Evanston officials defend draft comprehensive plan and proposed rezoning as residents press for more time and detail

Evanston staff and Land Use Commission leaders on Wednesday summarized a draft comprehensive plan and proposed zoning code rewrite and urged continued public input while residents pressed to slow the timetable and asked for more data about likely impacts.

"We, on the Land Use Commission, decided to, put a temporary pause on the discussion of the zoning ordinance and focus our attention on the comprehensive general plan," Land Use Commission Chair Matt Rogers said, describing the commission’s schedule. Rogers said the commission will resume zoning discussion beginning Jan. 8 and that staff will publish a finalized meeting schedule.

The draft plan presented by Megan Jones, the city’s neighborhood and land use planner, sets a 2045 vision rooted in seven goals — including housing diversity, climate action, transportation options and economic resilience — and maps a future-land-use framework that reduces the city’s 34 zoning districts to 17. "In 2045, Evanston is a vibrant, resilient, and a welcoming community for all," Jones read from the draft vision statement.

City staff emphasized public outreach already completed and asked residents to keep sending written comments. "We did a lot of outreach in that first phase and got many people from all parts of Evanston involved, about 3,000 total," Community Development Director Sarah Flacks said, acknowledging that 3,000 represents a small share of the city’s population and that the process is iterative.

Nut graf: The meeting focused on whether the draft plan and a…