Comprehensive Plan ~pdote Village of Morton Grove, Illinois Prepared for the VIllage of Morton Gro~ 1/llnols by~ Pefligrew, Allen 8 ~Inc. and McDonough Assodates, Inc. • October, 1999 Table of Contents Page: Introduction v The Morton Grove Community v The Comprehensive Planning Process v Purpose of the Comprehensive Plan vi Organization of the Plan Report vi SECTION 1: COMMUNITY CONDITIONS & POTENTIALS Figure 1: Community Setting 1-1 Figure 2: Generalized Land-Use 1-3 Figure 3: Land-Use Changes: 1979-1998 1-5 Figure 4: Zoning 1-7 Figure 5: Parks & Reaeation 1-9 Figure 6: Public & Private Schools 1-11 Figure 7: Other Community Facilities 1-13 Figure 8: Transportation 1-15 Figure 9: Public Utilities 1-17 Figure 70: Issues & Concerns 1-19 Table 7: Parks and Reaeation 1-21 Table 2: Public and Private Schools 1-22 Table 3: Other Community Fadlities 1-23 SECTION 2: DEMOGRAPHIC & MARKET OVERVIEW Demographic Overview 2-1 Population 2-1 Households 2-2 Age Distribution 2-2 Radai!Ethnic Distribution 2-3 Income Distribution 2-3 Employment 2-4 Housing Trends 2-4 Market Overview 2-5 Residential Land-Use Demand 2-6 Industrial Land-Use Demand 2-7 Office Land-Use Demand 2-8 Retail/Service Land-Use Demand 2-8 SECTION 3: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE A Vision for Morton Grove 3-1 Participants in the Vision Workshops 3-1 Vision Statement 3-2 Morton Grove Comprehensive Plan - -------- -------- Pagei Table of Contents (continued) Planning Goals & Objectives 3-4 Community Image, Appearance and Identity 3-4 Housing and Residential Areas 3-5 Commercial Development 3-6 Industrial Development 3-7 Transportation 3-7 Community Facilities 3-8 Parks and Recreation 3-9 SECTION 4: COMMUNITY-WIDE PLAN Figure 11: Community-Wide Plan 4-1 Figure 12: Residential Area Policies 4-3 Figure 13: Commercial Area Policies 4-5 Figure 14: Industrial Area Policies 4-7 Figure 15: Community Facilities Policies 4-9 Figure 16: Transportation Policies 4-11 Figure 17: Public Utilities Policies 4-13 SECTION 5: TARGET AREA PLANS Introduction to the Target Area Plans 5-1 Identification of the Target Areas 5-1 Organization of the Target Area Sedion 5-2 Evaluation ofTarget Area Alternatives 5-2 Dempster Street Target Area 5-5 Existing Development Pattern 5-5 Roadway Characteristics 5-6 Infrastructure 5-6 Issues and Concerns 5-6 Improvement and Development Alternatives 5-7 Improvement and Development Recommendations 5-7 Figure 18: Dempster Street Target Area 5-9 Table 4: Evaluation of Dempster Street Alternatives 5-11 lincoln Avenue Target Area 5-13 Existing Development Pattern 5-13 Roadway Characteristics 5-14 Infrastructure 5-14 Issues and Concerns 5-14 Improvement and Development Alternatives 5-75 Improvement and Development Recommendations 5-16 Figure 19: Lincoln Avenue Target Area 5-19 Table 5: Evaluation of Lincoln Avenue Alternatives 5-21 Page ii - --------- ------ -- Morton Grove Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents (continued) Lehigh/Ferris Avenue Target Area 5-23 Existing Development Pattern 5-23 Roadway Characteristics 5-24 Infrastructure 5-25 Issues and Concerns 5-25 Improvement and Development Alternatives 5-26 Improvement and Development Recommendations 5-27 Figure 20: Ferris Avenue Subarea 5-37 Table 6: Evaluation of Ferris Avenue Alternatives 5-33 Figure 21: Lehigh Avenue Subarea 5-35 Table 7: Evaluation of Lehigh Avenue Alternatives 5-37 Table 8: Evaluation of Roadway Alternatives 5-39 Waukegan Road Target Area 5-41 Existing Development Pattern 5-47 Roadway Characteristics 5-47 Infrastructure 5-42 Issues and Concerns 5-42 Improvement and Development Alternatives 5-43 Improvement and Development Recommendations 5-43 Figure 22: Waukegan Road Target Area 5-45 Table 9: Evaluation of Waukegan Road Alternatives 5-47 SECTION 6: IMPLEMENTATION ACTION AGENDA Implementation Action Agenda 6-1 Overview of the Action Agenda 6-1 Projects and Actions 6-1 Priority and Schedule 6-2 Action Responsibilities 6-2 Funding Sources and Implementation Techniques 6-3 Table 70: Action Agenda 6-77 APPENDIX Appendix A: Project Advisory Committee Workshop A-1 Appendix 8: Key Person Interviews A-8 Appendix C: Community Survey A-13 Appendix D: Tables for Demographic & Market Overview A-17 Appendix E: Target Area Workshops A-36 Appendix F: Village Center Concept A-43 Appendix G: Schedule ofMeetings A-49 Appendix H: Project Advisory Committee A-51 Morton Grove Comprehensive Plan Page iii Introduction This report presents the Comprehensive Plan Update for the Village of Morton Grove, Illinois. It presents recommendations for the improvement and en­ hancement of existing community areas, and the promotion of desirable new development and redevelopment in selected locations. This final Plan report summarizes the results of the entire planning program, and incorporates much of the material included in previous interim reports and memoranda prepared during the course of the study. THE MORTON GROVE COMMUNITY The Village of Morton Grove is a mature suburban community of approxi­ mately 23,000 persons. Morton Grove is located in Cook County, Illinois, ap­ proximately 1 5 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The Village is