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Westmont hires Lamar Johnson Collaborative for comprehensive plan and expedited downtown streetscape master plan
Summary
The Westmont Village Board approved a contract with Lamar Johnson Collaborative and subconsultants to lead an 18-month comprehensive plan and downtown streetscape master plan; consultants outlined public-engagement milestones and said the plan will be implementation-ready with steering-committee oversight.
The Westmont Village Board on April 2 approved an agreement with Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) and subconsultants Kruick Sexton Partners and Gowalt Hamilton Associates to prepare a new comprehensive plan and an expedited downtown streetscape master plan.
Director Henterfine introduced the contract and invited consultant Eli Lecter to present the team's approach. Lecter told the board the work will follow a four‑phase process—discovery, vision and goals, drafting, and implementation readiness—and run roughly 18 months, with targeted outreach including three public meetings, four steering‑committee sessions and multiple stakeholder interviews. "We're extremely excited to work on the project," Lecter said, and described graphic, public‑facing deliverables designed to move from plan to implementation.
Trustees asked about the plan's effective lifespan and how the consultant will avoid repeating past engagement. Lecter said a 10‑year horizon is typical for comprehensive plans but that parts of a plan can be updated sooner as conditions change; he emphasized the team will start from prior reports and focus subsequent engagement where it is most needed. On public engagement he outlined a combination of public workshops, steering‑committee check‑ins and targeted interviews, and said the streetscape work will include additional meetings specific to downtown design.
Village Manager Gunther said he is "very excited to start this process." The board approved the contract after a motion and roll call vote.
The ordinance authorizes staff to finalize minor non‑price contract terms before execution; the mayor and manager retained signature authority for the finalized agreement. Consultants said their goal is an implementation‑ready set of recommendations, coordinated with capital improvement planning and funding strategies so projects can move forward after plan adoption.
Next steps: the consultant team will kickoff with staff and the steering committee, inventory prior studies and begin market and subarea analyses before scheduling the first public‑facing meeting.
