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE TRADE AREA CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA FIGURE 3.5:3,734 Housing Housing Units Characteristics45,351 Housing Units Average3,797,247 Housing Units Average Average 3,164 Households10,343 Residents 41,801 Households 118,102 ResidentsHousehold3,475,726 Households 9,461,105Household Residents Household SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE TRADE AREASize CHICAGO METROPOLITANSize AREA Size uu uuuuuu3.27u uuuuuu2.68uuuu uu2.68uuuu 10,343 Residents 118,102 ResidentsAverage 9,461,105Average Residents Average Household Household Household 3,734 Housing Units 3,734 45,351Housing Housing Units Units 45,3513,797,247u Housing Housing UnitsUnits u3,797,247 Housing Unitsu Size Size Size $52,975 3,164 Households 41,801 Households 3,475,726 Households

SAUK 3,164 Households 41,801 Households 3,475,726 Households 17% Vacant Median Household9% Vacant Income 8.5% Vacant

uu VILLAGE uuu3.27u uuu2.68uuu$52,975 2.68 $58,813 $62,058 Median Household Income Median Household Income Median Household Income 3,734 Housing Units 10,34345,351 ResidentsHousing Units 3,797,247118,102 Housing UnitsResidents 9,461,105 Residents 3,164 Households 41,801 Households 3,475,726 Households SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE TRADE AREA CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREAAverage Average 20.3% HispanicAverage Population 13.3% Hispanic Population 20.7% Hispanic Population SAUK VILLAGE 5 MILE TRADE$52,975 AREA CHICAGOHousehold $58,813 METROPOLITANHousehold $62,058AREA Household Median Household Income Size Median Household Income AverageSize Median Household Income SizeAverage Average Household Household Household Average uuAverage uuuAverageuuuu uuuuuu Household Household 3.27 HouseholdSize 2.68 2.68Size Size Size Size Size u u u 10,343 Residents 118,102 Residents 9,461,105 Residents $58,813

5 MILE 5 3,734 Housing Units 45,351 Housing Units 3,797,247 Housing Units 17% Vacant 9% Vacant Median Household Income8.5% Vacant 3.27 3,164 Households2.682.02 41,8012.68 Households3.27 3,475,7262.68 Households 2.68 TRADE AREA TRADE u u u uu uuuu uuuuu$52,975u $58,813 $62,058 10,343 Residents 118,102 Residents Median Household Income 9,461,105Median Residents Household Income Median Household Income 17% Vacant 9% Vacant 20.3% Hispanic Population8.5% Vacant 13.3% Hispanic Population 20.7% Hispanic Population 3,734 Housing Units 45,351 Housing Units 3,797,247 Housing Units Median Age: Median Age: Median Age: 3,164 Households 41,801 Households$52,975 3,475,726$58,813 Households $62,058 Median Household Income Median Household Income Median Household Income 20.3% HispanicAverage Population 13.3% Hispanic Population$52,975Average 20.7% Hispanic Population $58,813Average $62,058 uu uuuHouseholdu u uuuMedianu HouseholduHousehold uIncomeuu Median Household32 IncomeHousehold 39Median Household Income 36 Average Average SizeAverage Size Size Household Household Household 3,734Size Housing Units Size 45,351 Housing UnitsSize u 3,797,247 Housingu Units u $62,058 3,164 Households 41,801 Households 17% Vacant 3,475,726 Households9% Vacant 8.5% Vacant Median Household Income

u CHICAGO u u 3.27 2.68 3.272.68 2.68Median Age: Median Age:2.68 Median Age:

17% Vacant AREA METRO 9% Vacant 8.5% Vacant Median20.3% Age: Hispanic Population Median13.3% Age: Hispanic Population Median Age:20.7% Hispanic Population Source: Esri, US Census 32 u39 u36 u $52,975 $58,81320.3% Hispanic Population 13.3%$62,058 Hispanic Population 20.7% Hispanic Population Median Household IncomeAverage Median Household Income AverageMedian Household32 Income u39 Average 36 uMedian Home Value: Median Home Value:uMedian Home Value: Household Household$52,975 $58,813Household $62,058 Median Household Income Median Household Income Median$102,411 Household Income $171,067 $238,253 FIGURE 3.6: Housing Tenure and Type17% Vacant 9% Vacant 8.5% Vacant Size Size Size Housing type by Sauk Village CMAP Region 3.27 2.68 2.68u uowner/renter in u u u u 20.3% Hispanic Population 13.3% Hispanic Population 20.7% Hispanic Population Median Age: Median Age: Median Age: Owner- Renter- Owner- Renter- Median Age: uMedian Age: uMedian Age: u Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Median Home Value: 17% Vacant 9% Vacant 8.5% Vacant occupied occupied occupied occupied Median Home Value: Median Home Value: $102,411Median Home Value: $171,067 $238,253 32 $102,41139 32 $171,06736 39 $238,253 36 25% 20.3% Hispanic$52,975 Population 13.3% Hispanic Population $58,813u20.7% Hispanic Population $62,058u u Median Household Income Median Household Income Median Household Income Single-family 57% 24% 48% 5% 17% Vacant 9% Vacant 8.5% Vacant 20% Townhome 1% 1% 6% 1% 25% 25% Multi-family White0% 8% 12% 28% u u u Other 15% 20.3% Hispanic Populationu 13.3% Hispanicu Population 20.7%u Hispanic Population Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Median Home Value:Median Age: Median Age: Median Age: Median Age: Median Age: Median MedianAge: Home Value: Median Home20% Value: MedianMobile Home home Value: 20%8% 1% 1% 0% $102,411 $171,067 $238,253 $102,411 $171,067 $238,253 32 39 36 White White u u Other u15% 15% 32 Other CMAP39 Region Renter-Occupied CMAP Region36 Owner-Occupied 17% Vacant 9% Vacant 8.5% Vacant Sauk Village Renter-Occupied Sauk Village Owner-Occupied 25% 25% u20.3% Hispanic Populationu13.3%Source: Hispanic CMAP uPopulationHomes for a Changing Region20.7% Hispanic Toolkit and Population American 20% Community SurveyMedian 2005-2009 Age: and 2010-14 Median Age: Median Age: Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Existing Conditions Demographics & Housing | 9 20% $102,411 $171,067 White$238,253 Other 15% uWhite u u 32 Other 39 15% 36 Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Median Home Value: $102,411 $171,067 $238,253 25%

Median Age: 20%Median Age: Median Age:

White 15% 32Other u39 u36 u Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Median Home Value: 25% $102,411 $171,067 $238,253 20%

White u u u 15% Other Median Home Value: Median Home Value: Median Home Value: 25% $102,411 $171,067 $238,253

20%

White Other 15% 25%

20%

White Other 15% COST BURDENED OWNERS In 2014, approximately 38% of all homeowners were cost burdened, meaning they paid more than 30% of their income for housing, including 20% who paid more than half of their income toward housing (Figure 3.7). This level is up from 29% of owners who were cost burdened in 2009, including 12% who paid more than half their income toward housing.

FIGURE 3.7: Percent of Owner-Occupied households paying more than 30% of income on monthly owner costs

Owners 2014 50%+ of income Owners 2014 30%-50% of income Owners 2009 50%+ of income Owners 2009 30%-50% of income

Source: CMAP Homes for a Changing Region Toolkit and American Community Survey 2005-2009 and 2010-14

COST BURDENED RENTERS Renters faced even higher cost burden levels with 63% of renters paying more than 30% of their income toward housing, including 33% who paid more than half their income toward housing, as shown in Figure 3.8. For renters, trends have improved since 2009 when 75% of renters were cost burdened, including 51% who paid over have their income toward housing.

FIGURE 3.8: Percent of Renter-Occupied households paying more than 30% of income on gross rent

Renters 2014 50%+ of income Renters 2014 30%-50% of income Renters 2009 50%+ of income Renters 2009 30%-50% of income

Source: CMAP Homes for a Changing Region Toolkit and American Community Survey 2005-2009 and 2010-14

10 | Existing Conditions Demographics & Housing OWNER HOUSEHOLD INCOME COMPARISON Figure 3.9 compares owner-occupied household incomes to the availability of affordable for-sale units, showing that there are more households than units available at lower-income levels. Yet, there are 278 households with incomes over $75,000 in Sauk Village that find very affordable homes for their income levels.

FIGURE 3.9: Sauk Village Comparison of Owner Household Incomes with Occupied Units Affordable at Each Income Level

Source: CMAP Homes for a Changing Region Toolkit and American Community Survey 2005-2009 and 2010-14

RENTER HOUSEHOLD INCOME COMPARISON Figure 3.10 compares renter household incomes to availability of affordable rental units, also showing that there are more households at lower-incomes than there are available units. There are 50 renter households earning over $75,000 that can find very affordable rental units and would be able to qualify to purchase a plentiful supply of for-sale housing in the community as well.

