Mayor Peo pitches traffic center, retail recruitment and streamlined permitting for Lake Forest

Mayor Robert Peo on Tuesday outlined a set of near‑term initiatives intended to improve traffic response, attract retailers and speed permitting as part of Lake Forest City's 2026 priorities.

Peo told the assembled audience the city will open a new traffic management center to "monitor traffic conditions in real time, respond faster to incidents, and coordinate more closely with law enforcement and emergency responders," a move he said will reduce congestion and improve safety. "Lake Forest is the natural choice for business," Peo said, describing the city as attractive to new retail and employers.

On economic development, Peo cited recent zoning changes and the redevelopment of a former theater site into a Costco as evidence the updated general plan is already drawing investment. He said the city will hire a retail recruitment consultant to bring additional restaurants and businesses to Lake Forest and that city staff plan to attend a national retail convention in May to promote the community.

City Manager Deborah Rose clarified how previous civic projects were funded, saying the civic center was "largely built with development fees" and noting the city "didn't issue debt," a point she raised when the mayor emphasized local facilities were added without raising new taxes.

Peo also announced plans to deploy new strategic planning and permitting software intended to increase transparency and provide residents a clearer view of project priorities and performance. He described modernization of permitting as part of a broader effort to support local businesses and manage the city's growth as it becomes "more of a maintenance city" after decades of development.

Next steps: the mayor identified consultant procurement and software deployment as near‑term tasks and said staff will follow the city's 2040 strategic plan in implementing these initiatives.