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Record of Proceedings

Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee Meeting - July 1, 2026

Meeting Portal — Wednesday, July 1, 2026
BodyJoliet, Illinois
SessionMeeting Portal
DateWednesday, July 1, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:14:01

Original source
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0:00

We're gonna call the meeting to order.

0:02

And uh you didn't miss it.

0:04

Thank you for making sure the uh HVAC is working properly here this morning because outside is kind of hot.

0:11

Inside will be uh hot on the topics that we're gonna cover.

0:16

So with that, take the roll.

0:19

Okay.

0:22

This is the role for the Wednesday, July 1st, 2026 comprehensive plan advisory committee meeting.

0:30

We're in July.

0:31

Can't believe that already, halfway through the year.

0:33

So we're gonna roll.

0:34

Let's go.

0:34

Mayor Darcy here.

0:36

Councilman Cardinus.

0:38

Yeah, Ms.

0:40

Bottomley said she'd be absent.

0:41

Mr.

0:41

Doris, Ms.

0:44

Gruenberg here.

0:45

Ms.

0:45

Howard here.

0:47

Mr.

0:47

Martin is said he'd be absent.

0:50

Mr.

0:50

O'Hara?

0:51

Here.

0:52

Mr.

0:53

Parker.

0:54

Mr.

0:54

Pryor.

0:55

Here.

0:56

Mr.

0:56

Randich.

0:58

Mr.

0:58

Rico.

0:59

Here.

1:00

Dr.

1:00

Rouse said she might be absent.

1:04

Uh Ms.

1:05

Walker.

1:07

Mr.

1:07

Stunich.

1:08

Here.

1:09

Chairman Wolf.

1:11

Here.

1:12

Okay.

1:17

First action on the agenda is the approval of the minutes.

1:22

Have a motion to approve.

1:23

So moved.

1:24

Motion made, second.

1:25

Okay.

1:27

Any discussion, comments?

1:29

Hearing none, all in favor.

1:31

Aye.

1:33

Opposed, same sign.

1:35

Motion carries.

1:36

There were no nays.

1:37

So all that are present in the appropriate.

1:44

Great.

1:45

Next is citizens to be heard on agenda items.

1:49

Not see any citizens present.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning And Land Use██████████████████████████████████████38%
Economic Development███████████████████████████27%
Affordable Housing█████████████████████21%
Procedural████████8%
Engineering And Infrastructure██2%
Community Engagement██2%
Youth Programs██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee Meeting

The Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee met on July 1, 2026, at 10:00 AM in the City Hall Council Chambers. The primary agenda item was a discussion of the Urban3 "Understand the Growth of Joliet" presentations delivered on June 17, 2026. Committee members reviewed key findings on land use productivity, revenue generation, and housing typologies, with a focus on the "missing middle" housing, infill development, and mixed-use strategies to address fiscal challenges and housing demand.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes (June 3, 2026): Motion by Nora Gruenberg, seconded by Cesar Cardenas, carried unanimously (11-0-5 absent).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made on agenda or non-agenda items.

Discussion Items

  • Urban3 Presentation Review: Planning Director Jayne Bernhard and Community Development Director Dustin Anderson facilitated a discussion on Urban3's analysis. Key points:
    • Joliet's land use portfolio: 80% taxable, 20% exempt; 46% single-family residential (61% of value), 30% industrial (16% of value), 10% commercial, 7% intermodal, 5% multifamily, 2% missing middle (5% of value).
    • Missing middle housing (duplexes, triplexes, townhomes) punches above its weight in revenue per acre.
    • Mayor Terry D'Arcy highlighted a looming $37 million health insurance shortfall in 2026, projected to reach $54 million by 2030, emphasizing the need for revenue-generating development.
    • Committee members supported diversifying land use through infill, mixed-use development (e.g., Block 59 in Naperville as a model), and strategic zoning changes.
    • Discussion on regulatory barriers: the city is working on zoning overlay for ETOD (Equitable Transit-Oriented Development) areas and plans to revise zoning codes post-comprehensive plan.
    • Concerns about suburban sprawl costs: infrastructure maintenance burden from annexations.
    • Need for all housing typologies at various price points to retain young professionals (losing 893 annually aged 20-34 in Will County) and seniors (no new senior housing in Joliet in 20 years).
    • Doug Pryor (Will County Center for Economic Development) referenced a countywide housing study forecasting demand for 32,000 units over 10 years, with significant unmet multifamily demand.
    • Historical redlining maps shown to illustrate lasting impacts of policy; emphasis on deliberate, context-sensitive policy today.
  • Staff Reports: Jayne Bernhard reported the draft comprehensive plan is expected in two weeks, with internal review, then presented to committee in August. Final community workshop/open house planned for September or October 2026.
  • Member Comments: Jen Howard announced Illinois Secretary of Transportation Omer Osman will speak at the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce luncheon on July 15, 2026.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal votes were taken on policy or recommendations.
  • Committee directed staff to consider creating a condensed summary of Urban3's 225-slide presentation (e.g., 25-page version) and to explore with Urban3 a what-if scenario showing potential revenue impacts of missing middle infill in target areas.
  • Next steps: Draft comprehensive plan delivery; continued zoning code updates for ETOD; future committee meetings to review draft plan and final public workshop dates.
  • Meeting adjourned at approximately 11:15 AM by motion of Steven Randich, seconded by Nora Gruenberg, carried (12-0-4 absent).

Meeting Transcript

We're gonna call the meeting to order. And uh you didn't miss it. Thank you for making sure the uh HVAC is working properly here this morning because outside is kind of hot. Inside will be uh hot on the topics that we're gonna cover. So with that, take the roll. Okay. This is the role for the Wednesday, July 1st, 2026 comprehensive plan advisory committee meeting. We're in July. Can't believe that already, halfway through the year. So we're gonna roll. Let's go. Mayor Darcy here. Councilman Cardinus. Yeah, Ms. Bottomley said she'd be absent. Mr. Doris, Ms. Gruenberg here. Ms. Howard here. Mr. Martin is said he'd be absent. Mr. O'Hara? Here. Mr. Parker. Mr. Pryor. Here. Mr. Randich. Mr. Rico. Here. Dr. Rouse said she might be absent. Uh Ms. Walker. Mr. Stunich. Here. Chairman Wolf. Here. Okay. First action on the agenda is the approval of the minutes. Have a motion to approve. So moved. Motion made, second. Okay.

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