A century ago the Masonic Temple was built in downtown Maywood. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and owned by the Village, it was the location for a Plan Commission training workshop on February 27, 2018. The session was co-sponsored by CMAP, APA-IL, and DePaul University’s Chaddick Institute. The Mayor, a Trustee, members of the Plan Commission / ZBA, members of the Historic Preservation Commission, the Village Attorney and staff attended. Andy Cross, AICP and Laurie Marston, FAICP were the trainers for the Chapter’s 80th training workshop.
On the anonymous evaluation forms, those attending listed the most helpful topics as: historic preservation versus zoning, the obligations of a Commissioner, special uses, variations, findings of fact, and ex parte conversations.
The group asked many questions, including:
Are parking requirements changing as the use of cars in our society changes?
Can we require retail on the first floor in downtown?
How do we treat legal nonconforming uses?
What should commissioners do to comply with the Open Meetings Act?
What is the relationship between the Plan Commission and Preservation Commission?
How can the Preservation Commission educate the public about local landmarks?
Want to know how to get training for your officials? Visit the Plan Commissioner Training website and contact the APA-IL Planning Officials Development Officer, Michael Blue, FAICP at podo@ilapa.org