 Kane County Selects Consultant to Lead the Food Hub Feasibility StudySix-month project will explore market conditions for food distribution center  At the January Agriculture Committee Meeting, Kane County planning staff announced the selection of New Venture Advisors (NVA) to lead the County's Food Hub Feasibility Study. NVA was chosen from four qualified consulting firms. NVA was chosen for their considerable experience conducing food hub feasibility studies, including several that produced sustained business operations. NVA was a lead advisor and co-author of the Southern Wisconsin Food Hub Feasibility Study commissioned by Dane County, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative is jointly owned by farmers, community members and the Wisconsin Farmers Union. This Food Hub Cooperative made its first sale in July of 2013.
Kane County's feasibility study will explore the market conditions in the county and the surrounding region for operating a local food aggregation and distribution center within the county. In addition to interviewing and surveying various producer and buyer groups, NVA will also assess the availability of required infrastructure and competitive operators. NVA is expected to offer their findings and recommendations within six months.
For questions on the Food Hub Feasibility Study, contact Kane County Planner, Matt Tansley via email or at (630) 232-3493.
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Fox River Ecosystem Partnership to Pursue National Water Trail System Designation
Kane County Assistance Will Advance New Collaborative Effort  (NPS), is a network of water trails the public can explore and enjoy. The network is overseen by a community of water resource managers who benefit from ongoing information sharing and collaboration. The System serves to bring existing and newly identified water trails together into one cohesive national network. The NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program offers technical assistance for water trail development and can culminate in designation as part of the National Water Trail System.
 An agency interested in becoming involved with the National Water Trail System in Kane County is the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership (FREP). FREP is a diverse group made up of landowners, businesses, non-profit organizations, agencies and governments within the Fox River Watershed. FREP's mission is to promote, preserve, protect and enhance the natural, cultural, economic and recreational resources of the watershed. FREP members learned about the National Water Trail System and technical assistance at the 2nd Annual Fox River Summit and also at a recent FREP meeting where Angie Tornes from the NPS was invited to provide more details on the National Water Trail System. Last week the FREP Executive Committee voted to form a committee to pursue technical assistance aimed at eventual application for designation as part of the National Water Trail System from the NPS on one or more areas of the Fox River.
Kane County has been a partner and active member of FREP since the organization's inception in 1996 and will continue that tradition by partnering with FREP to pursue National Park Service designation for one or more areas of the Fox River. This designation will advance the implementation efforts of the Kane County 2040 Green Infrastructure Plan which includes a goal for Kane County to be a leader and model in the area of water resource management. The Plan has the underlying objective to foster public awareness, education and support of environmental and open space management. The Plan also seeks to coordinate with the Forest Preserve District, County departments, as well as other local and regional governments and organizations, to provide public access, education and volunteer opportunities.
If you are interested in joining a committee to pursue National Park Service designation, please contact Karen Ann Miller, AICP, Executive Planner, Kane County Development and Community Services Department and FREP Government Relations Advisor, at millerkaren@co.kane.il.us or (630) 232-3418.
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Register Now for GreenTown Aurora The GreenTown Conference Series is Coming to Kane County
The City of Aurora, in collaboration with other Fox  River Valley communities, will be hosting Greentown Aurora-Fox River Valley on February 26th at Two Brothers Roundhouse. This event will bring together the public and private sectors to facilitate the sharing of ideas and promote the collaborative implementation of ongoing sustainability initiatives.
The conference will feature a presentation and an associated panel discussion on the state of the Fox River and breakout sessions covering a variety of topics under the headlines of Green Infrastructure, Resource Conservation and Healthy Communities & Mobility. Topics will be presented by various planning professionals from all across Kane County. To see the agenda for the conference, click here. The conference will kick off with a networking event at Two Brothers Roundhouse which will run from 6:00 pm. to 7:00 p.m on February 25th, the night before the main event.
To learn more about the event and to register, click here!
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Building a Healthier Community Through Policy Learn about HIA and other planning tools to plan for health in your community
The Illinois Public Health Institute is offering a free training class that will provide an introduction to tools, approaches and strategies for implementing health in all policies including:
- Health Impact Assessment (HIA)
- Healthy communities checklists and indices
- Model policies and policy databases
- Advocacy planning and stakeholder analysis
- What Works for Health from County Health Rankings
The training will be held from 9:00am-4:00pm on Wednesday, February 18th at the CMAP offices in Chicago. For more information and to register, click here!
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