A Citizen’s Critique of Evanston’s Comprehensive Plan Draft

The Comprehensive Plan Is A Crucial Document Meant To Guide Evanston’s Development For Decades To Come. A Good Plan Should Reflect The Community’s Needs, Be Based On Sound Data, And Account For Financial Realities. Unfortunately, The Draft Presented To The Land Use Commission (LUC) Falls Short In Several Key Ways. Below, We Outline Serious Concerns About Its Direction, Process, And Impact On Evanston’s Future.
 
In Favor Of A Comprehensive Plan—But Not This One
No One Disputes The Need For A Strong, Well-Crafted Comprehensive Plan. The City Needs Clear, Well-Researched Policies To Guide Growth And Development. However, The Current Draft Does Not Meet That Standard. It’s Worth Asking The Commissioners: How Many Other Cities’ Plans Have They Reviewed For Comparison? Would They Be Proud To Put Their Names On This One?
 
The Push For Density Ignores Community Preferences
A Major Underlying Theme Of The Plan Is Increasing Density Throughout Evanston. Yet, Nowhere Does The Plan Acknowledge That The Community Has Repeatedly Expressed Opposition To This. Evanston Residents Value The Character Of Their Neighborhoods And Have Not Called For A Broad Push Toward Denser Development. Any Plan Advocating For This Should, At The Very Least, Provide Compelling Evidence Of Demand—Evidence That Is Missing From This Draft.
 
“Affordable” Housing Claims Are Misleading
The Plan Asserts That Evanston Is Clamoring For More Affordable Housing. However, The Data Within The Plan Itself Contradicts This Assertion. The City’s Own Reports Show Thousands Of Vacant Housing Units. Before Enacting Policies To Spur More Housing Construction, Shouldn’t The City First Complete A Strategic Housing Plan To Determine Actual Demand? Without That, The Housing Policies In The Plan Feel More Like Ideological Commitments Than Pragmatic Solutions.
 
The Process Has Been Rushed And Chaotic
City Staff And Consultants Took Nearly A Year To Draft This Plan, Yet The LUC And The Public Are Expected To Review, Debate, And Revise It In Mere Weeks. Worse, The City Recently Fired Its Lead Consultant And Discarded Much Of The Original Work. That’s A Major Red Flag—If The Process Has Been This Troubled, Shouldn’t The Timeline Be Extended To Ensure We Get It Right?
 
Misrepresenting Public Input In Chapter 2
The Plan’s Second Chapter, “What We Heard,” Is Supposed To Summarize Community Feedback. However, Many Residents Feel This Section Distorts Or Ignores Actual Public Sentiment. Anyone Can Review Surveys, Resident Comments, And Past LUC Meetings To See The Disconnect. A Plan Claiming To Reflect Community Values Must Accurately Represent Community Voices. The Surveys And Sticky Notes Obtained Do Not Mention More Density And Tall Building.
 
Unrealistic And Costly Climate Mandates
The Plan Includes A Mandate That All New Development Be Carbon-Neutral And Free Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (LU1.2, Page 23). While Sustainability Is Important, This Requirement Would Be Massively Expensive For Homeowners, Renters, And Small Businesses And This Would Decrease The Affordability For Residents.  A More Balanced Approach Should Consider Costs And Feasibility Before Imposing Blanket Mandates.
 
Ignoring Financial Tradeoffs And Taxpayer Limits
A 20-Year Plan Should Address Financial Sustainability. However, This Draft Fails To Acknowledge The Tradeoffs Between Ambitious Goals And The City’s Ability To Fund Them. How Will These Policies Impact Evanston’s Financial Health? What Is The Taxpayer Tolerance For Increased Costs? These Questions Must Be Answered Before Moving Forward.
 
Encouraging Luxury Development Could Accelerate Gentrification
The Plan Makes It Easier For Developers To Build High-End Townhomes, Which Could Increase Property Values And Displace Long-Time Residents. Without Stronger Protections For Affordability, This Could Lead To The Gentrification Of Evanston Rather Than Making It More Inclusive.
 
Evanston’s Unique Character Is Being Overlooked
Evanston’s Distinct Architectural, Social And Environmental Character Is What Draws People To Live Here. While The Plan Mentions This In Passing, It No Longer Places Evanston’s Uniqueness At The Center Of Its Vision. A Strong Comprehensive Plan Should Celebrate And Preserve What Makes Evanston Special Rather Than Pushing A One-Size-Fits-All Urban Development Model.
 
Final Thoughts: A Call For A Better Plan
This Critique Is Not About Rejecting A Comprehensive Plan—It’s About Demanding A Better One. The Current Draft Does Not Reflect Community Input, Lacks Financial Foresight, And Pushes Policies That Are Not Backed By Data. The LUC And City Officials Should Take The Time Necessary To Produce A Plan That Truly Serves Evanston’s Residents, Rather Than Rushing Through A Flawed Document.