While all are located on the same road corridor (Green Bay Road), each has a separate type of business focus, traffic pattern, and role in the community. When it came time to update plans for those districts, the Village sought to build on previous efforts and prepare an implementation oriented master plan that respected the unique characteristics and opportunities for each area. Teska Associates, joined by Williams Goodman Group and Sam Schwartz Transportation Engineers prepared such a plan for the Village.
The Village has a long history of planning and many of those who were part of past efforts are still engaged citizens in the community. In addition, many residents have expertise in design, development, and real estate. Incorporating the insights and knowledge of these residents and the community as a whole was fundamental to the plan. A lead Steering Committee and Work Groups directly involved nearly 100 people in developing the plan. Thousands more participated via public meetings, workshops, and the project website. Early in the process, this input established Vision Statements for each district that strongly influenced plan recommendations and helped to build consensus for the project.
Plan recommendations were strongly rooted in thorough analysis of real estate markets, zoning regulations, traffic and parking conditions, urban design characteristics, and community demographics. Implementation steps, several which the Village immediately pursued, were designed to meet the overall vision of creating vibrant business districts and a community attractive to both residents and visitors. Recommendations addressed improvements to urban design, pedestrian environments, and zoning regulations, and included simplified parking regulations and economic development actions.