FIGURE 3.10: Sauk Village Comparison of Renter Household Incomes with Occupied Units Affordable at Each Income Level

Source: CMAP Homes for a Changing Region Toolkit and American Community Survey 2005-2009 and 2010-14

Existing Conditions Demographics & Housing | 11 HOUSING CONDITIONS SAUK VILLAGE HOUSING HISTORY When the Calumet Expressway (I-394) was built in the late 1950s, Sauk Village was seen as a prime location for real estate development. The housing market in Sauk Village, like the rest of the country throughout the 1950s and 1960s was at an all time high. Many homebuyers purchased their homes using Veterans Administration loans. The increase in homes being built created a rise in population to nearly half of the current population. This boom in housing and population led to an increase in infrastructure and the addition of schools in Sauk Village.

Sauk Village reached it’s height of the housing market in the early 2000s when developments like Deer Creek and Lincoln Meadows were constructed. Not long after that the housing market crashed, home values dropped, and long-time owners began to walk away from their homes.

CURRENT HOUSING CONDITIONS Sauk Village’s housing market has not fully recovered from the recession in the 2000s. Their are pockets of well-maintained homes, but the increase in vacant and foreclosed homes have created a challenging market in the Village. As shown below the housing conditions vary throughout the Village. They range from well-maintained single-family homes (picture #1 + #2), overgrown and blighted homes (picture #3), to mobile home parks (picture #4).

1 3

2 4

12 | Existing Conditions Demographics & Housing RESIDENT AND WORKER PROFILE ANALYSIS

WHERE RESIDENTS WORK/WHERE EMPLOYEES LIVE The two graphics below show the relationship of Sauk Village, residents and employees.

FIGURE 3.11: Inflow and Outflow of Employees and Residents

Figure 3.11 shows that 2,877 workers come into Sauk Village to work, 128 residents of Sauk Village also work in the village, and 3,899 residents of the village work in other 2,877 3,899 communities. 128 Source: On the Map, Census.gov, Teska Associates

Employed and Live in Sauk Village (128)

Employed in Sauk Village, Live Outside (2,877)

Live in Sauk Village, NOTE: Overlay arrows do not indicate directionality of Employed Outside (3,899) worker ow between home and employment locations

FIGURE 3.12: Where Employees Live/Where Residents Work

CHICAGO / Figure 3.12 shows a more detailed breakdown SOUTH COOK of where employees live and where residents COUNTY work. Chicago and south Cook County have the highest number of work for Sauk Village residents, where as more employees of the 1,267 SOUTHWEST / Village are coming from Indiana. NORTHWEST Source: On the Map, Census.gov, Teska Associates COOK COUNTY 388

654 228 219 128 INDIANA 480 SAUK VILLAGE

124

Where Employees Live WILL COUNTY Where Residents Work

Existing Conditions Demographics & Housing | 13 14 | Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning 4 INTRODUCTION The existing land use pattern and zoning regulations of a community are its fundamental building blocks for future development. Understanding these factors is important so that the comprehensive plan can guide a built environment that respects the past as it conveys new ideas for development. This focus helps ensure the plan can enhance residents’ quality of life and create a positive environment for businesses.

As shown in the Existing Land Use Distribution Table below, the three primary land uses within Sauk Village are Residential (of that mostly single-family) Railroad and Right-of-Way (streets and rail line) and Agricultural lands. Agricultural land within the Village is mostly planned and zoned Industrial.

TABLE 4.1: Existing Land Use Distribution

Existing Land Use Distribution

Land Use Acres % Land of Sauk Village Residential (Includes Single-Family, Multi-Family and 688 28% Mobile Homes) Railroad/Utilities/ROW 569 23%

Agricultural 512 21%

Industrial 198 7%

Vacant Land 196 7%

Parks/Open Space 137 5%

Civic/Institutional 95 4%

Stormwater Management 73 2%

Commercial 28 1%

Office/Mixed Use 2 <1%

16 | Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning FIGURE 4.1: Existing Land Use Map Cottage Grove Ave Torrence Ave Transportation Dr

215th St Mark Collins Dr Mark

Sauk Trail 218th St

Sauk Trail

223rd St

225th St Yates Ave

C o

t Torrence Ave t a g e

G r o v e

v e

Steger Rd

Sauk Village, Illinois Existing Land Use 0 0.5 Mi N

Existing Land Use Categories Context June 2018

Single Family Detached Commercial Railroad/Utilities Village Boundary Single Family Attached O ce Stormwater Management Freight Rail Multi-Family Mixed Use Vacant Land

Mobile Home Park Civic/Institutional Parks/Open Space /Trailer Courts Industrial Wetland Bank Agricultural

Sources: Cook County, South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, Metra, CMAP, FEMA, PACE, MWRD, USGS

Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning | 17 FIGURE 4.2: Planning Areas Map

2 3 5

4 4 6

Sauk Village, Illinois Planning Areas 0 0.5 Mi N June 2018

18 | Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning PLANNING AREAS The Planning Areas, represented in the Planning Areas map, were created to better understand the Village’s identity.

Planning Area 1 (Railroad/Utilities/Mobile Homes)

Primarily divided up into freight yards and right-of way (ROW) for the rail line, Planning Area 1 also consists of land dedicated to stormwater and two mobile home parks.

Planning Area 2 (Industrial)

Most of Sauk Village’s industrial areas are located in Planning Area 2 of the Village. It is considered a significant asset to both the Village and the region, having easy access to IL-394, I-80, US-30, and the railroad line. The industrial parks are part of a major regional employment center along the I-80 corridor.

Planning Area 3 (Strong Identity of Residential Neighborhoods)

Planning Area 3 consists of both single-family and multifamily residents. The tree-lined streets and sidewalks add to the identity of this planning area, which allows for access to parks, neighborhood churches and schools.

Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning | 19 PLANNING AREAS CONTINUED

Planning Area 4

Most of the single-family and community amenities, such as schools, churches etc are located within Planning Area 4. Some of the neighborhoods within Planning Area 4 are: • Deer Creek • Lincoln Meadows

Planning Area 5 (Sauk Trail Corridor)

Sauk Trail has become the main commercial corridor, becoming the primary East/West connection. Sauk Trail Corridors offers opportunity for more people to access the Village. Planning Area 5 consists of: • Sauk Village Municipal Center • Edward W. Paesel Community Center • IL-394 and Torrence Ave Intersections

Planning Area 6 (Residential/Forest Preserve)

This area is primarily residential, with the biggest difference from the other residential planning areas is Planning Area 6 is adjacent to the Cook County Forest Preserve.

20 | Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning LAND USE Sauk Village’s land use is a mix of residential, industrial, agricultural and also includes a portion of land dedicated to freight yards and the railroad line. The Village’s land uses and acreage breakdowns are listed and described below.

Residential Commercial Civic/Institutional

Sauk Village’s residential land uses are There is a limited amount of commercial Civic/institutional uses include schools, primarily single-family with some multi- uses throughout the Village. They are all churches, a recreation center, a library, family developments and mobile home located at the major intersections along a police station, and fire station. These parks. Sauk Trail (IL-394 and Torrence Ave). are found throughout the Village with the municipal building, police, and recreational center located within the same development along Torrence Ave.

Some of the major Some of the major 17% businesses include: Civic/Institutional uses 3% include: • American Family 80% Restaurant • Sauk Village • Walgreens Municipal Center • Dunkin’ Donuts • Rickover Junior Single-Family1 2 3 • Fairway Foods High School • Dollar General • Strassburg MultiFamily • Culver’s Elementary School Mobile Home • Popeyes Louisiana • Wagoner Kitchen Elementary School • Bloom Trail High School • Edward W. Paesel Community Center

Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning | 21 LAND USE CONTINUED Office/Mixed Use Industrial Parks/Open Space

Sauk Village’s Office and Mixed Use land Industrial uses are concentrated in the Parks and Open Spaces are scattered uses are very limited. The existing land use western portion of Sauk Village, with a throughout the Village in residential maps designate one building as office, large portion of industrial uses located in neighborhoods. In addition, Plum shown above, and another building as LogistiCenter and the remaining located Creek Forest Preserve is located to the mixed-use that is currently vacant along in the Sauk Pointe Business Industrial Southeast. US-30. Park. The uses vary between small and large industrial spaces. Some of the major industrial business are: • BEHR, Midwest Distribution Center • Winpak Portion Packaging • Wille Brothers Company

Railroad/Utilities Vacant Agricultural

There is one large freight yard located Much of the vacant land in the Village The agricultural land in Sauk Village is in the northern portion of Sauk Village, is located in existing industrial parks located in and around the industrial parks with the railroad just south of that. or in areas that were once planned for and is planned for development. Some of LogistiCenter also has direct access to a residential development. the land is also in the floodplain. rail spur.

