The communities of northeastern Illinois are connected by our shared natural resources, our transportation system and our economy. The decisions that we make today in each of our 272 communities will impact us all in the years to come.

Common Ground is a pioneering regional planning process that has brought the six-county Chicago region together to create a shared vision for our common future. This process has provided an unprecedented opportunity for the whole region to work together in full public view.

Common Ground has combined face-to-face deliberation with the latest technology to connect everyone in northeastern Illinois in the vital task of envisioning what we want Chicago and its surrounding counties to look like in 2040. Most importantly, the process has set an agenda for realizing that vision.

The multi-year Common Ground process resulted in the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) delivering a 2040 Regional Framework Plan for the region in Fall 2005. NIPC is nationally known for its excellence in data analysis, research and population forecasts. This comprehensive plan is intended to guide city, county, and state agencies as well as businesses and developers in the critical decisions that will shape the years to come.