The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) recently hosted more than 30 individuals from government agencies, community organizations, and businesses as part of a new collaborative initiative to plan for electric vehicle charging stations.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act creates opportunities for big investments in electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure. The law devotes $5 billion in funding to states to establish the infrastructure and includes another $2.5 billion in competitive grants to support local electric vehicle charging development.

CMAP will convene stakeholders throughout the region to develop a shared vision that can make electric vehicles and charging stations more accessible and equitable to use in northeastern Illinois.

The support from our local leaders and community partners throughout the past year helped CMAP drive innovation and advance solutions that can make northeastern Illinois’ transportation system better for everyone.

The region continued brainstorming ideas to increase mobility, improve traffic safety, and strengthen our economy. Our progress would have not been possible without the significant contributions from each and every one of you.

Local governments often use tax incentives to encourage development and strengthen their communities. But there can be drawbacks. ON TO 2050, the region's comprehensive plan, calls for incentive reform that will improve the transparency and effectiveness of these tools.

A new CMAP report, Local development tax incentives in northeastern Illinois, provides analysis on the prevalence of local incentives in the region.

The report focuses on common types of incentives, including sales tax rebates, incentive classification systems, property tax abatements, and tax increment financing. It also recommends ways to reduce the need for incentives in the region and improve their use where they prove necessary.

The findings highlight the importance of using the best practices identified in CMAP's guide Improving local development incentives.

In an op-ed published last week in Crain’s Chicago Business, CMAP Executive Director Erin Aleman shared how the agency can help northeastern Illinois maximize the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The opportunities this law provides are enormous, increasing funding for core programs and creating more than 20 competitive grant programs to rebuild roads and bridges, address the climate crisis, and strengthen disinvested communities.

As the region's comprehensive planning agency, CMAP is convening our partners and communities, aligning our priorities around the key elements of the law, and ensuring our entire region can benefit.

The CMAP Board meets next on Wednesday, March 9, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom. The MPO Policy Committee also meets Thursday, March 10, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.

CMAP has moved to a new system for sharing meeting information. You can now find meeting materials, webinar links, minutes, and recordings for past, present, and future meetings on CMAP's Legistar page.

CMAP is working with Sugar Grove officials to update the village's comprehensive plan for the first time since 2005. Residents and stakeholders have numerous opportunities to help craft a vision for the plan update.

The project team is seeking feedback through a community survey to better understand the desires and priorities of the Sugar Grove community.

Survey responses are being accepted through Wednesday, March 23. A community visioning workshop Monday, March 14, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. also is open to the public.

Coordinating Committee

March 9, from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. 

Host: CMAP

CMAP Board

March 9, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. 

Host: CMAP

CMAP Executive Committee

March 9, from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. 

Host: CMAP

Cook County Assessor's Office Racial Equity and Real Estate Conversations with Shermann 'Dilla' Thomas

March 11, at 6:00 p.m. 

Host: Cook County Assessor's Office

Climate Change: Myths, Reality & Local Action

March 16, from noon to 1:30 a.m.

Host: Forest Preserves of Cook County

Water Solutions Forum

March 9, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Host: Corrosion Illinois Network

MPO Policy Committee

March 10, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.

Host: CMAP

10th Annual Fox (Illinois) River Summit

March 17, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Host: Southeast Fox River Partnership