22 | Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning ZONING Sauk Village’s zoning regulations are comprised of four major zoning districts, with Residential and Manufacturing zones taking up most of the village’s land, followed by commercial districts around the major intersections and one area dedicated to the business district. Generally, the zoning follows existing land uses with the exception of the agricultural land uses being zoned for manufacturing.

TABLE 4.2 : Zoning Districts

Zoning Districts Purpose The purpose of the R-1 Single-Family Residential District is to provide for and R-1 preserve single-family residential development within the village. The R-1 (Single-Family Residential District) District provides for limited nonresidential uses that are compatible with surrounding residential neighborhoods. The purpose of the R-2 Single-Family Attached Residential District is to provide R-2 for, and preserve, two-family and townhouse residential development, as well as single-family dwellings. The R-2 district also provides for limited nonresidential (Single-Family Attached Residential District) uses that are compatible with surrounding residential neighborhoods. The purpose of R-3 General Residential District is to provide for, and preserve, quality higher density residential development, including multifamily dwellings. R-3 The R-3 district also provides for limited nonresidential uses that are compatible (General Residential District) with surrounding residential neighborhoods, and allows a number of commercial uses as a special use. Not listed in Zoning Code, but is included on the Zoning Map B-1

The purpose of the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District is to promote and preserve a mix of retail, personal service and office uses that meet the daily C-1 shopping needs of local residents. The C-1 district is distinguished by ground floor (Neighborhood Commercial District) commercial and a pedestrian-orientation, with storefronts open to the public sidewalk. Residential dwelling units are only permitted above the ground floor. The C-2 General Commercial District is intended to create a business environment C-2 for a variety of commercial uses, including retail goods establishments, personal service establishments and office uses, which are typically oriented toward (General Commercial District) vehicular access and often located within retail centers. The C-3 Heavy Commercial District is intended to provide appropriate locations for heavy commercial uses, many of which require outdoor storage or display C-3 areas. Areas within this district should have direct access to major streets and be generally situated in locations removed or buffered from residential uses and (Heavy Commercial District) lower-intensity commercial uses.

The purpose of the M-1 Light Manufacturing District is to provide for low- M-1 intensity, non-nuisance light fabrication and assembly-type manufacturing, as (Light Manufacturing District) well as office and research and development (R and D) facilities.

The purpose of the M-2 General Manufacturing District is to permit higher intensity M-2 manufacturing uses, and warehouse and storage uses. These manufacturing uses may produce moderate external effects such as smoke, noise, glare or vibration. (General Manufacturing District)

Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning | 23

FIGURE 4.3: Zoning Map

R O Sauk Village T

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Cook County GIS Dept. Sauk Village, Illinois N Existing Zoning 0 Mi 1 Mi 2 Mi

Context Zoning Codes June 2018 C-3 Village Boundary R-1 B-1 R-2 C-1 M-1

R-3 C-2 M-2

Source: Robinson Engineering 24 | Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning 1.5 MILE PLANNING AREA As part of the comprehensive planning process, Sauk Village has the authority and responsibility to plan for a 1.5-mile planning area from the boundary of the Village for area that is unincorporated. Since the Village is close to the state line, the planning area ends at the Indiana border on the east. The unincorporated land in the planning area mostly consist of parcels that are currently used for agricultural purposes. The planning process will investigate future uses of these parcels and determine plans for any additional annexations that should be pursued in the future to provide proper services and infrastructure to these areas. FIGURE 4.4: 1.5 Mile Planning Area Map

Homewood Lansing

Glenwood Lynwood

Ford Heights

Chicago Heights INDIANA INDIANA

Sauk Village

South Chicago Heights

Steger

CookCook Will Steger

Crete

SaukSauk Village,Village, IllinoisIllinois N Planning Area Boundary 00 1.01.0 MiMi N July 2018 Forest Preserves July 2018 VillageVillage BoundaryBoundary Forest Preserves SurroundingSurrounding MunicipalitiesMunicipalities 1.5-Mile1.5-Mile PlanningPlanning JurisdictionJurisdiction UnincorporatedUnincorporated

Existing Conditions Land Use & Zoning | 25 26 | Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial 5 INTRODUCTION A commercial and industrial market analysis was conducted to understand current supply and demand patterns for Sauk Village. The analysis provides a framework for the issues and challenges in planning for the future of the Village. Sauk Village’s location at I-394 and Sauk Trail provides a strategic point to attract commerce and industry but faces challenges in the marketplace as retail patterns are changing and the needs for industrial space require planning for infrastructure and addressing property tax dispartities.

DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS FIGURE 5.1: Population (2016) POPULATION As pointed out earlier in the Existing Conditions Report, Sauk Village has been relatively stable but experienced a slight decline in population since 2000, with roughly 280 fewer residents through 2016 according to ESRI. While adjacent communities are also facing gradual declines in population, these decreases should be seen in context with only modest population growth trends for Cook County and Illinois. While 10,388 Lynwood and Fort Heights frame the high and low points for population change, Will County’s population growth rate sets the pace for the Chicago region, with an annual growth rate of 0.4% from 2000-2016 as shown in Figure 5.3. Source: Demographic data from US Census – Esri Forecasts

HOUSEHOLDS FIGURE 5.3: Population - Compound Annual Growth Sauk Village had an average household size of 3.25 people in Rate (CAGR) (2010-2016) 2016, above US average, which contributed to it being ranked 6th of 8 communities for household count, yet ranked 3rd of 8 in terms of population. As shown in Figure 5.2, there are 3,181 households in Sauk Village.

FIGURE 5.2: Households (2016)

3,181

-1.8%

Source: Demographic data from US Census – Esri Forecasts Source: Demographic data from US Census – Esri Forecasts

28 | Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial TRADE AREAS Defining a trade area is an important first step in any market analysis for a comprehensive plan. Knowing the size of each trade area is extremely important because its boundaries allow for measurement of the number of potential customers, their demographics and their spending potential. This information provides valuable insight into a community’s customer base and allows for analyzing demand for stores, products and services. This market analysis looked at two trade area distances: 2.5 and 5 mile radii. The smaller area is based on local demand for neighborhood shopping patterns, while the larger area would reflect demand for destination retailers and restaurants. Establishing the boundaries will serve as the basis for further studies within the comprehensive planning process. The two trade areas are shown below : FIGURE 5.4: Trade Areas Map

'Å

'Å LANSING

HOMEWOOD

'Å Lansing Municipal Airport GLENWOOD LYNWOOD

Electric -Main Line (ME) Torrence Ave. Torrence

'Å CHICAGO HEIGHTS

FORD HEIGHTS 'Å

'Å SAUK VILLAGE SOUTH CHICAGO Sauk Trail HEIGHTS STEGER

Steger Rd. Cook County 2.5 Mile PARK FOREST Will County Trade Area Illinois Indiana

CRETE

5 Mile UNIVERSITY PARK Trade Area

Sauk Village, Illinois N Trade Areas 0 Mi 1 Mi 2 Mi

Context June 2018 Metra Line Village Boundary 'Å Metra Station Forest Preserve Freight Rail

Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial | 29 FIGURE 5.5: Median Age (2016) MEDIAN AGE Sauk Village has the 2nd lowest median age out of its neighboring communities, and has a median age that is WILL COUNTY SAUK VILLAGE COOK COUNTY at least 5 years lower than both Cook and Will County. As of 2016, the 3 municipalities with the lowest median ages

(Ford Heights, Sauk Village, and Chicago Heights) also had the highest average household sizes. 36.4 36.1 YEARS 31.6 YEARS Data for 2016 shows that the median age in Sauk has YEARS increased since 2010, from 29.9 to 31.5; this rate of change since 2010 (0.9%) is well above state and national averages. Over time, acceleration in median age tends correlate with lower average household sizes (i.e. fewer 31.5 families moving into a community).

Source: Esri

INCOME FIGURE 5.6: Median Household Income (2016) Median household income in Sauk Village is higher than in 5 of its 7 neighboring communities, and equates to 95% of the US median household income. Sauk Village’s neighbors in Will County and Indiana had comparatively higher household incomes than Sauk Village, while Sauk Village had a higher household income than all of its Cook County neighbors.

