Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee Special Meeting – October 13, 2026

This special meeting of the Joliet Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee was held on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 10:00 AM in City Hall. The committee reviewed the first draft of the city's new Comprehensive Plan, focusing on four Character Areas and the Future Land Use Map. Key discussions centered on property owner engagement, gateway design, density, infrastructure costs, and the need to balance residential growth with commercial and open space. No formal votes were taken on the plan itself, but staff was directed to refine the draft based on committee feedback. The next community workshop was announced for October 29, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of minutes was skipped because minutes from the previous week were not yet available.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kristy Johns (Cullinan Properties) expressed the company's interest in partnering with the city and becoming more involved in the Comprehensive Plan, noting their 310-acre mixed-use Rock Run Collection development adjacent to some of the plan areas.

Discussion Items

• Character Areas Presentation (Prayag Bagde, LJC consultant):
  • Louis Joliet Mall Area: Strategies to create a mixed-use destination with housing, recreation, and public spaces. Committee members discussed ownership (Namdar, anchor stores), the need to engage property owners early, and the desire for an additional gateway on the west side. Staff noted that targeted outreach to property owners within the area had already occurred.
  • Ridge Road Corridor: Concept emphasizing connected neighborhoods, commercial nodes, and a central green spine. Committee members asked about proximity to Plainfield's logistics development (4 miles north) and the potential impact of a CN rail yard. The suggestion was made to add 3D renderings for public understanding.
  • Cass Street & Henderson Avenue: Focus on preserving and revitalizing the east side neighborhood through adaptive reuse of industrial buildings, infill housing, and streetscape improvements. Discussion centered on the recently built trucking facility, light industrial uses, and whether mixed-use could be considered in certain areas. Staff noted the plan's light industrial designation for parcels near the trucking facility.
  • S. Chicago Street & McDonough Street Corridor: Goal to extend downtown activity southward with infill housing, mixed-use development, and pedestrian connections. Committee members stressed the need for pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and acknowledged traffic congestion, partly due to I-80 construction diversion.
• Future Land Use Map (Eli Lechter, LJC consultant):
  • Emphasized that the map is a guide, not a zoning map. Overlays include Corridor Reinvestment, Riverfront Priority, Strategic Opportunity, and Campus Partnership areas.
  • East Side: Consolidation of land uses; staff noted the map still includes areas outside Joliet's boundary agreements and will be cleaned up.
  • South of I-80: Light industrial focus with buffers to residential; Cherry Hill Business Park area still being considered.
  • West of I-55 (including Ridge Road area): Extensive single-family residential designation drew criticism from some committee members who argued that low-density development would be a financial burden on the city based on the Urban 3 study. Suggestions were made to designate more open space, require higher density or mixed-use along corridors (e.g., Caton Farm Road, Ridge Road), and proactively plan for regional green space. Staff acknowledged that the comprehensive plan includes language encouraging high scrutiny of infrastructure costs.
  • Downtown and Riverfront: Mixed-use designations near the river and former US Steel site, with strategic overlays. The plan aligns with the equitable transit-oriented development study.

Key Outcomes

• Staff and consultants will refine the draft plan and Future Land Use Map based on committee feedback, including:
  • Removing areas from the map that are outside Joliet's boundary agreements (but possibly including a footnote or appendix showing adjacent municipalities' land use).
  • Reconsidering the Ridge Road Corridor designation from commercial to mixed-use.
  • Adding 3D renderings and a map key for symbols.
  • Evaluating the feasibility of more mixed-use and open space in the western expansion area.
  • Further engaging property owners, particularly in the Louis Joliet Mall area.
• The next community workshop is scheduled for October 29, 2026, where the first draft of the plan and Future Land Use Map will be presented for public input. Promotional postcards for the workshop were distributed to committee members.
• No formal votes were taken on the plan; adjournment was approved unanimously.