Corridor Development Initiative (CDI)
The Corridor Development Initiative is an innovative participatory planning process that help residents understand issues such as density, affordable housing, architectural design, and the true cost of development. Through the CDI, the community develops a distinct set of development priorities that can guide community leaders as they plan for future development. The CDI process allows the community to consider various development options, as well as explore how their ideas might pan out on the ground. In partnership with the Metropolitan Planning Council, CMAP helps to facilitate the CDI process in communities around the region. For more information about the Corridor Development Initiative, including a seven-minute explanatory video and an application for communities wishing to apply the CDI process to their current planning efforts, please click here. |
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Industry Clusters
Regional cluster reports are designed to identify existing industry and business clusters in the region, as well as reveal those clusters that are emerging. These reports help municipalities, counties, and businesses better understand trends in the regional economy, and assist in their individual efforts to develop sound local planning and economic strategies. A copy of the Snapshot on Industry Clusters and the detailed analysis is available for download. To learn more about regional clusters please contact Brian Rademacher at (312) 386-8668 or brademacher@cmap.illinois.gov. |
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Brownfield Technical Assistance
CMAP’s Regional Brownfield Initiative has developed strategies to ensure sustainable revitalization of underutilized parcels as part of land use, transportation planning and economic development initiatives. The Regional Brownfields Initiative was established to:
- promote the inclusion of Brownfields in the comprehensive planning process
- provide technical assistance for brownfield planning and grant submission
- help communities prioritize and tailor efforts to the appropriate State or Federal Brownfield program
CMAP has compiled specific technical assistance tools that can support communities who are applying for assessment and cleanup grants under EPA's Fiscal Year 2010 Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup (ARC) grant competition. For more information contact Jon Hallas at jhallas@cmap.illinois.gov or (312) 386-8764.
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Summits and Roundtables
CMAP facilitates and coordinates leadership meetings, summits, and roundtables with private and community sectors throughout the region. These events bring together economic and community development practitioners, transportation and land use planners, private businessmen and public officials to discuss and coordinate efforts in economic and community development and focus on best practices within the professions. Four summits and panel discussions were held last year. Topics included How to Seal the Deal: The Role of Planners, Municipal Managers, and Economic Development Practitioners; Development Incentives; Public Private Partnerships: Thinking Regionally, Acting Locally; Transit Oriented Development and the Region’s Economy; and Moving Forward Together (archived agendas and presentations are available here). For more information, including upcoming summits and roundtables, please contact Bola Delano at (312) 386-8690. |
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Collaborative Greenways, Open Space and Trail Planning
CMAP coordinates planning for trails and greenways in the region. The officially adopted Regional Greenways and Trails Plan is used extensively by local and county governments, trail users, environmental agencies and organizations, and corridor councils. The map and plan serve as a basis for planning and programming funding for greenways and trails, as a framework and guide for making connections between communities and other greenways and trails, and as a consideration in major infrastructure investment decisions. Please contact Lori Heringa at (312) 386-821 or lheringa@cmap.illinois.gov for more information. |
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Watershed Technical Assistance
Supportive of sustainable development, a watershed approach to planning gives municipal decision makers and other interested parties a forum to better understand their shared natural resources, address common concerns and protect common interests. Decision makers have the opportunity to get ahead of the curve if they participate in watershed planning to take advantage of its economic, environmental, and social benefits. CMAP works with government and non-government entities alike in crafting watershed plans that are integrated with other plans to more fully address the more pressing land use and development issues that face local stakeholders. Please contact Jesse Elam at (312) 386-8688 or jelam@cmap.illinois.gov for more information. |
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Sustainable Watershed Action Team (SWAT)
The Sustainable Watershed Action Team (SWAT) project, funded by the Chicago Wilderness, is designed to provide technical assistance to local governments and developers in northeastern Illinois in designing and implementing environmentally sensitive construction projects or developing comprehensive plans containing state-of-the art practices for such issues a stormwater management. Low impact development (LID) and conservation design best management practices are the focal point of projects undertaken with the 2008 grant. For an overview of the project and associated workshops click here. Please contact Amy Talbot at atalbot@cmap.illinois.gov or (312) 386-8646 for more information. |
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Plan Review
CMAP is able to provide a third-party, neutral review of your community’s drafted plans, bringing its expertise to bear on the implications for the larger region. We can also connect local efforts to others doing similar work to help share ideas and learn from exemplary models. Please contact Ty Warner at twarner@cmap.illinois.gov or (312) 386-8606 for more information. |
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