On a per capita basis, Sauk Village had a higher income level than only 2 of its neighboring communities, and its income level equated to only 62% of the US per capita income. Higher average household sizes in Sauk Village Source: Esri help to explain the disparity between per capita income levels and household income levels. FIGURE 5.7: Per Capita Income (2016)

$18,264

Source: Esri 30 | Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE Commercial real estate in Sauk Village is primarily industrial in nature, representing over 95% of Sauk Village’s commercial real estate (2.9 million square feet of Industrial space / 115,000 sf of retail space according to Costar. Sauk Village is also notable for its effective lack of office space relative to other communities.

Since 2010, Sauk Village has seen growth in occupied space (covering retail, office, and industrial space, faster than inventory (i.e. new construction). Growth rates for occupancy are well above noted benchmarks.

Employment growth trends since 2010 are skewed by data from the US Census On the Map Tool, which points to significant increase in village employment since 2010. The job increase would not likely include the 2016 expansion announcement by Winpak. FIGURE 5.8: Occupied Space Mix (2017)

Source: CoStar

FIGURE 5.9: Real Estate Growth Rates (2010-2015)

Source: CoStar Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial | 31 RETAIL SALES FIGURE 5.10: E-Commerce Dollar Spend per Capita, US CONTEXT In 2017, e-commerce sales reached 8.9% of total U.S. retail sales, linked with aggressive growth of Amazon, which supported 4% of retail sales in 2017 or about 44% of U.S. e-commerce sales. Notably, total e-commerce spend per capita has “slowed” since 2010; 15% year over year.

Post-recession, US restaurant spending has increased, while grocery spend has remained relatively consistent. While warehouse club and superstore sales were dramatic through 2005, these store categories have seen significant decreases in sales growth since 2008. Source: Illinois Department of Revenue As shown in Figure 5.11, grocery and warehouse club spending has decreased markedly since the early 2000s, although restaurants have returned to pre-recession levels. FIGURE 5.11: Year-Over-Year Change in Per Capita Spend, US

Source: Illinois Department of Revenue

TRENDS FIGURE 5.12: Sauk Village While retail sales in Sauk Village peaked in 2008 at roughly $34 million, trends since 2014 speak to rough Retail Sales stability in sales, from about $26.5 million in 2015 to $26.2 million in 2017. Miscellaneous retailers / drug stores along with food stores and restaurants account for the majority of retail sales (71.8%) in 2017.

Across all retail sectors, the community’s total pull factor was about 0. in 2017, pointing to significant leakage of retail sales to other municipalities. Manufacturing activity has generated notable retail sales activity, just under $1 million in 2017.

Source: Illinois Department of Revenue

32 | Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial RETAIL REAL ESTATE FIGURE 5.10: E-Commerce Dollar Spend per Capita, US Post-Recession changes in retail occupancy in Sauk Village closely mirrored 3 of its neighboring communities (Lynwood, Steger, and Chicago Heights- all located in Cook County), which averaged an annual decline of 0.6% in aggregate.

FIGURE 5.13: Sauk Village Retail Occupancy (SF) FIGURE 5.14: Retail Occupancy (SF) Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) (2010-2017)

Source: CoStar Source: CoStar

RETAIL SALES: FIGURE 5.15: Distressed Retail Concentrations DISTRESSED RETAIL AECOM completed an analysis of distressed retail trends. A retail brand is “distressed” if it has recently announced store closures, bankruptcy, threat of bankruptcy. In general, traditional shopping malls that are anchored by Sears, JC Penney, and Carsons are viewed with concern. The adjacent map summarizes the locations of distressed retailers. The analysis identified potential inventories of distressed / declining retail inventory as follows:

• Cook County: 10.7 million sf • Lake County: 1.79 million sf • Will County: 1.4 million sf

While Pre-Recession trends favored retail concentration around traditional shopping malls, the impact of the internet and changing retail habits is altering traditional market dynamics.

Source: AECOM Analysis

Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial | 33 INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE Industrial occupancy in Sauk Village increased at an annual rate of 7.7% between 2007 and 2017, and 6.7% following the 2008 Recession. Sauk Village ranked 2nd out of its neighboring communities for the fastest growth rate in industrial occupancy following the 2008 Recession, adding occupancy faster than Will County (2.4% faster) and only slower than Crete (4.9% slower). These trends point toward a favorable outlook for industrial land in the village.

FIGURE 5.16: Sauk Village Industrial Occupancy (SF)

Source: CoStar

FIGURE 5.17: Industrial Occupancy (SF) Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) (2010-2017)

Source: CoStar

34 | Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial SAUK VILLAGE & NEARBY SUBMARKETS

Sauk Village’s industrial inventory comprises nearly 3 million square feet of recently constructed properties. Most of these properties are distribution or warehouse facilities. Occupancy is currently reported at 100%. Annualized inventory and occupancy growth has been very strong —roughly 8% annually—though it’s important to note that the Village began growing from a low base. Sauk Village has also been growing its occupancy faster than its inventory since 2010 (2.5% vs. 1.3%). The larger market area has been divided into three submarkets: S Cook County FIGURE 5.18: Submarkets Map (IL), SE Will County (IL), and W Lake County (IN). Sauk Village falls in S Cook (IL) submarket. The S Cook and W Lake submarkets are the largest at over 30 million square feet, and they show the highest occupancies of 96%. However, they have shown fairly low annual growth in both the short and long term (less than one percent).

Meanwhile, SE Will submarket has been growing its inventory at an annualized 6.9%, and its occupancy at 6.6%; occupancy for the submarket currently stands at 90%.

Source: AECOM Analysis

FIGURE 5.19: Industrial Inventory (2018) FIGURE 5.20: Industrial Occupancy (2018)

Source: AECOM Analysis Source: AECOM Analysis

Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial | 35 INVENTORY HISTORY & TRENDS SUBMARKET INDUSTRIAL INVENTORY The Village boundaries enclose about a third of the industrial inventory within the three-mile area, but represent the vast majority of area growth since 2005. The most rapid submarket growth has been in SE Will County with 6.9% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) from 2000-2018 and 1.5% CAGR between 2010 and 2108.

Sauk Village’s industrial space has grown 7.8% CAGR from 2000 to 2018, but slowed to 1.3% from 2010 to 2018.

Growth outside Sauk Village, but within 3 miles, is less than 0.3% in the short and long term.

FIGURE 5.21: Submarket Industrial Inventory

FIGURE 5.22: Sauk Village Industrial Inventory

36 | Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial SUBMARKET INDUSTRIAL OCCUPIED The most active submarket for occupied inventory is SE Will with a 6.6% CAGR from 2000 to 2018, including 2.2% from 2010 to 2018. Sauk Village is growing faster at 7.8% from 2000-2018 including 2.5% from 2010 to 2018. Sauk Village’s occupancy is growing faster than inventory while the area outside Sauk Village but within 3 miles has only grown 0.3% annually.

There has been a positive occupancy trend in all submarkets since 2010. Sauk Village has seen a 19.4% increase in industrial occupancy since 2010. FIGURE 5.23: Submarket Industrial Occupied (SF)

Source: AECOM Analysis

FIGURE 5.24: Sauk Village Industrial Occupied (SF)

Source: AECOM Analysis

FIGURE 5.25: Change in Occupancy (Submarkets) FIGURE 5.26: Change in Occupancy (Sauk Village Area)

Source: AECOM Analysis Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial | 37 INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES This map shows competitive industrial sites within the three THE LARGEST INDUSTRIAL USE TYPES IN submarket. Labeled municipalities have over 1 million square SAUK VILLAGE ARE: feet in industrial inventory. • Warehousing: 2.8 million sq. ft. Warehouse/distribution is the largest type of industrial space • Manufacturing: 68,000 sq. ft. with 57 million square feet followed by manufacturing at 25 • Truck Terminal: 12,000 sq. ft. million square feet. FIGURE 5.27: Industrial Properties by Type

Source: AECOM Analysis

FIGURE 5.28: Industrial Properties by Use Category Across Submarkets

Source: AECOM Analysis

38 | Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial INDUSTRIAL INVENTORY FIGURE 5.29: Industrial Inventory by Municipality Inventory totals and shares by municipality are shown on these two maps: Figure 5.29 and 5.30. Sauk Village’s 2.9 million square feet of inventory consumes 7.5% of the Village’s land. This ranks 7th in terms of industrial share among the 50 municipalities across all 3 submarkets. The total inventory in Sauk Village ranks 9th. Among neighboring communities the highest proportions of industrial land are:

• University Park • Chicago Heights • Hammond • Gary • South Holland • Monee • East Chicago • Harvey • Sauk Village

Municipalities with Industrial Activity 5 % of Land that is Industrial Miles LOGISTICENTER 0%-5% Source: AECOM Analysis 5.1%-10%

Cook County has recently announced a study 10.1%-15% to improve road and freight rail access to the 15.1%-20% LogistiCenter. FIGURE 5.30: Industrial Share of Total Land

Rail spur in the LogistiCenter is an important asset to attract investment.

