Evanston resident urges commission to reopen public hearing on third draft of comprehensive plan

A resident told the Evanston Land Use Commission on May 14 that the public should be given more time and a formal opportunity to comment on the third draft of the city’s comprehensive plan before the commission considers it.

Linda Damashek told commissioners she had sent staff a communication about the draft and asked the commission to reopen the public hearing scheduled for the commission’s upcoming meeting so that people could provide testimony on the 77-page document.

"I think you absolutely need to let people see the draft with as much time as possible and to reopen testimony and have it be a public hearing and have people give public testimony," Damashek said.

Damashek said she sent her concerns to staff and urged commissioners to provide as much advance notice as possible so residents could review the draft. The Land Use Commission did not take action on her request during the May 14 meeting; the comment was made during the public-comment portion at the end of a training session.

The request is procedural but significant: residents and commissioners alike described the comprehensive plan as the city’s policy guide. Damashek framed the issue as a matter of democratic process, arguing that a large policy document should be released with enough lead time for public review and that the commission should reopen the hearing to accept testimony on the new draft.

Commission business that evening included approval of Jan. 15 meeting minutes and the previously described training; no vote or formal direction on reopening the comprehensive-plan hearing was recorded.

Damashek’s statement is part of the record the commission may consider as the city proceeds with additional drafts and hearings on the comprehensive plan.