GO TO 2040 and

Federal Support for Local Planning

APA – Chicago Metro Section

Federal Legislation Supporting Local Planning

March 25, 2011

CMAP Background

Formed by state law in

2005 to integrate

planning for

transportation and

land use

Seven-county area, with

geographically

representative Board

GO TO 2040 Regional Vision

Major themes:

• environment

• housing and social systems

• economy and infrastructure

• governance

Overarching themes of quality

of life, equity, sustainability,

and innovation

Research and Technical Analysis

“Regional snapshots” on existing conditions

“Strategy papers” on potential plan recommendations

Over 50 research papers produced

Scenario Development and Evaluation

“Scenarios” as alternative

future directions

• Framework for discussing

investment and policy choices

• Describe, illustrate, and

measure alternatives and

their consequences

Key Recommendations

Livable Communities

1. Land Use and Housing

2. Water and Energy

Conservation

3. Parks and Open Space

4. Local Food

Human Capital

5. Education and Workforce

Development

6. Economic Innovation

Efficient Governance

7. Tax Policy

8. Access to Information

9. Coordinated Investments

Regional Mobility

10. Transportation Investments

-- major capital projects

11. Public Transit

12. Freight

Key Themes of GO TO 2040

1. Framed in terms of economy

2. Prioritized recommendations

3. Policy plan, rather than land use plan

4. Organized as “campaign”

5. Focused on implementation

1. Economic Focus

Four major factors of long-term economic growth:

Modern infrastructure

Supportive business

environment High quality of life

Skilled workforce

2. Prioritized Recommendations

• Twelve sections, each with implementation action

areas, specific recommended actions, and the

identification of lead implementer(s)

• Key recommendations are extensive, but not

exhaustive – many topics are given a “supportive”

treatment

• Transportation recommendations based on

financial realities and “fiscal constraint”

3. Policy-Based Plan

Based on governance of Chicago metropolitan area: local

control of land use, regional advisory role

Greater ability of regional agency to affect larger policy

issues (e.g. tax policy) than individual land use decisions

4. Plan as “Campaign”

Launch event:

4. Plan as “Campaign”

Media coverage:

4. Plan as “Campaign”

Personalizing plan recommendations:

5. Focused on Implementation

Examples of ongoing implementation work related to

land use and housing recommendation:

• Technical assistance to local governments,

supported by federal Sustainable Communities

Initiative

• Grant program for local governments to be

launched in April

Technical Assistance and Grant Summary

Local technical assistance

•Primarily staff assistance

•Funded through HUD

grant as part of federal

Sustainable Communities

Initiative

•Currently underway

Local grants

•Grants to local

governments – used for

consulting assistance

•Funded through federal

transportation funds,

coordinated with RTA

•To be launched in April

Sustainable Communities Initiative

• Joint federal program involving DOT, HUD, EPA

• Funds CMAP’s local technical assistance program

• Purpose: implement GO TO 2040 plan through

assistance to communities

• Desired result: program of local projects that advance

the implementation of GO TO 2040

Project Applications

• Projects prioritized through request for assistance

• Six criteria used:

• Alignment with GO TO 2040

• Community need

• Feasibility of implementation

• Collaboration with other groups

• Input from stakeholders

• Geographic balance

Project Applications

• Over 220 project

proposals received from

130 applicants

• Major types:

• New or updated

comprehensive plans

• Revisions to zoning

ordinances or other local

regulations

• Small-area studies or plans

• Topic-specific projects –

water, sustainability,

housing, others

Project Prioritization – Community Need

• Need for assistance – responds to goal of HUD grant to

provide assistance to disadvantaged groups

• Estimated using socioeconomic statistics and size

Project Prioritization – Geographic Balance

Types of Technical Assistance

• Priority projects to be advanced in various ways,

including:

• Direct allocation of staff time, based locally if

desired (for larger projects)

• Allocation of staff time, but based in CMAP offices

(for smaller projects)

• Leadership by partner organizations, supporting role

for CMAP

• Scoping project and assisting in securing grant funds

and consultant assistance (for specialized or

especially complex or large projects)

Sample Project:

“Green and Healthy Chicago” planning project

• Initially submitted to HUD as Community Challenge application

• Submitted by City of Chicago Department of Housing

and Economic Development – cosponsored by LISC

• Addresses housing, open space, local food in

Englewood, Washington Park, and Woodlawn

Sample Project:

interjurisdictional housing planning

• Projects submitted in south,

west, and northwest Cook –

continuation of Homes for a

Changing Region

Sample Project:

Sustainable Food Economy in Lake County

• Submitted by Liberty Prairie

Conservancy – supported by

government and education

institutions

• Includes:

• planning and research (with

forest preserve district and

community college)

• integrating sustainable local

food production in model

area

Program Timelines

Local technical assistance

•Initial call for projects and

prioritization complete

•Work on some projects

underway, many more

being scoped

•Next call likely in late

summer or fall 2011

Local grants

•Call for projects begins

April 6 – coordinated with

RTA programs

•Applications due June 9

•Preliminary program of

projects determined in

August