FAQs

A comprehensive plan establishes the 10-year vision of a community’s desired physical environment and outlines the process by which the community can realize that vision. In addition to serving as a framework for future reinvestment and redevelopment in the community, the plan seeks to explore and promote new opportunities that reflect changes in the community and surrounding socioeconomic landscape.

The topics typically covered by a Comprehensive Plan are:

• Land Use and Development:
  • Commercial
  • Residential
  • Industrial
• Transportation
• Parks and Open Space
• Natural Resources and Environment
• Community Facilities
• Image and Identity of the Community

This plan will serve as a guide for elected and appointed officials, City staff, community residents, local business owners, and potential investors, allowing each to make informed administrative and implementation choices regarding land use, transportation, infrastructure, and capital improvements throughout the City.

The comprehensive plan is a statement of policy; it is not a regulatory document. This plan should be flexible and able to adapt to change. At any time, this plan can be updated to better match shifting local needs, interests, and opportunities. It is recommended that the plan be reviewed every five years to ensure the document remains relevant.

The proposed study area will include the entire incorporated area along with those areas within 1.5 miles of Braidwood corporate limits.

The Comprehensive Plan is being developed by the City of Braidwood in partnership with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). The plan's development will also be guided by the project's steering committee, which will be formed in 2023 and made up of residents and local stakeholders.  

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is the regional planning agency for northeastern Illinois. CMAP serves seven counties, 284 municipalities, and over 1,200 units of government—the third largest metropolitan region in the United States. The agency was established in 2005 with the mission to plan comprehensively for economic prosperity and quality of life.

Most recently, CMAP and its partners developed and are now implementing ON TO 2050, a new long-range plan to help the region implement strategies that address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, the environment, and other quality-of-life issues. To learn more about CMAP, visit www.cmap.llinois.gov.

Your comments will be used to inform the development of the Braidwood Comprehensive Plan by the community and the project team. Your comments are voluntary and will be publicly visible.

One of the primary goals of the Braidwood Comprehensive Plan is to fully and effectively engage the community. Stakeholder and public involvement will be an important aspect of the plan’s development.

A steering committee comprised of individuals representing a wide variety of interests and perspective will be established in 2023 to assist with the development of the plan. In addition, outreach to additional stakeholders and the community-at-large will be conducted throughout the planning process of the plan through a variety of engagement efforts. 

We encourage you to sign up for project updates, including opportunities to participate in the development of the Braidwood Comprehensive Plan.