Return on Investment (ROI) model training.  CMAP's ROI model is a versatile, easy-to-use tool that can be used to test the physical and financial feasibility of a proposed development or existing municipal development regulations. On Friday, September 18, CMAP will be offering a free, one-day class to train municipal planners how to use this helpful tool, which itself is provided free of charge to municipal staff once they complete the training. Space is limited to 10 participants, so please contact Stephen Ostrander at sostrander@cmap.illinois.gov.

Last call for FLIP.  Applications must be postmarked by Monday for youth to participate in CMAP's Future Leaders In Planning (FLIP) program.  We've been reaching out to educators, youth development organizations and other partners to spread the word about this innovative leadership development program for high school students.  Participants get an inside look at how the region works from a planner's perspective.  They also spend time developing their own solutions to regional challenges.  Applications are brief and can be completed in a matter of hours with one adult reference.  Click here to download an application.

Invent the Future workshops.  It's hard to believe -- except for the CMAP staff who have blanketed the region all summer -- but we're headed into the last days of GO TO 2040 workshops.  This week's events were at Grayslake, Palos Hills, Montgomery, Hegewisch (Chicago), and Lisle.  Below is a list of the remaining ones -- asterisks denote workshops that will be held in both English and Spanish.  See also our complete workshop schedule, and registration is requested but not required. You can register online, via email, or by calling Joey-Lin Silberhorn at 312-386-8814.

• Cicero Community Center, Monday, August 31, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Prisco Community Center, Aurora, Tuesday, September 1, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• University of Illinois at Chicago, Thursday, September 3, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
• Arturo Velasquez Institute, Chicago, Thursday, September 3, (6:00 to 8:00 p.m.)
• Crerar Presbyterian Church, Chicago, Thursday, September 10, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Recovery blog.  The Illinois State Energy Plan was approved on August 14, which allows the state to begin implementation. Approximately $101 million in competitive grants will now be available for local governments, private companies and non-profit organizations. Read more about the energy plan and grant opportunities, as well as important weatherization funding information at our recovery blog.

Stimulus in the news.  Illinois is applying for $300 million for freight and passenger rail line projects under CREATE, the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency program, as described in the Journal of Commerce. The request will be for a grant from USDOT's TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program.

Intermodal act.  This week, Governor Quinn signed the Intermodal Facilities Promotion Act to encourage business development along Illinois freight rail systems. CenterPoint Properties predicts the Joliet intermodal facility could bring 7,000 permanent new jobs.

Brownfield webinars.  CMAP is hosting a series of free webinars on September 2, 3, and 8 about brownfield site redevelopment grants with the help of U.S. EPA, Illinois EPA, Illinois ResourceNet, and Environmental Protection Industries.  These "learning labs" are designed to provide technical assistance to municipal officials and other interested parties who plan to apply for a USEPA FY10 Brownfields grant. Be prepared for the proposal deadline on October 16th, 2009.  To register or for more information, please contact Jamie Krell at jkrell@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8658. 
The four webinars will cover:

• Tips on how to write a brownfields assessment grant
• One-on-one time with USEPA staff
• Training with TAB EZ software to produce high-quality proposals

 
RTA budget comments sought.  The RTA will host a series of public hearings in August and September to discuss its 2010 budget, provide updates on state and federal capital funding and review recommended projects for RTA funding programs. Meetings are open to the general public and are ADA accessible. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to attend a meeting or have questions, please call 312-913-3153 (TTY - 312-913-3111) at least 2 business days before the meeting. For more information, visit www.MovingBeyondCongestion.org.

McCarron column.  The Tribune's John McCarron is probably the most consistent local editorial voice calling attention to the importance of regional planning.  In this week's column, he describes some of metropolitan Chicago's leading planners since Burnham, with a mention of CMAP.

McHenry County water plan.  A story in the Northwest Herald describes how McHenry County's Groundwater Protection Program Task Force is completing its water conservation plan.  The Herald references CMAP's regional projections of water demand through 2050, which are an important part of the 11-county water-supply plan that our Regional Water Supply Group is about to complete in coming months. 

Burnham film.  The documentary "Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City" will debut  on Wednesday, September 2, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion of Millennium Park.  The CMAP Board was fortunate to get a preview of the film last year from its producer and director, Judith Paine McBrien of the Archimedia Workshop.  The premiere is free to the public.

Reminder:  Upper Midwest Planning Conference.  Early registration discounts end today for the Upper Midwest Planning Conference, September 24-26, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. CMAP has partnered with the American Planning Association, the American Institute of Architects, Landmarks Illinois, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, and the Chicago Department of Zoning & Land Use Planning to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1909 Plan of Chicago at this landmark gathering. Over 40 mobile workshop sessions will take participants throughout the Chicago region to experience the legacy of the 1909 Plan and its influence on planning, architecture, and preservation throughout the Midwest and beyond. Special rates are available for students and elected and appointed officials. Visit the conference website at www.ilapa.org for registration and hotel information, workshop descriptions, and much more.

Car-free day.  Active Trans is promoting Tuesday, September 22 as Chicagoland Car-free Day, part of  World Car-free Day. 

Prairie Fest.  The Unitarian Universalist Church of Elgin will hold its annual Prairie Fest on Saturday, September 26, 2009.  It's billed as "a festive day of speakers and expert panelists to help us live (and thrive) more sustainably."  Click here for a flyer, or contact 847-658-9273 or BobS@NewUU.com.

NARC report.  The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) has released "Federal Livability Framework: A Central Role for Regions," with background and recommendations on how to position regional planning organizations and their local governments at the center of a federal livability initiative that would promote comprehensive, cross-linked regional planning.

Burnham performance.  For teenagers 14 and older, parents and educators, Lookingglass Theatre will present a special one-man performance of "Our Future Metropolis: Mr. D.H. Burnham Presents a Plain Talk for the Development of Chicago."  The performance on Saturday, September 19, 2009, from noon to 1:00 p.m., will recreate the initial presentation of Burnham's plan to the public.

Burnham hunt.  Gather up a team of four and head out on a Daniel Burnham Scavenger Hunt, sponsored by Chicago Public Radio's series Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham. The game gets underway September 26 and will be comprised of three hunts taking place simultaneously in the Loop, the South Loop and Hyde Park.  Initiated and funded by The Chicago Community Trust, Chicago Matters is an annual exploration -- via television, radio, print, and community dialogue -- of an issue of broad concern to the Chicago region.

In the GO TO 2040 blog. Our Monday Flickr photo reflected (pun intended) the beauty to be found at the Morton Arboretum, where we also held a workshop this week. We also recapped recent workshops in Evanston, Arlington Heights, Elmwood Park, Lansing, Roseland, and Fox Lake as well as our Youth Workshop.