95-55 Am A
Resolution No. 95-55
RESOLUTION
ENDORSING THE OPENLANDS PROJECT IN ITS PREPARATION OF A
PLAN AND STRATEGY FOR TYLER CREEK
WHEREAS, Tyler Creek represents one of the highest
quality streams in Northeastern Illinois in terms of its
habitat, water quality, species diversity, and other natural
characteristics; and
WHEREAS, Tyler Creek flows through both newer and older
neighborhoods within the City of Elgin and directly affects
the quality of life for residents, businesses, and schools
located in these neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, maintaining and enhancing the quality of Tyler
Creek and its tributaries will produce environmental benefits,
reduce flooding, add to neighborhood value, and add to the
quality of life within the City of Elgin; and
WHEREAS, the Openlands Project has received an Illinois
Department of Conservation grant to prepare an intergovern-
mental and community supported stream corridor greenway plan
and strategy for one drainage basin in northeastern Illinois;
and
WHEREAS, the Openlands Project would like to develop this
plan and strategy for the Tyler Creek watershed; and
WHEREAS, the City of Elgin supports the following general
goals of this planning effort:
To improve the hydrological characteristics of
Tyler Creek so as to enhance its natural habitat,
reduce flooding, and minimize stormwater pollution.
To restore, where possible, the physical
characteristics of the creek so as to reduce stream
bank erosion and property loss, and reduce
stormwater velocities and volumes.
To reduce, where possible, chemical pollutant
sources .
To increase the native biological diversity of
the stream corridor, and reduce the level of
invasive species .
To increase the public understanding of stream
quality issues and encourage participation in
restoration activities .
._ &
To achieve an environmental health,
aesthetically pleasing stream corridor which adds to
neighborhood pride and economic value.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, that the City of Elgin supports the
efforts of the Openlands Project in its preparation of a plan
and strategy for Tyler Creek.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it hereby agrees to
participate in guiding the project over the next eight months
by participating in and sending a representative to meetings
of the Tyler Creek Steering Committee composed of
representatives of the City of Elgin, the Village of Gilberts,
Kane County, and the Kane County Forest Preserve District.
s/ George VanDeVoorde
George VanDeVoorde, Mayor
Presented: March 8, 1995
Adopted: March 8, 1995
Omnibus Vote: Yeas 6 Nays 0
Attest:
s/ Dolonna Mecum
Dolonna Mecum, City Clerk
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Agenda Item No.
A;L; -/
February 17, 1995
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Richard B. Helwig, City Manager
SUBJECT: Proposal from the Openlands Project for
Tyler Creek Study
PURPOSE
The purpose of this memorandum is to introduce a proposal to
enter into a cooperative planning project with the Openlands
Project to develop a stream corridor plan for Tyler Creek.
BACKGROUND
eft
The Openlands Project (Openlands) is the not-for-profit plan-
ning group that developed the Northeastern Illinois Regional
Greenways Plan ( 1991-1992) in conjunction with the Illinois
Department of Conservation and the Northeastern Illinois
Planning Commission (NIPC) . Recently, Openlands obtained a
planning grant from the Illinois Department of Conservation to
develop a model stream corridor plan for a single watershed in
northeastern Illinois.
For some months, the staff has been working with Openlands
representatives regarding the potential for developing the
northeastern Illinois model stream corridor plan for Tyler
Creek. After a thorough analysis and consideration of several
watersheds, Openlands has chosen Tyler Creek as their first
choice for the planning program. Given the nature of Tyler
Creek and the local interest that has been expressed regarding
erosion, flooding, and future land uses in the watershed, the
staff encouraged Openlands' interest in Tyler Creek.
Although many municipalities attempt to develop stream corri-
dor plans, most of these plans are unsuccessful due to the
geographic and jurisdictional limitations of individual gov-
ernmental bodies . The Openlands approach to stream corridor
planning would attempt to build a consensus among all affected
governmental bodies occupying the stream corridor.
The general objectives of the plan would be as follows :
1. To develop a greenways (linear open space) plan for the
Tyler Creek watershed.
2. To develop recommendations for land preservation.
3. To develop recommendations for streambank/wetland stabi-
lization and restoration.
4. To identify potential funding sources for implementation
of recommended actions.
Attached is a copy of correspondence from Openlands that
further details elements of the planning proposal .
Prior to project initiation, the Openlands Project would
require a resolution of support from the City Council. It is
the staff's opinion that a Tyler Creek watershed plan, as
proposed, would be consistent with the adopted Comprehensive
Plan and the proposed Far West Area Plan.
COMMUNITY GROUPS/INTERESTED PERSONS CONTACTED
r None at this time, but public input would be involved in the
development of the plan.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Other than a commitment of staff time from the Planning,
Parks, and Engineering Departments, there would be no cost to
the city for the development of the stream corridor plan.
LEGAL IMPACT
None.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended to authorize the staff to prepare a resolu-
tion of support of the Tyler Creek project and ask the staff
to participate in the planning project.
7eectful ubmitted,
o
K. Dahlstrom
nning Director
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Richard B. Helwig
City Manager
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November 21, 1994 �-_-> RECEIVED
OPENL. M)• i raw
Mr. Roger K. Dahlstromr
PROJECT Director of Planning 'ti DECO 51994 s !---1-u
The City of Elgin ctTy OF ELGIN
220 S. sots Sow 150 Dexter Court PLANNING DEPT. ,
-77
Suite 1880 Elgin, IL 60120-5555 4' �N
Chicago. Winds _
60604-1103 n� -,-
312 427 4256
Dear Mr. Dahlstrom: � '�' �
Fax 312 427 6251
Thank you for your interest in cooperatively
Board of Directors developing a greenway along Tyler Creek. This letter will
Resident set forth some of Openlands Project's goals and proposed
Shaun C. Block methods. As I said on the phone, we would like to ask the
Treasurer City Council of Elgin for a Resolution of Support for this
Thomas M. Flavin project. What follows is a brief description of the
semioDonn r' project proposal.
