Village of Lyons Comprehensive Plan Draft Existing Conditions Report March 2014 Acknowledgements
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Village of Lyons Comprehensive Plan Draft Existing Conditions Report March 2014 Acknowledgements Christopher Getty, Mayor Steering Committee Amanda Cantrell Librarian, Lyons Public Library Dan Dever Village Staff Daniel M. Powers Director, Lyons Public Library Frank Torres Director, Lyons Park and Recreation Department Greg Ramirez Resident James Koc Village Staff Jeff Dutton Resident/Lyons Community Garden Jorge Torres Building Inspector, Village of Lyons Kenneth K. Getty Resident/ Rep. of the Lyons Retirees Pat Alonzi Village Trustee Thomas Sheahan Village Manager Vic Zynda Resident Special thanks are also due to the following stakeholders who assisted with various facets of the project: Audrey Kalwyter Resident Bill Haworth Business owner (Quarry) Gordon Nord Chief, Lyons Fire Department Guy Hollis Business owner (Culvers Restaurant) Harley Schinker Chief, Lyons Police Department John Pierce Director, Building and Planning Department Kindy Kruller Senior Planner, Forest Preserve District of Cook County Kyle Leonard Resident & Village Staff Mary Jo Vladika PhD Superintendent, Lyons Elementary School District 103 Mary Kalfas Resident & Former member of the Planning Commission Patricia Demco Resident Leslie Phemister Outreach Manager, Active Transportation Alliance Toni Parker Resident & Former member of the Planning Commission William Ruting Resident/Former Chair of the Planning Commission Funding Acknowledgement This project was supported through CMAP’s 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), and the Chicago Community Trust. The Village of Lyons and CMAP would like to thank these funders for their support for this project. Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction........................................................................................................................ 2 Chapter Two: Regional Context ............................................................................................................... 7 Chapter Three: Previous Plans, Studies, and Reports ........................................................................ 13 Chapter Four: Community Outreach .............................................................................................. …..19 Chapter Five: Community Services and Institutions .......................................................................... 23 Chapter Six: Land Use and Development ............................................................................................ 26 Chapter Seven: Housing and Population…………………………………..…………………………38 Chapter Eight: Economic Development ............................................................................................... 48 Chapter Nine: Transportation ............................................................................................................... 55 Chapter Ten: Natural Environment…………..……………………………………………………….72 Chapter Twelve: Looking Forward ................................................................................................... …84 Appendix Community Outreach Lyons Comprehensive Plan: Existing Conditions Report Chapter 1: Introduction The Village of Lyons, which was founded in 1888, is located in Cook County and is one of Chicago’s inner-ring western suburbs. It has embarked on creating a comprehensive plan, which will define the community’s vision and the steps needed to achieve that vision. Over the last few decades, Lyons has undertaken several planning initiatives primarily focused on economic development and strategic planning. The new comprehensive plan will build on these initiatives to help shape a more cohesive, community-wide plan. Decisions made today and in the future will determine the Village’s physical appearance, economic wellbeing, and character. Having an up-to-date plan that clearly articulates the community’s desired character will help the Village at all levels of the decision-making process. The Lyons Comprehensive Plan will serve as a guide for elected officials, municipal staff, community residents, business owners, and potential investors, allowing them to make informed administrative and implementation choices on community development decisions. To create a plan that responds to local issues and aspirations requires a thorough understanding of how Lyons became what it is today, its role in the greater region, and the way the Village functions. Having an accurate understanding of existing conditions will allow the Village to develop an appropriate and effective plan that addresses the issues, concerns, and goals of residents. This Existing Conditions Report provides an overview of the current conditions in Lyons as a foundation for the plan. Why does Lyons need a Comprehensive Plan? Lyons adopted a Comprehensive Plan in 1992, but it is over 20 years old and the Village does not refer to it in making planning and development decisions. Rather, the Village relies on its ordinances, particularly its zoning ordinance, to guide development. In the past, the Village has undertaken several initiatives including short- and long-term revitalization strategies for industrial areas, commercial districts, the town center area, and for upgrading its aging infrastructure. While most of these initiatives have sought to address specific issues, they have been limited in their scope. As a result, the Village requested technical assistance from CMAP to help create a consensus-based, villagewide vision for the future of Lyons. The new Comprehensive Plan will enable the community to take full advantage of existing opportunities in an effective and efficient manner. What is a Comprehensive Plan? A comprehensive plan is a document that articulates a community’s vision for its future and provides a roadmap to achieving that vision. It provides a framework for future development and investment decisions that preserve and enhance community assets in the best interest of residents. Generally, a comprehensive plan guides public policy on a broad range of topics including transportation, land use, housing, economic development, and open space. 2 Lyons Comprehensive Plan: Existing Conditions Report Typically, a comprehensive plan aims to provide guidance for implementing a community vision over a ten- to twenty-year period. Although a comprehensive plan is considered a long- term document, it should also be viewed as a tool to be used daily by the community to assist in land use and development decisions. The plan should be flexible and adaptable to changing conditions. A community can choose to update its comprehensive plan at any time to match local needs, interests, or opportunities, but an update to stay current every five to ten years is common. Elements of a Comprehensive Plan A comprehensive plan comprises a series of distinct yet interrelated elements that address specific topics. It can have different elements depending on the jurisdiction to which it applies, but many comprehensive plans address the following key elements: Land Use Transportation Housing Economic Development Natural Resources Implementation Strategies In addition to the primary elements listed above, a comprehensive plan may also include additional elements, which may be discrete sections in the plan or common themes that run throughout the document. Elements of a comprehensive plan are usually interrelated in that they share common assumptions about demographic and socioeconomic factors, the plan’s geographic area, and the time period. The elements must also reinforce and not conflict with one another.1 The Lyons Comprehensive Plan may include additional elements such as community facilities, historic preservation and community identity. Under the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-12-5(1)), a comprehensive plan may include reasonable requirements with reference to streets, alleys, public grounds, and other improvements. Purpose of the Existing Conditions Report Developing an appropriate and effective comprehensive plan that addresses the relevant issues and concerns of a community requires an accurate understanding of a community’s existing conditions. This Existing Conditions Report is the culmination of approximately four months of research, analysis, and public outreach. It provides an overview of the current conditions in the Village of Lyons and serves as an agreed-upon “starting point” for visioning and planning. It also acts as a checklist after creation of the plan to verify whether the plan addresses key issues in the community. 1 Stuart Meck and Rebecca Retzlaff. 2006. Planning 1-2-3: A Step-by-Step Workbook to Writing a Comprehensive Plan in Illinois. Chicago: Campaign for Sensible Growth, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, and Metropolitan Planning Council. 3 Lyons Comprehensive Plan: Existing Conditions Report Planning Process The process to create the Lyons Comprehensive Plan will last approximately one year and include multiple steps. The process has been crafted with the assistance of Village officials and is designed to include the input of Village residents, business owners, and other stakeholders. Figures 1.1 and 1.2 show the key stages of the planning process and the project timeline. Figure 1.3 shows the study area. Figure 1.1 The Planning Process Figure 1.2 Project Timeline Next Steps After presenting the Existing Conditions Report to the Steering Committee and the Village Staff