Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee Meeting - January 7, 2026

The Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) met on Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM at Joliet City Hall. The meeting focused on updates to topic area workshops, planning for Community Workshop #2, and discussion of four subarea plans. Committee members provided feedback on each subarea, including potential housing, commercial needs, and regulatory challenges. The meeting also included member announcements and committee reports.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the December 3, 2025 meeting were approved unanimously by a voice vote (14 ayes, 3 absent).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during Citizens to Be Heard on Agenda Items or Public Comment sections.

Discussion Items

• Status Update: Topic Area Workshops: Planning Director Jayne Bernhard reported that two workshops (Housing and Neighborhoods on December 8; Transportation and Mobility on December 9) had been held, with approximately 40 attendees at the housing workshop. Upcoming workshops: Infrastructure and Utilities (January 8, 20 pre-registered), Open Space and Natural Resources (January 14, 14 pre-registered), Arts, Culture, and Heritage (January 21, 18 pre-registered). Promotion includes email blasts to over 800 contacts, individualized flyers, and outreach to school districts. Workshops now focus on community engagement rather than only topic experts, using Mentimeter for anonymous polling. Committee members suggested additional promotion via WJOL radio, presentations to groups, and roundtables with township superintendents and county board members. Mayor D'Arcy noted he would promote workshops on the radio. Feedback from workshops will be compiled and given to the consultant.

• Community Workshop #2: Scheduled for Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM at the Joliet Public Library Ottawa Street Branch (Daniel Burnham Room). Purpose: introduce subareas for further study, gather feedback to refine design concepts, and build on topic area workshop findings to create draft recommendations. Staff are coordinating with consultants on marketing and online engagement. Members will be asked to staff the welcome table.

• Subarea Plans: Four subareas were presented for detailed study:

  1. Louis Joliet Mall Area (~130 acres, B2 zoning): Goal to re-evaluate land uses. Discussion included mall occupancy (~90% according to Economic Development Director Paulina Martinez), potential residential development (similar to Fox Valley’s 1,002 units on 14 acres), and state EV-ready parking requirements (estimated $13M cost for 900 spaces). Committee members expressed support for housing (Mayor D'Arcy: 'residential in that area has to happen') and noted challenges with EV mandates. Staff will provide acreage and ownership details.
  2. Ridge Road Corridor (west side, between Sheeton Farm Road and Black Road): Mixed zoning (B3, R1, R3). Goal to re-evaluate after 20 years, explore housing types and commercial needs. Committee members raised concerns about maintaining commercial use along the corridor to support growth costs, and noted boundary agreements with Plainfield, Shorewood, etc. They requested population density maps and analysis of commercial need.
  3. Legacy East Side Industrial Area (bounded by Henderson Ave, Jackson St, railroad, Cass St): Incompatible land uses (manufacturing, trucking, flea market, residential). Goal: explore reinvestment and redevelopment opportunities. Committee discussed challenges of moving legacy businesses, long-term land acquisition, and potential for incremental improvements. Some members suggested extending the boundary south to the Rock Island railroad line, but staff noted concepts can be replicated in similar areas. Doug Pryor (Will County Center for Economic Development) noted availability of EPA brownfield assessment grants.
  4. Chicago Street and McDonough Street Corridors (east side, near downtown): Focus on entry corridor and quality of life improvements. Concerns raised that the proposed area includes the jail, PACE bus facility, and other non-redevelopable parcels. Members suggested narrowing the focus to the southern portion to better target redevelopment potential. Discussion also touched on the former U.S. Steel site (~50 acres) and adjacent 30-acre parcel, which are being evaluated with IDA (Industrial Development Advantage) for remediation and redevelopment. Committee members expressed interest in adding a fifth subarea for the U.S. Steel corridor, and staff will explore marginal cost.

Key Outcomes

• Subarea modifications: Committee directed staff to: (1) add acreage and zoomed-out maps to subarea exhibits; (2) narrow Chicago Street/McDonough Street focus to avoid non-redevelopable parcels; (3) consider adding a fifth subarea for the U.S. Steel site (cost to be determined); (4) include population density analysis for Ridge Road corridor.
• Outreach: Staff will work with committee to promote topic area workshops; Mayor D'Arcy will do radio spots; invitations to property owners near subareas will be considered for Community Workshop #2.
• Next meeting: Not set, but staff will report back on subarea modifications and workshop outcomes.