Municipalities 5 Industrial Inventory (sq. ft.) Miles 20,000-500,000 Source: AECOM Analysis 500,001-1,000,000

1,000,001-5,000,000 5,000,001-12,000,000

Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial | 39 TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF) DISTRICTS Illinois law allows units of local governments to designate areas within their jurisdiction as TIF districts. These districts dedicate sales tax revenues and additional property tax revenues generated within the TIF for improvements within the district to encourage new economic development and job creation. Funds may be used for costs associated with the development or redevelopment of property within the TIF, allowing blighted, declining and under performing areas to again become viable, and allowing these areas to compete with vacant land at the edge of urban areas. Projects in TIF districts typically include: Redevelopment of substandard, obsolete, or vacant buildings, Financing public infrastructure improvements, including streets, sewer, water, in declining areas, Cleaning up polluted areas, Improving the viability of downtown business districts; rehabilitating historic properties, Providing infrastructure needed to develop a site for new industrial or commercial use. (source: www.illinois. gov/dceo) FIGURE 5.31: Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts Map Cottage Grove Ave Torrence Ave Transportation Dr

Canadian National (CN)

215th St Mark Collins Dr Mark

Sauk Trail 218th St

Sauk Trail

223rd St

225th St

Yates Ave

Cottage Grove Ave

Torrence Ave Plum Creek Forest Preserve

Steger Rd

Sauk Village, Illinois Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts 0 0.5 Mi N July 2018 Context TIF Districts

Village Boundary Forest Preserve Sauk Village # 2

Buildings Freight Rail Sauk Village # 3

Parks Sauk Village # 4

Village of Ford Heights- Cottage Grove/Route 30

40 | Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial OPPORTUNITY ZONES AND ENTERPRISE ZONES Opportunity Zone Opportunity Zones are a new provision in 2017 to encourage long-term investment and job creation in certain established census tracts, by allowing investors to re-invest unrealized capital gains. More information is available at www.illinois.gov/dceo

Enterprise Zone The Illinois Enterprise Zone Program is designed to stimulate economic growth and neighborhood revitalization in economically depressed areas of the state through state and local tax incentives, regulatory relief and improved governmental services.

The two zones are shown below:

FIGURE 5.32: OpportunityCottage Grove Ave Zones and Enterprise Zone Map Torrence Ave Transportation Dr

Canadian National (CN)

215th St Mark Collins Dr Mark

Sauk Trail 218th St

Sauk Trail

223rd St

225th St

Yates Ave

Cottage Grove Ave

Torrence Ave Plum Creek Forest Preserve

Steger Rd

Sauk Village, Illinois Opportunity Zones and Enterprise Zones 0 0.5 Mi N July 2018 Context Opportunity Zone Enterprise Zone

Village Boundary Opportunity Zone Lincoln & 394 Corridor

Buildings

Parks

Forest Preserve

Freight Rail

Existing Conditions Commercial & Industrial | 41 42 | Existing Conditions Transportation & Mobility 6 INTRODUCTION Sauk Village is situated near many major transportation routes: I-294, I-94, and I-80 are located to the North and I-57 to the West. These options provide Sauk Village residents and workers direct routes to all of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Without traffic, travel times to the downtown area are about 30 minutes. In addition to this robust network of interstate routes, @ Sauk Village also has Pace and Metra as mass transit options. (See Figure 6.1 Regional Transportation Map)

each through movement, right turn lanes are present on each EXISTING ROADWAY leg. Left turn lanes are present on each leg and a dual left turn lane is provided on the north leg. Crosswalks and median NETWORK refuge islands are present across the south leg. Backups are The existing roadway network within Sauk Village is made common at this intersection, especially the westbound left up of major north-south and east-west corridors. The major turn movement. Existing ROW is available in each quadrant East-West corridor is Sauk Trail, and the major North-South except for the NE quadrant. Additional lanes and/or sidewalk corridors are IL-394 and Torrence Ave. improvements should be able to be incorporated within existing ROW. Alternatives, including those developed in the Sauk Trail is a four-lane, minor arterial, with a raised/striped I-394 Corridor Plan will be analyzed to improve capacity and median. East of Torrence, Sauk Trail transitions to a two-lane safety at the intersection. roadway. Auxiliary lanes are present at all intersections. Sauk Trail has signalized intersections within the study area at the Torrence Ave. is a two lane, major collector, with two-way following locations; Cottage Grove, IL-394, Jeffrey Ave/221st left turn lane (TWLTL) just north of 223rd Street. Auxiliary Street, Orion Ave, and Torrence Ave. lanes are present at all major intersections. All intersections along Torrence Ave. are stop controlled with the exception IL-394 is a four-lane freeway north of Sauk Trail and a principal of Torrence/Sauk Trail. The inside lane widths are generally arterial south of Sauk Trail. Auxiliary lanes are present at the 12’ and outside lane widths are 14’. The median is 16’ wide for Sauk Village intersection. Travel lanes are 12’ and adjacent the majority of the section. The existing intersection of Sauk to the travel lanes there are outside 10’ paved shoulders, 6’ Trail and Torrence Ave. is a commercial hub of Sauk Village. paved inside shoulders, and a 24’ median ditch. Businesses are located in each corner of the intersection; however, no crosswalks are present at this intersection. The The existing intersection of IL-394 and Sauk Trail was recently lack of pedestrian access to the businesses at this intersection updated in 2014 but capacity and safety issues still need to is a major opportunity for improvement. be addressed at the intersection. In addition to two lanes for

Current view along Sauk Trail at the intersection of Sauk Trail and Torrence Ave looking East.

44 | Existing Conditions Transportation & Mobility FIGURE 6.1: Regional Transportation Map

Burnham Greenway Trail

'Å

Pennsy 'Å Greenway

CSX Transportation (CSX) 'Å

Union Paci c (UP) Union Paci c Pennsy Greenway

'Å Lansing Municipal Airport

Electric -Main Line (ME)

Halsted St. Halsted Torrence Ave. Torrence

'Å

'Å ! Canadian National (CN) 'Å Canadian National (CN) SAUK VILLAGE

Sauk Trail CSX Transportation (CSX) Chicago Rd. Chicago

Cook County Steger Rd. Will County Illinois Indiana Union Paci c (UP) Union Paci c

Sauk Village, Illinois N Regional Transportation 0 Mi 1 Mi 2 Mi

Context Transportation June 2018 Metra Line pace bus route - 357 Proposed SouthEast Service Metra Line Village Boundary (Union Paci c Line ) 'Å Metra Station pace bus route - 358 Forest Preserve ' Freight Rail pace bus route - 890 Proposed Metra Stops 1.5 Mile Planning Boundary

Existing Conditions Transportation & Mobility| 45 FUNCTIONAL ROADWAY CLASSIFICATION, AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC AND ROADWAY JURISDICTION

FUNCTIONAL ROADWAY CLASSIFICATION Each road in the state of Illinois is given a functional classification. The different classes each serve a role in providing a fully developed roadway network. Definitions of each classification are below:

TABLE 6.1: Functional Roadway Classification

Functional Classification

Classification Function

Interstate roads form an interconnected network of fully access controlled, Interstate divided highways constructed with mobility and long-distance travel in mind

Similar to interstates, these roadways are designed and constructed to maximize their mobility function and abutting land uses are not directly served. They can Freeways and Expressways be fully or partially access controlled, have high traffic volumes and usually serve longer regional and intra-urban trips.

These roadways serve major development centers and provide a high degree Other Principal Arterial of mobility; however, abutting land uses can be served directly. OPAs generally provide similar service in both urban and rural areas.

Minor arterials provide service for trips of moderate length, serve smaller Minor Arterial geographic areas than their principal arterial counterparts and offer connectivity to the higher arterial/expressway system.

Collectors gather traffic from local roads and funnel it to the arterial network. Collectors serve primarily intra-county travel and typical travel distances are shorter than on arterial routes. Collectors are broken down into two categories: Major and Minor Collectors Major Collectors and Minor Collectors. Generally, major collector routes are longer in length; have lower driveway densities; have higher speed limits; are spaced at greater intervals; have higher traffic volumes; and may have more travel lanes than their minor collector counterparts. Local roads primarily provide access to property and connect with higher classified routes. Design speeds are low, stub sections are common, and the main Local Roads and Streets consideration is given to access needs.

