LAKE BLUFF — Village residents took a deep dive into the draft of Lake Bluff’s next strategic plan.
The plan charting the town’s course was unveiled at a community dialogue January 26 at Village Hall to subject the draft to suggestions and criticism from a crowd of more than 40 people.
One of the groups works in a break-out session.
Village President Kathleen O’Hara welcomed the group. She explained the evening was not an end but a critical step along the way to a final creation and implementation of a strategic plan to carry Lake Bluff through 2023.
“This is strictly a draft,” said O’Hara. “This is going to be an open dialogue. It will be refitted into a final draft.”
“We want you to review the draft plan and possibly make it better,” added Lynn Montei, a consultant hired by the village to assist the plan’s creation. She started with a variety of stakeholders in July to get to this point.
Village Administrator Drew Irvin said he recognized people would move in and out of Lake Bluff over the life of the plan. He said the village crafted the plan with a certain amount of migration in mind.
“We reached out to every generation in the village,” said Irvin. “We have high school students involved. We deliberately got a cross section that will represent the newcomers when they arrive.”
The evening included a presentation of the plan by community members who helped create the draft. Then people divided into groups of six to add their input. They wrote it on flip charts placed near each of the seven tables.
The plan contains a mission statement, core values and five high level principles. There is a strategic action plan with strategies for each of the principles. For each principle’s strategy, there are several action plans.
“The expression of mission, or purpose, is the village’s fundamental reason for being, and that for which all commitments and measures are in service,” states the plan. “The Village of Lake Bluff provides vision, stewardship and valued services and fosters a vibrant community culture to enhance our quality of life.”
The high level goals area a sense of community, economic development, stability, environmental sensibility as well as fortification of public assets and systems, according to the draft of the plan.
Click here to read the entire draft.
After nearly an hour of working with their smaller groups, the participants offered more than 40 suggestions. They will be reviewed and in many cases worked into the plan, according to Montei. Several of the groups suggested including Lake Bluff School District 65, the Lake Bluff Park District and the Lake Bluff Public Library in the mix.
One group wanted to know why there was no mention of a parking solution for the central business district. The same group wanted to know why there was no mention of affordable or diverse housing. Several of the participants mentioned that issue.
There were suggestions of ways to engage young families. There were also questions about senior housing. Some wanted to develop ways to attract volunteers. Among the comments on volunteers were suggestions to expand the village’s volunteer base. One group questioned change.
“How much change do we want,” wrote one group on its flip chart. “Do we want any change?”
Another cluster said the plan was not sufficiently bold. That subdivision suggested the ideas be bold and the community own them. Another proposal recommended easing the way for a homeowner to restore a historic house.
“When you are moving into Lake Bluff you are not just buying a house,” said the suggestion on the flip chart. “You are buying into Lake Bluff.”
Lake Bluff Village President Kathleen O’Hara welcomes people to the community dialogue on the village’s draft strategic plan.
