UPDATE: The Harvard Comprehensive Plan is now available for download.
The City of Harvard, located in northwest McHenry County, boasts a small-town feel while also offering access to diverse cultural and natural amenities, making it an ideal place to live, work, and play. The City lies within close proximity of McHenry County's wealth of conservation land, as well as destinations including Chicago, Milwaukee, and Rockford. Metra's Union Pacific Northwest line runs multiple trains daily between Harvard and Chicago's Union Station, which links residents to a number of job centers in the northwest suburbs and Chicago's Loop. Today, there is potential for infill development and redevelopment, particularly within downtown, along Route 14, and at the site of a former Motorola facility. Recognizing these possibilities, the City is developing a comprehensive plan for increased social and economic prosperity in Harvard.
With support from CMAP's Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, this comprehensive plan will use a community-based process that reflects the interests and diverse needs of the community. The plan will provide a framework to make informed investment decisions, address current issues, and reach long-term goals. Together, the City of Harvard, local stakeholders, and CMAP will explore opportunities in land use planning, residential and commercial development, transportation, parks and open space, and numerous other aspects important to the City's prosperity. The plan will build upon the community's assets and identify ways to support goals from as the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan.
The three-phase planning process is designed to be completed in approximately 12 months. The first phase will involve a thorough analysis of the existing conditions within the community using information gathered through steering committee meetings, one-on-one stakeholder interviews, review of previous studies, and collection of maps and data. During the second phase, initial recommendations will be created and vetted with the project's steering committee and City staff. The final phase will include plan creation, community feedback, and plan adoption.