Source: (CMAP Functional Classification Workbook, 2016)

46 | Existing Conditions Transportation & Mobility FIGURE 6.2: Existing Transportation Map (375) (13,600) Torrence Ave Torrence

18,900 ADT (3,750) Transportation Dr 6,250 ADT Canadian National (CN)

215th St Mark Collins Dr Mark

Sauk Trail 218th St

R.R. (5,850) 41,100 ADT 13,200 ADT

15,800 ADT Sauk Trail

223rd St

225th St

Yates Ave 6,450 ADT

Cottage Grove Ave (5,250) 30,700 ADT 2,100 ADT

12,300 ADT 10,900 ADT Ave Torrence Steger Rd

Sauk Village, Illinois Existing Transportation 0 0.5 Mi N August 2018 Context Jurisdiction Areas of Transportation Focus

Village Boundary Existing Tra c Signals Illinois Department of Improve pedestrian crossings, Transportation (IDOT) sidewalks and facilities Buildings Existing Sidewalks at commercial centers Cook County Parks pace bus route 358 Opportunity for bicycle and pedestrian NOTE: AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC (ADT) IS THE access to the forest preserve and Forest Preserve pace bus route 357 AVERAGE NUMBER OF VEHICLES IN BOTH throughout the village DIRECTIONS IN A DAY Freight Rail R.R. Extension of rail line within the LogistiCenter TRUCK TRAFFIC NUMBERS ARE SHOWN AS ####

As the Existing Transportation map shows above, the majority of roads in Sauk Village are local roads and streets which are designed to provide access to homes and businesses. The collectors and minor arterials (Cottage Grove, Torrence Ave, Sauk Trail, and Steger Road) feed the larger freeways of IL-394 and US-30.

Existing Conditions Transportation & Mobility| 47 THE AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC (ADT) The Average Daily Traffic (ADT) provides us a snapshot of how many vehicles travel through a corridor per day, which is shown on Figure 6.2 Existing Transportation Map. Depending upon the classification and Roadway geometry, our team will look at segments and intersections that currently under performing and provide recommendation to increase their Level of Service. ADT for the major roads are shown in Table 6.2.

ROADWAY JURISDICTIONS Roadway jurisdiction determines which entity has the authority and obligation to administer, control, construct, IL-394 North of Sauk Trail, which is classified as a Freeway or maintain and operate a highway subject to the provisions of Expressway and is under the jurisdiction of IDOT. the Illinois Highway Code. When an agency has jurisdiction of a street or highway, that agency is responsible for the upkeep of that highway, including reconstruction, signing, maintenance, etc. All of these responsibilities remain with the agency until the jurisdiction is transferred to another highway authority.

The main corridors within the Village are either under IDOT or Cook County jurisdiction. Coordination and approval of any roadway improvements must be received from the agency before any improvements can move forward. Coordinating at an early stage is best practice to ensure all agencies coordinate.

The intersection of Torrence Ave and 223rd Street, Torrence Ave is TABLE 6.2: ADT/Roadway Jurisdictions classified as a Major Collector and 223rd Street is classified as a local street.

ADT/Roadway Jurisdictions Average Daily Corridor Classification Jurisdiction Traffic (ADT) IL-394 South of Sauk Trail 30,700 Principal Arterial IDOT

Freeway or 41,100 IDOT IL-394 North of Sauk Trail Expressway

Sauk Trail West of Torrence 15,800 Minor Arterial Cook County

Saul Trail East of Torrence 13,200 Minor Arterial IDOT

Torrence Ave 6,450 Major Collector IDOT

48 | Existing Conditions Transportation & Mobility NON-AUTO TRANSPORTATION MODES BICYCLE There are currently no bike or shared use paths within Sauk Village. Sidewalk is primarily adjacent to residences, but do not provide connection to other destination areas. Much of the existing sidewalk and pedestrian ramps along the major corridors do not meet current ADA requirements as outlined by Public Rights-Of Way and Guidelines (PROWAG). The existing sidewalk network is not connected and all bike facilities are shared lanes with vehicles without adequate pavement markings. Sidewalk and bike path opportunities An example of a “greenlane” striping that can be added for a bicycle lane should be explored for segments that connect homes, businesses, schools, churches, work, and parks together. Community members will be engaged to help provide popular destination points for residents.

BUS Pace Route 358 provides weekday and Saturday service from the Pace Chicago Heights Terminal to the South Shore Railroad in Hegewisch. Saturday service operates between Chicago Heights and River Oaks Shopping Center only. Also serves commercial and residential areas from Steger to Hegewisch including River Oaks Shopping Center and the Landings Shopping Center. Route 358 travels east/west along Sauk Trail from Cottage Grove to Torrence and north/ Pace Bus Route 358 on Torrence Ave. south along Torrence from Sauk Trail to 130th. In addition to the Route 358, Pace also provides Route 357. Pace Route 357 provides daily service between Ford Heights and Matteson via Lincoln highway with timed connections at the Pace Chicago Heights Terminal. Routes serves posted stops only along the entire route. Pace van pool and ride share services are also available in Sauk Village and surrounding area.

METRA Planning for a Metra southeast line is shown on Figure 6.1. In 2015, Metra’s board passed a resolution of support for efforts of the Southeastern Commuter Rail District to identify sources of funding to establish the SouthEast Service (SES).

RAIL One of the biggest assets Sauk Village has is the access to the Canadian National (CN) Freight rail and the access to CSX intermodal rail (previously the Elgin, Joilet and Eastern Railway Company as shown to the right). The connection to SAUK VILLAGE these two rail lines has become increasingly important in attracting industry into Sauk Village, and with the proposed expansion of rail spurs in the LogistiCenter, access to reach businesses on the east coast and west coast will become Previously known as the Elgin, Joilet and Eastern Railway or the even easier. “J”, now is part of the CSX Transportation. Sauk Village has direct connection to this railway.

Existing Conditions Transportation & Mobility| 49 50 | Existing Conditions Community Facilities, Programs, & Services 7 FIGURE 7.1: Community Facilities Map Cottage Grove Ave

Torrence Ave Liberty Memorial Park

Carlisle Park Transportation Dr

1 5 4 2 3 Arrowhead/Werner Park Canadian National (CN) 6 7 215th St Veterans

Mark Collins Dr Mark 8 9 Memorial Park 11 Sauk Trail Carol Ave. 10!( 218th St Park 218th Park 12 16 17 18 19 Sauk Trail 15 Sunshine Park at 223rd St 22 St. James Church 13 20 21 23 24 Murphy Deer Creek Park Open Space 225th St 25

14 Yates Ave

Cottage Grove Ave 27 26

Torrence Ave Plum Creek Forest Preserve

Steger Rd

Sauk Village, Illinois Community Facilities 0 0.5 Mi N July 2018 Context Religious Institutions Schools Village Services 7 1 Cottage Grove Health Center 14 Village Boundary 3 Peace Missionary Baptist Church Wagoner Elementary School Sauk Village Water Tower Community Consolidated School 2 East Chicago Heights Community Buildings 17 St. Mark’s Luthern Church 11 15 Sauk Village Fire District 168 Administrative O ces Services Center Department Parks 18 Holy Praise Tabernacle 13 Bloom Trail High School 4 Ford Heights Water Tower 16 Sauk Village Wells # 1+ 2 Forest Preserve 20 Sauk Village Baptist Church 19 Rickover Junior High School 5 Sauk Village Well # 3 27 Sauk Village Public Works Freight Rail Garage 22 Sauk Village Bible Church 21 Strassburg Elementary School 6 Sauk Village Water Tower 23 Grace United Church of Christ 8 Edward W. Paesel Community Center

24 St. James Catholic Church 9 Sauk Village Municipal Center

25 Emmanuel Christian Reformed 10 McConathy Public Library

26 Church of God 12 United States Post O ce

52 | Existing Conditions Community Facilities INTRODUCTION Sauk Village is home to a range of public and private community facilities, from parks to religious institutions to schools to public facilities. The comprehensive plan will be based on principles of Asset Based Community Development, building on existing strengths and relationships to craft strategies and projects. The goal for this effort is a common vision and collaborative effort r to improve the community, address challenges and lead to a higher quality of life for residents as well as an environment that attracts economic investment.

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS There are several religious institutions in Sauk Village including Peace Missionary Baptist Church, Sauk Village Baptist Church, Sauk Village Bible Church, Grace United Church of Christ and St. James Catholic Church. Four of these five institutions (all except Peace Missionary Baptist Church) are located along 223rd Street between Jeffrey Avenue and Torrence Avenue. St. James Catholic Church allows its open space, called Sunshine Park, to be utilized as a park and is maintained by the Village for public use.

