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City staff present Downtown Joliet Equitable Transit‑Oriented Development Plan; council to consider adoption
Summary
Planning Director Jane Bernhard presented the Downtown Joliet Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Plan July 14. The plan, supported by the Regional Transportation Authority and consultants, recommends 73 action steps and three catalyst redevelopment sites; a resolution to adopt the plan appears on the council agenda.
Jane Bernhard, planning director for the City of Joliet, presented the Downtown Joliet Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Plan at the July 14 pre-council meeting and said a resolution to adopt the plan will appear on the regular meeting agenda the following day.
"This is an implementation focused plan that evaluated market conditions and recommended measures that create a diverse housing options in the downtown," Bernhard said, summarizing the plan's goals.
Bernhard described the plan's background: city land acquisitions around the Gateway Transportation Center, a 2015 downtown plan that identified the Lions Lumberyard site for redevelopment, and a successful Regional Transportation Authority grant that expanded the study area to a quarter- to half‑mile radius around the transit hub. The city engaged consultant Hausea Levine to prepare the conceptual plan beginning in early 2024.
Staff and consultants identified about 17 opportunity sites in the study area and narrowed to three "catalyst" sites: City Hall, the BMO Harris drive-through bank site, and the Lions Lumberyard. Concepts include five- to seven‑story mixed-use buildings near the rail with stepped‑down townhome-style development toward existing residential blocks and a riverwalk amenity in conceptual images.
Bernhard described robust community engagement: four steering committee meetings, stakeholder focus groups, two plan commission presentations and two community open houses (the second had roughly 120 participants). She said the plan's implementation chapter lists 73 recommended actions with priorities, timelines and responsible departments.
On funding and next steps she said the Regional Transportation Authority awarded the city approximately $30,000–$35,000 to implement zoning recommendations if the council adopts the plan. Bernhard also said the plan does not yet estimate total new residents if fully implemented. "There is 73 recommended action steps," she said.
Council members asked whether zoning updates would be needed (Bernhard: yes) and whether grant funding was in place to support zoning work (Bernhard: RTA funding awarded and pending council adoption). The presentation was informational; the council will consider a formal resolution to adopt the plan on the regular agenda (council memo 4 10 25).
