Dear Highland Park residents, employees and visitors:
Thank you for taking the time to visit the City’s downtown planning website. This year Highland Park is revisiting its Central District (downtown) plan; we need and welcome your interest and participation. Throughout its history Highland Park has taken great care with planning and development issues, and this approach is reflected throughout our beautiful community. Since adoption of the 2001 Central District Plan much has changed in Highland Park, its neighboring municipalities and in the world. These changes warrant Highland Park to develop a vision setting a course for downtown for the 21st century and will assure that downtown remains successful and will be sustainable over time.
The continued success of Downtown Highland Park is critical to the community. As we say, downtown is everybody’s neighborhood. The downtown is an important generator of jobs and tax revenues for the City and is the heart of the community, containing the major civic buildings and playing host to numerous community functions large and small.
This website will provide you with a clear understanding of why we are updating the downtown Plan, the process that we will be following including the open-house-flyerand issue “roundtable” discussion groups, and the relevant information so that you can be an effective participant in the developing the Plan. It is not our intention to wholesale change the 2001 Central District Plan. The updated plan will have a significantly narrower geographic focus area incorporating the core downtown area, the higher density commercial, and residential areas immediately adjacent.
The planning process will focus on four principal themes:
1. Creating a Vibrant Downtown
2. Promoting Commerce and Service
3. Advancing a Sustainable Downtown
4. Assuring a Well Functioning Downtown
You will find more information on the website about the specific areas of focus of each of these themes. Please take the opportunity to explore the website. It contains historic plans and reports about downtown Highland Park, a virtual walking tour, a downtown Highland Park survey and a calendar noting important dates and meetings. We will update the website on a regular basis.
I look forward to your participation in this exciting project that will benefit downtown and the entirety of Highland Park. For more information about the planning process, call 847 432-0867, email contact@hpdowntownplan.org or check this website. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Michael Belsky
Mayor
City of Highland Park