SCHOOLS There are two elementary schools, one junior high and one high school located in Sauk Village, as well as the administrative offices for SD 168. CCSD 168 Schools located in Sauk Village include:

Wagoner Elementary Strassburg Elementary Rickover Junior High CCSD 168 Administrative School School School Offices School District 168 District School

• 1831 215th Place • 2002 223rd Street • 22151 Torrence Avenue • 21899 Torrence Avenue • 532 students • 427 Students • 415 students • South of Sauk Village • Grades PK-2 • Grades 3-5 • Grades 6-8 Municipal Center

Bloom Trail High School High School District 206 District School High

• 22331 Cottage Grove Ave, Steger, IL • 1,295 students Bloom Trail High School • Grades 9-12

Existing Conditions Community Facilities| 53 SCHOOL DISTRICTS There are 1,405 students in the School District 168. As shown on the School Districts Map Figure 7.4, most of the current boundaries of Sauk Village are located within SD 168.

In addition to CCSD 168, small portions of Sauk Village are located in Ford Heights SD 169, Steger SD 194, Sandridge SD 172, and Crete Monee U 201. Additional districts serving the planning area include Chicago Heights, Glenwood

Bloom Trail High School of Bloom Township High School District 206 is located just west of Sauk Village and serves virtually all of Sauk Village.

As shown in Figure 7.2 and 7.3, CCSD 168 has very low property tax revenue per pupil, making the district reliant on state funding sources. One of the goals will be to identify land uses that provide a more balanced tax base to support school districts and other local governments.

FIGURE 7.2: Equalized Assessed Value Per Pupil

Source: Illinois School Report Card

FIGURE 7.3: Local Property Taxes as a Share of Revenue

Source: Illinois School Report Card

54 | Existing Conditions Community Facilities FIGURE 7.4: School Districts Map

Sunnybrook 171 Brookwood 167

Torrence Ave. Torrence Sandridge 172

Chicago Ford Heights 169 Heights 170

SAUK VILLAGE Park Forest Community -Chicago Heights Sauk Trail 163 Consolidated 168

Steger 194 Cook County Steger Rd. Will County Illinois Indiana

Crete-Monee Community Unit School District (201-U)

Sauk Village, Illinois N School Districts 0 Mi 1 Mi 2 Mi June 2018 Context Elementary School Districts Unit School Districts

Village Boundary Community Consolidated 168 Ford Heights 169 Crete-Monee 201-U Forest Preserve Sandridge 172 Sunnybrook 171 High School Districts Steger 194 Chicago Heights 170 Bloom Township 206 Brookwood 167 Park Forest-Chicago Heights 163

Existing Conditions Community Facilities| 55 NANCY L. MCCONATHY PUBLIC LIBRARY Sauk Village currently has one public library, which has served the community of Sauk Village since 1974. The library has changed locations over those years, starting in the basement of Katz Corner School to their current location at the corner of 218th Street and Jeffrey Avenue. The current building is around 8,550 Sq. Ft. and located at 21737 Jeffrey Ave. Among the many resources the library offers, the library also has a community garden which benefits all of Sauk Village.

EDWARD W. PAESEL COMMUNITY CENTER Adjacent to the municipal center, which is home to the Sauk Village Hall and the Sauk Village Police Department, is the Edward W. Paesel Community Center. This center provides meeting rooms, education and recreation classes, and cultural events, and serves as an important center for children, teenagers, and adults.

POLICE The Sauk Village Police Department is located within the Municipal Center, (21701 Torrence Ave.) just in front of the Edward W. Paesel Community Center. It is a full-service law enforcement agency consisting of patrol, investigative and support services divisions. These divisions include assignments such as patrol, canine, investigative, dispatch (911) services, tactical, records, field training, evidence and property, and animal control.

FIRE Fire protection for the community is provided by one fire station located at 1804 E. 22nd St. The Sauk Village Fire Department was established in 1956 and today protects approximately 5 square miles and over 10,000 citizens.

PARKS Sauk Village is made up of several neighborhood parks, majority of them consisting of small playground equipment as shown in the picture to the right (218th Street Park). There is a total of 7 parks within the village boundary and four of those are larger parks, over .5 acres. Those parks are Veterans Memorial Park, Arrowhead/Werner Park, Carlisle Park and Murphy Park. (See Chapter 8: Open Space & Natural Resources)

56 | Existing Conditions Community Facilities Open Space & Natural Resources 8 INTRODUCTION A defining element of Sauk Village is the abundance of open space and natural resources with Plum Creek Forest Preserve (a part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County), the nearby trail systems and the various neighborhood parks throughout the community. The comprehensive plan will look at the advantages of these open space and natural resources ‘C as a way to improve and provide a system of programmed parks to provide more opportunity for recreation and community involvement, an interconnected trail system for recreation and additional mobility options (see Figure 6.1: Regional Transportation Map for trail systems).

FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY

The Forest Preserves of Cook County owns and manages forest preserves all across Cook County, this includes the Plum Creek Forest Preserve in Sauk Village. All Forest Preserves provide a network of open spaces and typically contain natural areas from. In addition to the natural open space elements, forest preserves have trail systems and recreational facilities.

PLUM CREEK FOREST PRESERVE Plum Creek Meadow Grove #1 picnic area within the Plum Creek Forest Preserve Plum Creek Forest Preserve is located in Sauk Village and nearby unincorporated areas. It contains Plum Creek Trail which is a 1.8 mile unpaved loop. This loop travels through woods, open fields and picnic areas. The trail is accessible for hikers, bicyclists, horses and in the winter, cross country skiers. The two picnic areas: Plum Creek Meadow Grove #1 and Plum Creek Meadow Grove #2 are covered pavilions that each have a capacity of 200 people. STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

Stormwater is an excess of surface water resulting from heavy Existing stormwater within the LogistiCenter falls of rain or snow. This can be increased in an area that is developed or disturbed with development. Increases in impervious surfaces, such as concrete, asphalt and rooftops, can lead to fewer opportunities for surface water runoff infiltration within the landscape. This increases the magnitude and duration of storm flows, contributing to flooding, and provides a source for sediment and pollutants to enter watersheds and downstream water bodies.

Stormwater management focuses on controlling the effect that new impervious surfaces have on stream channels, but may also remediate existing problems. Stormwater management is becoming even more prominent within Sauk Village due to the topography and infrastructure that is currently in place. The Comprehensive Plan will look at new strategies to improve existing stormwater issues and creative ways for future developments to utilize stormwater management for the better of the development and Sauk Village. Focusing particular attention to providing adequate stormwater management to allow for economic development initiatives such as the LogistiCenter.

58 | Existing Conditions Natural Resources & Open Space FIGURE 8.1: Open Space and Natural Resources Map Torrence Ave

Transportation Dr 2

3 Mark Collins Dr Mark 6 4 5 Sauk Trail

Sauk Trail rd 223 St 8 225th St 9 Yates Ave

7 Torrence Ave

C o t t Plum Creek a g e Gr Forest Preserve

v e

v e Steger Rd

Sauk Village, Illinois Open Space and Natural Resources 0 0.5 Mi 1 Mi N Context September 2018 1 Liberty Memorial Park 5 218th Street Park 9 Murphy Park Village Boundary Flood Plain Wetlands 2 Carlisle Park 6 Veterans Memorial00.25 Park 0.5 1 Miles 1.5 Mile Planning Boundary Forest Preserves Water Bodies 3 Arrowhead/Werner Park 7 Deer Creek Open Space Indiana Border Parks 4 Carol Ave. Park 8 Sunshine Park at St. James Church

Existing Conditions Natural Resources & Open Space | 59 PARKS

Murphy Park Veterans Memorial Park Arrowhead/Werner Park

• Location: 3199 224th Street • Location: 21701 Torrence Ave, • Location: 21500 Merrill Ave, east of • Use: Playground equipment and behind Sauk Village Municipal Wagnor Elementary School concrete pad Center • Use: Open fields, playground • Size: 0.78 Acres • Use: Gazebo, open fields, short equipment, concrete pad walking path, playground • Size: 1.56 Acres equipment and a Veterans Memorial statue • Size: 1.97 Acres

Sunshine Park at St. 218th Street Park Carol Ave. Park Carlisle Park James Church

• Location: 2521 223rd • Location: 21805 Clyde • Location: 21771 Carol • Location: 2233 Astor Street, west of St. James Ave, corner of Clyde and Ave. Street Church 218 Street • Use: Playground • Use: Playground • Use: Playground • Use: Playground equipment equipment equipment equipment • Size: 0.20 Acres • Size: 1 Acre • Size: 0.28 Acres • Size: 0.22 Acres

60 | Existing Conditions Natural Resources & Open Space GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE VISION The Green Infrastructure Vision (GIV) was created by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and Chicago Wilderness. The vision provides various layers of information, consisting of spatial data and policies that can be used in the future growth of the region. The Green Infrastructure Vision looks at the connections of open spaces and natural resources regionally and details a range of ecological features to protect critical natural resources including groundwater that is discussed in this section. Elements of the GIV are shown in more detail in the Open Space and Natural Resources Map on page 59 and the Groundwater Map on page 63. This information will be used in the development of a Future Land Use Map as part of the Comprehensive Plan in order to preserve critical natural resources.

