Residents Help Plan for the Future at East Side Forum

What will Romeoville look like 10, 20 or 50 years down the road? It seemed the possibilities were endless Wednesday night, as on how they would like to see plans for a develop.

Community members used handheld keypads to cast their votes on what types of land uses — everything from outdoor recreation to restaurants to housing and industrial parks — they’d like to see develop around the future Metra station.

The commuter station, scheduled to be built just south of the Citgo refinery on 135th Street near New Avenue, will anchor the new East Side. On Wednesday, Romeoville residents got to help shape how the East Side Plan will look in years to come, as well as how to connect that part of town with a planned along Route 53 and both existing and future transportation services in Romeoville.

“We’re looking beyond the Route 53 corridor 20, 30, 40, 50 years into the future,” Mayor John Noak told the residents who gathered Wednesday at “All these plans are coming together for the bigger picture.”

Senior Associate Todd Vanadilok, a representative of community planning firm and lead project consultant Teska Associates, shared the results of a community survey that asked residents to share their thoughts on both the East Side and downtown redevelopments. The survey also sought input on how to connect the two parts of town and develop local transit, from high-speed rail to a possible increase in Pace bus service.

Vanadilok said about 350 people responded to the survey, posted this summer on the village website. In terms of future East Side developments, residents seemed clear on what they do — and do not — want to see develop near the Metra station.

• 74 percent felt restaurants would be a good fit for the area
• 73 percent would like to see additional retail options in the area
• 48 percent want to see more open space/recreation/parks
• 44 percent favor entertainment venues
• 40 percent approved of mixed-use for the area
• 19 percent believe more residential property is a good fit for the East Side

Residents were also asked about what kinds of improvements they’d like to see downtown. Here’s how some of the options rated:

• Shopping – 92 percent were in favor
• Dining – 86 percent
• Recreation/parks – 60 percent
• Entertainment – 60 percent
• Personal services – 45 percent
• Residential – 15 percent

Eighty-three percent of those who responded said that if those improvements were made, they would be more likely to shop, visit or dine downtown.

"That's a key indicator that people are interested in downtown," Vanadilok said.

Getting involved

On Wednesday, residents first took part in an interactive image preference survey, using keypads to rank various land uses on how well they would fit into the East Side development. Then, they got down to business, sitting down in small groups and using maps of the area to highlight what types of developments — from bike trails to restaurants to retail to road improvements and bus shelters — they would like to see surround the Metra station. 

“Be creative,” Teska Principal Konstantine Savoy told residents. “Think outside the box — this is time to have some fun.”

Chris Benigno, a Romeoville resident and commander of the local American Legion post, said he hopes to see a quaint East Side develop.

“I think it should have an old-town feel,” he said. “So it shouldn’t be too modern, too metropolitan.”

Resident Don Hornig agreed, adding he hopes the design will incorporate the same look and feel of other recent improvement projects in Romeoville.

Business owner Donna Sybert said she wants the area, located near a nature preserve and the Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly conservation area, to retain a pastoral feel.

“I’d like to keep it natural,” she said, adding she’s not opposed to seeing a few restaurants or coffee shops spring up, but would prefer that the bulk of the area remain open space.

Next steps

With the community survey and the forum completed, Vanadilok said Teska staff will create a report, which will eventually be posted on the project website, summarizing the feedback they’ve received so far.

Using the maps crafted at the forum, Teska will develop two alternate concepts for the East Side. The designs will be presented at a public forum near the end of the year or early 2012, Vanadilok said.

“It’s like an open house where people can look at the two alternate concepts” and share what they like and don’t like about each design, he said.

A final plan, which would have to coordinate with existing village standards and zoning ordinances, will likely be unveiled in the spring, Vanadilok said. However the downtown and East Side develop, it will be years before big changes begin to happen, especially as the economy continues to struggle.

“We don’t envision something happening in the first couple years,” Vanadilok said. Even so, he added, planning ahead will allow the village to be able to move quickly once the economy rebounds and developers are ready to build.

“It won’t be overnight,” he said. “This will be long term.”

For more information, visit the East Side Plan project website.