West Evanston Master Planning Process 
Documents
Public Hearing Transcripts for the West Evanston Zoning Review
Public Hearing #1 - August 1, 2007
Public Hearing #2 - August 22, 2007
Public Hearing #3 - December 19, 2007
Plan Documents
West Evanston Revised Draft Zoning Overlay – 12/14/07
West Evanston Planning Area Map
Adopted Master Plan: Sub Areas 1 & 2
Adopted Master Plan for Sub-Area 3 (Hi-Res 28MB) or
Low-Res (3MB)
Proposed Revised Zoning Reg. for Sub-Areas 1, 2, & 3
In the summer of 2006, the City committed itself to updating its land use plan and regulations in order to better guide future development within and around the West Evanston TIF area. The greater study area consists of five Sub-Areas, which are shown on the adjacent map. Since August 2006, the City’s consultants, Farr Associates and JJR, LLC, have worked with community members to develop master plans and updated zoning regulations for Sub-Areas 1,2 & 3.
These are centered upon the Church/Dodge commercial district, but extend nearly one mile between Simpson Street, on the north, and Greenleaf Street, on the south.
Much of the project area consists of vacant or underutilized industrial properties, the former Mayfair railroad right-of-way and embankment, and the adjacent Church/Dodge commercial district. It immediately abuts low to medium density residential neighborhoods and Evanston Township High School. Land use plans and zoning regulations pertaining to these areas have not been significantly revised for decades and no longer reflect land use patterns or real estate market conditions. Piecemeal development of the area, which would result in new development that is isolated from existing neighborhoods, is a major concern and led to the initiation of the master planning process.
The new master plan and zoning recommendations will be used to guide future development within and around the TIF so that it can be beneficial for adjacent neighborhood, as well as the city as a whole. In developing the master plans and zoning recommendations, the consultants were asked to creatively integrate new developments with existing neighborhoods, encourage sustainable, well-designed buildings and streetscapes, and promote lively, walkable neighborhood centers for economic and community activity.
Farr Associates, a leader in the field of green, sustainable planning and architecture, has received national recognition for its projects, which include Chicago’s Center for Green Technology (Platinum LEED) and the first form-based code adopted in Illinois. Their awards include Illinois and Michigan APA chapter project awards, MPC’s Burnham Award for Excellence in Planning, Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) Best Project Award, and a Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award. In addition, Doug Farr serves as chair to LEED-ND, the newest LEED rating system pertaining to neighborhood development.
JJR – founded in 1961 as Johnson, Johnson & Roy – has a reputation for achieving a balance between the natural and built environments and meeting the specific needs of the local and regional context. The firm has received hundreds of local, regional and national awards for its community, waterfronts, open space, and environmental planning, design and engineering. Renown for its public participation expertise, the West Evanston planning project is only the most recent of a number of projects that JJR’s Chicago-based team has performed in partnership with the City of Evanston.
A market analysis for all of the sub-areas was conducted by Valerie Kretchmer and Associates, an Evanston-based firm.