FIGURE 8.2: Green Infrastructure Vision Cottage Grove Ave Torrence Ave Transportation Dr Mark Collins Dr Mark

Sauk Trail

Sauk Trail 223rd St

225th St

C o Torrence Ave t t a g e Plum Creek Gr

o Forest Preserve v e

v e Steger Rd

Sauk Village, Illinois Green Infrastructure Vision 000.25 0.50.5 Mi 1 Miles1 Mi N Context Core Landscapes November 2018

Village Boundary Woodland/Forest Prairies/Savannas

1.5 Mile Planning Boundary Lakes and Streams Wetlands

Indiana Border

Existing Conditions Natural Resources & Open Space | 61 WATERSHEDS Little Calumet River Watershed

Sauk Village is entirely within the Little Calumet River Cook County Watershed, and is located predominantly in southeast Cook INDIANA County (around 159 square miles). Portions of the Little Calumet Watershed expand into Will County (around 61 square miles) and Lake County, Indiana (around 43 square miles). The Little Caumet River Watershed consists of nine (9) NORTH CREEK subwatersheds. Two (2) of those subwatersheds are within the Sauk Village municipal boundary: North Creek, and Plum THORN CREEK HART DITCH SAUK VILLAGE Creek (as shown to the right).

DEER CREEK PROTECTING WATER QUALITY Will County PLUM CREEK High water quality sustains ecosystem health, drinking water sources, and recreation potential. Stormwater runoff and other sources of nonpoint pollution from urbanized areas and agricultural fields can impact the health of ecosystems and water systems in Sauk Village.

Impervious surfaces, including buildings, roads, and parking lots, negatively affect water quality by preventing stormwater from infiltrating into the ground. Instead, water that falls on these surfaces washes away as stormwater runoff, picking up sediment, oils, and debris as it travels to stormwater systems, rivers, and streams. As impervious surfaces increase, so does runoff, resulting in more untreated water entering rivers, streams, and lakes.

Development and management decisions are important considerations in protecting the water quality in Sauk Village and downstream communities. Protecting and restoring natural features that contribute to high water quality, such as wetlands, riparian areas, and hydric soils, improving landscaping and lawn care practices, and implementing stormwater best management practices (BMPs) can have a positive effect on reducing pollutants into the North Creek, and Plum Creek subwatersheds.

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS) Incorporating environmentally sensitive design or Best Management Practices (BMPs) into development projects within Sauk Village is important for the protection of water resources. BMPs can help promote the natural infiltration of water, instead of allowing it to wash into streets and down storm drains. The use of BMPs can include reducing the amount of impervious surfaces and the use of permeable pavement (as shown in the figure BMP1 below). BMPs will decrease surface runoff and promote stormwater infiltration. Another common BMP is incorporating bioswales or retention ponds (as shown in BMP2 below) into new development. Retention ponds and bioswales both achieve the same goal of slowing runoff by absorbing water. Conservation subdivision design is also a method that has been used in suburban and rural areas. This design strategy preserves common open space for residents (as shown in the figure BMP3 below).

BMP1: Permeable Pavement BMP2: Retention Pond BMP3: Conservation Subdivision Design

62 | Existing Conditions Natural Resources & Open Space GROUNDWATER Groundwater is defined as precipitation that flows or seeps downward below the root zone and saturates soil or rock, supplying springs and wells. In addition to supplying water to wells, groundwater can also provide base flow to streams, wetlands, and other water bodies, directly affecting the ecology of these resources.

LAND DEVELOPMENT The potential impacts of land development on groundwater and the recovery (or recharge) of that groundwater are important factors in planning for land use. Land development activities, including the conversion of agricultural land, not only impacts the recovery of natural resources but can also affect the quality of drinking water. In the case of Sauk Village, groundwater is particularly important because the Village uses wells for its water supply rather than Lake Michigan water. The source of Sauk Village’s drinking water comes from three groundwater wells (as shown on Figure 7.1: Community Facilities Map).

FIGURE 8.3: Groundwater Map GROUNDWATER OF SAUK VILLAGE Figure 8.3 represents estimated locations of groundwater recharge areas within the Village as delineated through the Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Vision.

Torrence Ave There are two categories identified on the map below. Each category represents the economic benefit by acreage.

The dark brown areas have the greatest potential economic and environmental value in preserving groundwater recharge, while the lighter brown areas

Sauk Trail are also important, but have lower economic and environmental resource Sauk Trail 223rd St protection by acreage. These resources should be taken into account in planning

Torrence Ave for future growth. New development C o t t a g e Gr should take into account these resources

v e

Av e Steger Rd while planning for open space areas, as well as incorporating Best Management Practices to maximize the potential for groundwater recharge and preservation of long-term resources for both water supply and natural resource protection in Sauk Village and surrounding areas.

Sauk Village, Illinois Groundwater 0 0.5 Mi 1 Mi N Context Groundwater Recharge October 2018

Village Boundary Indiana Border Lower Higher

1.5 Mile Planning Boundary 00.275 0.55 1.1 Miles

Existing Conditions Natural Resources & Open Space | 63 64 | Existing Conditions Natural Resources & Open Space Key Findings 9 KEY FINDINGS:

Several key findings emerged during the Advisory Committee Meetings and Community Workshop. Each section below highlights those findings.

DEMOGRAPHICS & HOUSING • The population of Sauk Village has stayed stable, with only a slight decline, despite the Great Recession that resulted in the decline of many nearby communities. • Sauk Village is a family-friendly community with larger households and a younger median age. • Education rates have increased since 2000, with more adults having at least a high school degree, and more than one in five have an Associates degree or higher. • The housing market has not fully recovered from the Great Recession. Housing prices are lower than before the Recession and vacancies continue to be an issue. • Renters are more cost-burdened than homeowners. Efforts are needed to make sure that homes are well-maintained and that a path to homeownership is created.

LAND USE & ZONING • Residential is the predominant land use in Sauk Village, comprising 28% of land, while railroad utilities and roadways are 23%. • Agricultural land is 21% and vacant land is 7%, creating spaces for both stormwater and future infill development opportunities. • Industrial development has been the fastest growing sector in the past several years, with new development in the LogistiCenter. • There are opportunities to plan for vacant and agricultural land adjacent to the Village’s boundaries within the 1.5 mile planning area.

COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL • Retail nodes are located along Sauk Trail at I-394 and Torrence Avenue. National and regional retail trends pose challenges to new retail development. A retail attraction strategy could focus on categories such as restaurants that serve the local area and amenities to create a sense of place and a welcoming experience. • Industrial development has been very strong in Sauk Village with an annual growth rate of 6.7% from 201-2017 and 100% occupancy.

66 | Existing Conditions Key Findings KEY FINDINGS:

TRANSPORTATION & MOBILITY • I-394 is vital to the success and development of Sauk Village. • The intersection of I-394 and Sauk Village is a major commercial node and gateway into the community. The Comprehensive Plan will investigate safety and capacity improvements to the intersection. • Improvement of all modes of transportation, including sidewalks, bicycle facilities and access to transit will be investigated as a part of the Comprehensive Plan.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES, PROGRAMS, & SERVICES • CCSD 168 serves most of Sauk Village and has three schools located in the Village. • All of Sauk Village is served by Bloom Township HSD 206, although portions of the Planning Area are in neighboring districts. Bloom Trail High School is located in Steger just west of Sauk Village. A new bike trail along Sauk Trail is funded to serve the high school. • Other facilities include the Nancy L. McConathy Public Library, Edward W. Paesel Community Center, Police Department, Fire Department, and Municipal Center.

OPEN SPACE & NATURAL RESOURCES • There are seven parks and open spaces in Sauk Village. There is a need to look at the parks comprehensively to serve the needs of the residents and visitors and create unique facilities and uses at each of the parks. • A portion of Plum Creek Forest Preserve is located in Sauk Village. There is potential for greater use of the Forest Preserve by improving bike and pedestrian access and expanding the trail network within the Preserve. • Planning for new growth should take into account critical natural resources including groundwater recharge areas to incorporate Best Management Practices (BMPs) into the design, development and/or preservation of these areas.

Existing Conditions Key Findings | 67