8 Essays: City's Downtown Master Plan Is Like Fantasyland

Geneva's is a thing of beauty.

Provocative and well-thought urban planning. Terrific concern for core values and citizen input, from history to economic viability to civic pride and functionality. All presented on 75 glossy pages, with gorgeous photography, smart page design, maps and graphics.

But right now, that's all it is—a pretty picture. 

To accomplish even a tiny fraction of the development outlined in the plan's , you need heavy doses of two things: political will and funding.

Neither seems present here.

From the comments and responses during the on the plan's first draft, it's clear the city has no intent of using eminent domain or tax-increment financing districts to turn vision into bricks and mortar.

That's not such a bad thing, of course. A heavy-handed government doesn't sit well with a lot of us.

But the question becomes: Why go through this exercise, if none of it will ever happen?

After the meeting, some aldermen helped convince me that this song and dance wasn't all for naught.

First, the Downtown Master Plan is a blueprint that could stimulate creative ideas and real action from developers. By seeing what could be and what's desired, folks like Kent Shodeen might see economic opportunity—and these are the folks who know what needs to be done to make it happen in the real world.

Second, city leaders now can take the most "do-able" parts of that vision and attack them in increments. Maybe it's incentives for the Burgess Norton Buildling business park plan. Maybe it's zoning changes or grants for public parking. Maybe it's support for the library move—which could act as a domino to other actions.

Until that time, what we've got is a picture worth a thousand words.

Or to mix literary metaphores, sound and fury signifying nothing.

How to View the Plan

The draft plan is available for viewing and downloading on the city of Geneva website www.geneva.il.us. Click on “Geneva News,” then click on the large turquoise-colored button “Geneva Downtown/Station Area Master Plan Project Website”, and then click on “Documents” to access the Draft Downtown/Station Area Master Plan.

Here's a link: http://www.hlplanning.com/dnn/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2bZfDVhgB1o0%3d&tabid=1193&mid=1577

You can provide feedback comments on the draft plan by clicking on “Get Involved” on the project website to enter your feedback comments, emailing comments to duntch@geneva.il.us, or calling (630) 232-0871.