Teska presents Lake Bluff draft comprehensive plan update; public hearing set for March 19

Lake Bluff — Consultants from Teska Associates presented a near-final draft update to Lake Bluff’s comprehensive plan on March 10 and said a public hearing on the document is scheduled for March 19.

Michael Blue of Teska and Andrew Dunham (Teska) told the board the plan is the product of roughly 18 months of community engagement, including more than 4,000 website visits and hundreds of comments. The draft addresses land use, downtown mixed-use opportunities, western Lake Bluff business-park infill, “former manor” sites that may offer sensitive redevelopment opportunities, environmental and open-space preservation, trails and multimodal connections, and gateway improvements around the railroad underpass.

Highlights in the draft include: - Western Lake Bluff: staff and consultants suggested flexibility for horizontal mixed-use near Route 41 and Route 176, with buffering and trail connections where appropriate. - Central Business District: concepts to support mixed use while preserving key historic structures; Block 3 and Block 1 are identified as opportunity areas that would require community input on scope and design. - Former manor sites and village-owned 10-acre parcel: options for ‘missing middle’ housing and clustered development to preserve open space and habitat were discussed; consultants emphasized respecting tree clusters, wetlands and neighborhood connectivity. - Environment and resilience: the draft recommends continued habitat maintenance, ravine repair, natural stormwater solutions and electrification measures where feasible.

The consultants said the plan is a policy document, not a regulation, and is intended to guide zoning and capital decisions. They recommended using the plan during budget cycles and development review to align investments with the village’s stated priorities. The Teska team said all public comments will be collected and presented as part of the adoption process following the March 19 public hearing.

Ending: The board praised the draft and asked staff and consultants to continue outreach; the draft will be the subject of the March 19 hearing and subsequent adoption steps.