November 2019
Help Shape Kane County's Future
Openings for Regional Planning Commissioners and alternates on the Zoning Board of Appeals
Regional Planning Commissioner Openings

Do you care about Kane County’s land resources and future development patterns? Are you interested in natural resources, housing, economic development or transportation policy? If so, then you should consider serving on Kane County’s Regional Planning Commission. Kane County currently has two openings for Regional Planning Commissioners, and is seeking to fill these appointed volunteer positions.

The Regional Planning Commission’s Role

The Regional Planning Commission is principally responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of Kane County’s comprehensive plan, currently the 2040 Plan. It is a fact-finding body, making investigations and gathering statistics necessary for fulfilling the plan and the overall wise land use planning and development of Kane County.

A recent article in Kane County Connects provides additional info on how the Commission operates generally. To get a more nuanced picture of the issues addressed by the Commission, interested candidates can review the agendas and meeting minutes from past RPC meetings here.
Zoning Board of Appeals Openings (Alternates)

Kane County is seeking two alternate members of the Zoning Board of Appeals to serve as voting members and attend meetings when regular members are unable to attend. Applicants for the two alternate positions should be residents from Big Rock, Batavia, Blackberry, Campton, Dundee, Hampshire, Kaneville, Sugar Grove or Virgil townships. Other residents are welcome to apply in the event additional positions become available.

What Does the ZBA Do?

The Kane County ZBA makes recommendations to the County Board regarding amendments to the County Zoning Map for proposed changes in the land use of specific parcels and developments, and makes recommendations for revisions to the text of the adopted Zoning Ordinance. The ZBA has the authority to grant variations to certain requirements such as lot sizes, frontage requirements and setbacks.

The board is made up of seven members appointed by the County Board chairman and confirmed by the County Board. The seven members are required to be from different townships. The six current members are from the following townships: Aurora, Burlington, Elgin, Geneva, Plato, and St. Charles. You'll find additional info in a recent Kane County Connects article .

If you’re interested in serving on the Regional Planning Commission or as an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals, candidates may apply by completing an online form .

Please direct any questions about the positions to the County Board Office at 630-232-5930 or Development and Community Services Director, Mark VanKerkhoff, at VanKerkhoffMark@co.kane.il.us .

Kane County Bike Share
Vendor selected for the launch of bike share program in 2020
After an RFP evaluation process, KDOT/KKCOM staff are excited to announce that Koloni , a Midwest-based bike share company, has been awarded as the vendor for the Kane County Bike Share System! Public and private agencies will be expected to state their intent to take part in the system by January 20, 2020, with final agreements before March 2020. KDOT will be pursuing continuity across all contracts in the system, as there will be more local stipulations.
 
Kane County is planning to subsidize the costs of the program for all local agencies who participate in the initial phase of development. It is the intention of KDOT to have the system up-and-running for a June 2020 launch and a full riding year!

If you have questions about the program or represent an agency interested in participating, please contact Ryan Peterson at the Kane County Division of Transportation.

Climate Change Guidebook
Using Climate Information in Local Planning: A Guide for Communities in the Great Lakes
The American Planning Association (APA) has published a new guidebook that will help planners in the Great Lakes region use local plans to prepare for the effects of climate change.

The guide, Using Climate Information in Local Planning , was developed with support of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It provides a framework for incorporating climate projections, data on natural hazards, and local knowledge to boost resilience through plans.
The guidebook is based in part on CMAP’s work with four communities in the Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program to pilot an approach to assessing climate vulnerability.

To download the guidebook and learn more about the project, visit APA’s website .

Kane County Planning Cooperative
Matt Tansley, Planner - (630) 232-3493 

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