Lake County Gazette

The Waukegan City Council will consider forming a development panel with the Waukegan Port District and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) to discuss the development of parcels of property owned by the district located in the city. The council will hear the proposal on Tuesday.

According to the city council's agenda for September 3, the Waukegan Department of Planning and Zoning recommended that the council's Community Development Committee also approve a memorandum of understanding with the RTA and the Port District to form the discussion panel. Key decision-makers from each party and city staff would comprise the panel.

The agenda further stated that a working relationship would be established through the RTA/Urban Land Institute Developer Discussion Panel. The RTA, the city, and the Port District will collaborate to perform the scope of work for the project. The RTA contracted with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to assist staff with the project and will be responsible for managing and administering that contract, as well as paying all eligible costs incurred by ULI.

A panel of development experts assembled by RTA and ULI will provide advice and guidance on a collection of parcels on the harbor and marina in Waukegan that are adjacent to existing and planned transit services. They will offer opportunities for mixed-use transit-oriented development. Discussion panelists will review current and previous planning efforts to provide short-term and long-term recommendations.