situated immediately west of the Edens Expressway (Interstate 94), and is bordered by Niles on the south and west, Glenview on the north, and Skokie on the east. Morton Grove is essentially "built-out", with most of its development occurring during the 1950's and 1960's. While it is largely a single-family residential community, Morton Grove also encompasses a significant industrial base, and mixed-use commercial areas are located along several arterial street corridors. A major distinguishing feature of Morton Grove is the presence of Cook County Forest Preserve land, which bisects the community and accounts for approximately twenty percent of the total land area within the Village. Even though Morton Grove has little remaining vacant land, there will con­ tinue to be demand for new residential, commercial and industrial develop­ ment within the community in the future. New development will most likely entail replacement of older existing uses and/ or the redevelopment of mar­ ginal and deteriorated properties. Morton Grove's previous Comprehensive Plan was prepared in 1979. While the previous Plan has served as a guide for improvement and development for the past 20 yea rs, an updated Plan is now needed to reflect changing conditions, preferences and potentials within the community. COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS In December 1997, the Village selected a Consultant Team consisting of Trkla, Pettigrew, Allen a Payne, Inc. and McDonough Associates, Inc. to undertake the Comprehensive Plan Update. The planning process has entailed a multi­ phase program consisting of: 1) analyzing existing conditions, 2) identifying is­ sues and concerns, 3) establishing an overall "vision· for community, 4) formu­ lating goals and objectives, 5) preparing community-wide plans for land-use, transportation and community facilities; 6) developing and evaluating al­ ternative plans and policies for key ""target areas;" and 7) preparing final plan and implementation recommendations. Morton Grove Comprehensive Plan----------------- Page v Morton Grove's planning program has entailed a high degree of local input and participation. A close working relationship was established between Vil­ lage staff and the Consultant Team. A special Project Advisory Committee was appointed to work with the Consultant throughout the course of the study. Key person interviews, community workshops and a community survey were un­ dertaken early in the process to elicit ideas and perceptions about issues and potentials within Morton Grove. Community-wide meetings were undertaken at key junctures to present information, discuss findings and conclusions, and establish consensus before entering the next phase of the program. PURPOSE of the COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The Comprehensive Plan is Morton Grove's official policy guide for physical improvement and development. It considers not only the immediate needs and concerns of the community, but also projects improvement and develop­ ment 10 to 1 5 years in the future. The Plan is "comprehensive" in both scope and coverage. It addresses the use of land and buildings, the movement of traffic and pedestrians, and the provi­ sion of parks, schools, utilities and other public facilities. It also addresses resi­ dential neighborhoods, commercial areas, industrial districts, public and insti­ tutional lands, and public rights-of-way. The Comprehensive Plan establishes the ground rules for private improvement and development. It provides guidelines by which the Planning Commission and Village Board can review and evaluate private development proposals. The Plan also provides a guide for public investments and capital improve­ ments, and can help to ensure that local public dollars are spent wisely. The Comprehensive Plan provides a basis for refining the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations and other development codes, all of which are used to implement planning policies and recommendations. Finally, the Comprehensive Plan can serve as a marketing tool to promote Morton Grove's unique assets, and it can be used to help attract new families and desirable new investment and development to the community. ORGANIZATION of the PLAN REPORT Morton Grove's Comprehensive Plan Update report emphasizes the use of maps and graphics. This "graphic" approach conveys planning and development data more clearly and more concisely, and is more easily understood by most business persons, residents and public officials. The Plan report is divided into six sections, as follows: • SECTION 1: Community Conditions a Potentials. This section presents an overview of the physical development conditions and potentials of the Morton Grove community. It is based on a review of previous plans and studies, data collected by Village staff, and investigations undertaken by the Consultant Team. It highlights existing conditions, points out changes that have occurred since Morton Grove's previous Comprehensive Plan was Page vi Morton Grove Comprehensive Plan prepared in 1 979, and summarizes the key issues and concerns to be ad­ dressed in the new Comprehensive Plan.