Glencoe officials want a new comprehensive plan on the books by the end of the year, but they are still seeking feedback on what residents want to see in the future.
On July 9, the village hosted an open house at Writers Theatre allowing people to share their ideas on elements of the current draft of the comprehensive plan for the village. Since 2022, village staff members, working in coordination with the plan commission, have been developing a new comprehensive plan for the village for the first time since 1996.
“It’s time to update it,” Development Services Director Taylor Baxter said.
Once completed, the comprehensive plan will be a resource for development decisions, zoning code updates, the future of the downtown and the Hubbard Woods shopping center, special use permits, and other possible village actions regarding housing – among other topics.
“It’s a guide for decision making for a variety of people within the village,” Baxter added.
Visitors looked at a series of oversized boards displaying various aspects of the draft plan highlighted by its “Big Ideas.” Those broad concepts included Building Upon Glencoe’s Character, Integrate Sustainability, Maintain Economic Resilience, Care for and Support the Community and Deliver Excellence in Planning, Management and Governance.
Corresponding with the big ideas were individual goals such as protecting and enhancing the village’s character, resources and natural sense of place or implementing greater sustainability policies.
There were also strategies listed such as amending the zoning ordinance to add incentives to conserve energy or exploring ways to welcome new residents to advance a sense of belonging.
Baxter, Village Planner Lee Brown and Plan Commission Chairman Bruce Huvard were among the village officials in attendance and taking in responses.
Jan Karzen, who described herself as a longtime Glencoe resident, spoke of her interest for the future.
“I like the feel of the community as it is,” she said. “As a senior, I’m looking at property taxes going up and hoping it can be offset with commercial businesses.”
Nella Lucchesi mostly preferred the status quo for the village.
“We should be focused on what is working and try to build off that as opposed to starting with a clean slate,” he said. “We are the quintessential village that raises a child and that is what we do well. I’m an adult but ripping up a winning strategy doesn’t make sense.”
A sixth board was labeled as “Future Land Use and Urban Form” detailing possible land changes in the downtown with larger and new buildings if redevelopment were to occur.
That troubled Barney Gallagher, the previous chairman of the village’s sustainability task force.
“My concern is that is going to dramatically change the character of downtown Glencoe into something that will more resemble something like that is going on in downtown Wilmette,” he said.
Village officials plan to incorporate the feedback from the open house into the draft plan leading into a public hearing held by the plan commission and a subsequent vote for Village Board approval set for later this year.
The Writers Theatre open house served as the latest opportunity for residents to chime in on the future of the community.
Baxter, the development services manager, spoke of hearing that many people are satisfied.
“People really like Glencoe and they really like the character of Glencoe and the way Glencoe looks and feels and the way they can interact with the residential districts and downtown,” he said.
Yet Huvard, the plan commission chairman, acknowledged he has heard concerns at some meetings.
“There is a danger of Glencoe becoming economically monolithic,” he said. “Very expensive with a lack of different types of housing for people at different stages of their life.”
He said some residents would like the plan to focus on helping residents remain in Glencoe.
“The character of the community has been more inclusive in the past and it is losing a little bit of that because of different economic trends,” he said. “We look at factors that we can influence at a local level that can affect that.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
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