Village of Niles Niles 2040 Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee met July 22.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
Trustee McCreery called the meeting to order at 6:05 PM.
A roll call was taken of the Committee. Trustee McCreery introduced the staff members. The consultants each introduced themselves.
Trustee McCreery thanked not only the committee members for graciously given their time to be involved in something so important to this Village, but humbled by the number of applicants that we had. She appreciates the Committee members’ willingness for being open everyone that applied to be on the Committee.
Trustee McCreery asked that each of the committee and staff members introduce themselves, which they did.
Scott Ruhland gave a presentation about the project, outlining a project update and objectives, timeline/schedule, community engagement activities that are planned. (PowerPoint presentation was used and is attached to the approved minutes)
After the objectives portion of the presentation, the following discussion occurred: ▪ Mike D. (Question) – What does sustainability mean in the context of this Comprehensive Plan update?
o Mike D. – Engineering Background and collaborates with the Cook County Forest Preserve and Century Conservation Plan – provided background/objectives – potential for partnership with this update
o Discussion of the broad sustainability meaning – also incorporates social equity After the timeline portion of the presentation, the following discussion occurred:
▪ Mike Shields (Question) – How will this update incorporate or build off of past 2030 Comprehensive Plan? How much information/content will carry over?
o Lakota – Balance – in between – some still relevance but new polices needed o Goodman Williams – The market study/real estate assessment will be updated o Guidance from community and past committees and Village efforts
o Needs to be dynamic with state of the world today – pandemic – understand opportunities and needed policies
o Lakota – the plan needs to balance this – goals/priorities need to directly represent the needs/wishes of the community – how has they changed since 2030 plan? Many implementation lessons from past plan – 80%-90% of the plan has been implemented - need to address the rest of the plan that has not yet been implemented
o Demographics are shifting – how do we reach new groups and underrepresented populations
After the presentation concluded, a preliminary SWOT (Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats) analysis was completed, which involved a group discussion. Items of note were:
Strengths (some of the best assets)
▪ Location - 6 main roads, mobility for commuters, adjacencies to Forest Preserve, Chicago, and O’Hare
▪ Diversity of real estate sectors and scale of retail sites
▪ 2 distinct trade areas – example two targets, etc.
▪ Diversity of people and cultures – growing Indian population – great Korean restaurants and others – Ethnic diversity needs to be celebrated
▪ Emerging corporations
▪ Leaning Tower – identity/landmark – Something other cities/Villages would want ▪ Good Schools
▪ Increased service to homeowners – police, fire, and public works – innovated community – taking water service from Chicago – reroute to control/shape the future – investments in infrastructure ▪ Build up, build out program – waives building and permit fees for residential re-modeling projects – successful program
▪ Village Staff and residents of Niles are friendly and helpful
Opportunities
▪ Vacant lots and retail opportunities
▪ Active sites for retail – triangle and golf mills
▪ Identify other culture hubs or sites – public health of community
▪ (Question) What trends are changing? And how does Niles fit into them?
▪ (Question) How do we bring/house more employees?
▪ (Question) Have surrounding municipalities upped their games? What can we own? ▪ (Question) What is unique to Niles? Try to lead/innovate
▪ Challenge to use the vision – balance the demographics – younger families with older residents ▪ This process is an opportunity to build on the momentum of the last 10 years of work done by the Village.
▪ Continuing “strategic thought process” – “we want to do more”
▪ Beautification – wanting people to linger
▪ A little envy – be a better Niles – growing and moving upward
▪ Metra stop? How do we utilize this to our best capacity?
▪ Sense of annual – cultural hats
▪ Area where people can congregate – need to experiment/create “sense of place” throughout Niles ▪ Park District Facilities/Programs are largely used by other communities – some cases 50 to 80% - City of Chicago or non-Niles
Weaknesses
▪ Concern with economic development – many times economic development is limited to facilitating programs, but not actually leading on reinventing or envisioning the local economy. ▪ Tax (retail) services flat
▪ Known for “underwear” retail – essential not luxurious
▪ Large senior population (Also asset) but can be bad for economic development ▪ Lack of events, large community spaces.
▪ Parks – almost two Villages – a divide at Dempster
▪ Schools –different Districts – need collective vision and better cooperation
▪ Districts don’t talk to each other (school, library, parks, etc.) – need greater commitment to conceive a common goal and vision – greater effort – be accountable to one another – fix the silos ▪ An “in between” suburb with “Function but no form”
▪ Village grew around rail line with low taxes and “filled up the box” – decentralized ▪ Identity crisis – “functional love”
Threats
▪ Pandemic – what does this mean for Niles?
▪ Significant building and site vacancies and a potentially over-extended retail base
There was further discussion about utilizing community facilities to ensure the focus group meetings and community workshop participation is robust from all communities within Niles.
Trustee McCreery asked that the Strengths and Opportunities be re-visited at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
Discussion about the next meeting ensued. Mr. Ruhland mentioned that it should happen after the focus group meetings have happened so the consultants can bring back great information that they get from the focus group sessions. It was estimated that it might be late August or early September.
Kate Lockerby suggested that if there are any additional thoughts/suggestions from the committee after the conclusion of the meeting, send information to her via e-mail and she would it on to the consultants.
Abigail Rose also suggested if there were suggested focus group participants to send them to Kate Lockerby.
Kate Lockerby read an e-mail from Mr. Fred Kudert that was provided as part of the public comment portion of the meeting.
Trustee McCreery asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mike Shields made a motion and Adam Konopka seconded. All were in favor. The meeting adjourned at 7:50 pm.
https://www.vniles.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_07222020-1959
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