NIPC Common Ground

How is it Different?

Common Ground is different from other planning processes conducted in the region because it is:

Community-Based: The plan has been developed out of the priorities of the region's communities through their direct participation. Dozens of meetings have been conducted over a three-year period to include nearly 4,000 residents, elected officials and community leaders. As a result, the plan developed reflects the shared goals of all involved, and participants will be more invested in implementing the plan.

Technology-Supported: State-of-the-art technology has allowed Common Ground to transform regional planning by bringing thousands of citizens and community leaders into the process in a meaningful way. Common Ground utilized customized GIS software that enabled participants to “Paint the Region” in the interactive workshops. During the group discussions of priorities regarding land use, transportation and the environment, participants could refer to multiple digital layers showing existing infrastructure and “paint” their desired future on the screen. This generated the best results possible because participants had all the reference information they needed at their fingertips during decision making and made choices understanding the full complexity of the region’s systems. They also utilized innovative keypad technology so that immediate group feedback could be provided about decisions made in each workshop. This customized technology will be used on an ongoing basis as NIPC continues to work with municipalities through the population forecasting process to refine our “desired future” as a region.

Comprehensive and Integrated: Common Ground addresses all of the publicly agreed upon priority issues that impact northeastern Illinois as a region: economic development, community development, transportation and infrastructure, natural resources and the environment, and quality of life in the region A key benefit of the plan is that it integrates land use and transportation planning for the region, which has historically not been as closely linked.



How is it Different? Common Ground is different from other planning processes conducted in the region because it is: Community-Based: The plan has been developed out of the priorities of the region's communities through their direct participation. Dozens of meetings have been conducted over a three-year period to include nearly 4,000 residents, elected officials and community leaders. As a result, the plan developed reflects the shared goals of all involved, and participants will be more invested in implementing the plan. Technology-Supported: State-of-the-art technology has allowed Common Ground to transform regional planning by bringing thousands of citizens and community leaders into the process in a meaningful way. Common Ground utilized customized GIS software that enabled participants to “Paint the Region” in the interactive workshops. During the group discussions of priorities regarding land use, transportation and the environment, participants could refer to multiple digital layers showing existing infrastructure and “paint” their desired future on the screen. This generated the best results possible because participants had all the reference information they needed at their fingertips during decision making and made choices understanding the full complexity of the region’s systems. They also utilized innovative keypad technology so that immediate group feedback could be provided about decisions made in each workshop. This customized technology will be used on an ongoing basis as NIPC continues to work with municipalities through the population forecasting process to refine our “desired future” as a region. Comprehensive and Integrated: Common Ground addresses all of the publicly agreed upon priority issues that impact northeastern Illinois as a region: economic development, community development, transportation and infrastructure, natural resources and the environment, and quality of life in the region A key benefit of the plan is that it integrates land use and transportation planning for the region, which has historically not been as closely linked.	What is Common Ground? Why Now? How is it Different? How Does it Impact the Region?
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