Donn
DF. Bailey, Ph.D.
Vice President
Adrnmtstrannn A model stream corridor greenway plan
Susan L. Krasny
Vice President Openlands developed the Northeastern Illinois
Marketing Regional Greenways Plan in 1991 .- 1992 in conjunction with
Sarah N. Garvey
Vice President the Illinois Department of Conservation (Department) and
C mental Affairs the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) .
thV. Fiske Openlands also chairs NIPC's ROSTAC Greenways Committee,
lice President which promotes greenway implementation, and is itself
Program working with various agencies and local groups to
H. James Fox
implement greenways around the region.
Directors
Stephen W. Baird
Stephen M. Bartram There has been much success in trail-oriented
Frederick N. Bates greenways implementation in the last two years. Yet, more
George E. Bullwinkel than half of the greenways identified in the Regional
George D vio
J. Bradley Davis Greenways Plan - fifty-five of 100 - include streams or
Anthony Dean stream segments. Some of these streams, such as the Des
Richard L. Ehlinger Plaines River, the North Branch of the Chicago River and
Robert H. Fesmire
Gerald B. Frank the West Branch of the DuPage River, are already buffered
Sylvia Gordon by large conservation holdings, while many more are still
Beverly A. Kimble vulnerable to adverse in-stream "improvements" and
Ins Krieg
Samuel T. Lawton, Jr. adjacent developments that limit or eliminate greenway
Jeanine McNally possibilities. •
Janis Nor:
David Novick
George W. Overton Openlands identified a 'first cut' of potential model
Albert E. Pyort stream corridor greenway projects using the Northeastern
ar
C James Reed,Jr.
Illinois Regional Greenways Plan. One
Charles��,,, g y goal of ours was to
Jeffrey R. Shom h• find a project that is broadly representative of
David Byron Smith conditions in northeastern Illinois so we can replicate it
Mn. William L Taylor,Jr.throughout the region in further implementing the
Harold M.Viaoatky, M.D. g g P g
Oran F. Whiting Greenways Plan. After going through a selection process,
Honorary Dereaors Openlands now proposes to cooperatively develop a greenway
ramJ. &cher. Ph.D. plan for Tyler Creek. Developing a successful inter-
iallField V VE. Guth jurisdictional planning process is itself a key part of
Brooks McCormick thisproposal. Openlands believes a greenway preservation
Harry M. Weese
Louise Young 1
Executive Director
Gerald W. Adelman
Affiliates
CorLands
IV—I.—A.1?........ . 1.... •
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strategy is most effective when local needs and interests are
first incorporated into a comprehensive, multi-objective plan for
that particular corridor. Creating a stream-corridor greenway is
a complex
undertaking in this region because a single stream may flow
through urbanized, newly developing, and agricultural areas,
cross multiple jurisdictions, and serve multiple purposes such as
flood storage, habitat protection, recreation, and economic
development. These interests, in turn, must be incorporated into
land protection and, later, restoration strategies.
Overview of the Project
We anticipate that the three major components of the project
will be: (1) a comprehensive greenways plan for the stream
corridor; (2) recommendations for a land preservation program
(using various techniques discussed below) ; (3) recommendations
for stream/streambank/wetland restoration; and (4) identify
potential funding sources for its implementation, including ISTEA
enhancement grants, non-point source water pollution grants and
others. An additional component might include trail development
recommendations, based on local interest.
There are four major jurisdictions involved in the Tyler
Creek Greenway area. These are the City of Elgin, the Village of
Gilberts, the County of Kane, and Kane County Forest Preserve
District. Representatives from these agencies would, along with
Openlands, form the core of a Steering Committee that would meet
occasionally for the project. Other potential members include
NIPC, and the local Soil and Water. Conservation District.
Examples of the kinds of issues that might be addressed in a
multi-objective plan include: a widened buffer strip along a
stream to accommodate a trail, if recreational interest is
strong; or the protection and restoration of a wetland complex
as a regional stormwater detention facility or mitigation bank;
or stabilization of eroding banks and upland areas to help
prevent non-point source pollution and improve stream water
quality.
Also, since so much land along stream corridors is
privately-owned, it often is not politically or economically
feasible to acquire all of it as public land. Conservation
easements can be a cost-effective and flexible land protection
tool for securing a broad spectrum of greenway benefits on
privately-owned lands. A variety of techniques for protecting
stream greenways, from fee simple ownership to easements, stream
bank management agreements, ordinances and setback requirements,
should all be explored.
` We will need to review and analyze stream corridor data for
this project, including: wetland and flood plain maps, soil
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information, stream habitat and biology, current and projected
future land uses, hydrologic modifications and studies, flooding
problems, and current and projected future water quality status.
We also hope to identify interested local citizen groups that
eight play a beneficial role in this greenway.
* * * * *
We welcome any comments or suggestions you or your staff may
have in regard to this proposal, and look forward to receiving a
resolution of support from the City Council.
Thank you again for your interest. If you have any
questions, please feel free to call.
Sincerely,Si�
�-t 1 0rp }c.tl,C-
Robert Lonsdorf
Associate Greenways Director
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