Opportunities for the Town of Normal

Contributors: Dianne Ashby, Jack Chizmar, Donald Meyer, John Poole,
Chuck Scott, Bill Snyder, Linda Kimber Weber.

Maintain Normal’s flexibility (a pre-condition for all other opportunities)

OPPORTUNITY: As granted by the 1970 Illinois Constitution, the Town of Normal currently operates as a home rule municipality. To maintain Normal’s flexibility as it plans its future, we endorse the home rule concept.

NEED: A number of community groups have recently attacked the concept of home rule, going so far as to say they would seek its repeal.

DESCRIPTION: The Illinois Constitution grants to Normal the authority to “exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs including, but not limited to, the power to regulate for the protection of public health, safety, morals, and welfare; to license; to tax; and to incur debt.” The concept of home rule automatically applies to all municipal governments with a population greater than 25,000 (unless the community rejects home rule authority via referendum such as Rockford did several years ago). According to Normal's City Attorney, “Non-Home Rule municipalities are constrained by the rule in Dillon’s case. Under the landmark case cities only have the authority to act as authorized by the state. If the state does not confer the authority, then the city cannot act. For instance if the state allows cities to impose a 1% sales tax, a non-home rule city could not impose a higher sales tax.

The Town has enacted the following tax revenues based on home rule authority:

Food and Beverage tax
Hotel Motel tax
Natural Gas Use tax
Home Rule sales tax
Titled Vehicle Use tax
Liquor tax

A non- home rule city could not enter into development agreements with companies unless specifically authorized by state law. For instance the Town could not give money to Mitsubishi on the theory that such grant stabilizes the economic base of the community and provides good jobs. The Town would have to find a specific grant of authority in the Municipal code authorizing a transfer of money for economic development purposes. The Town has entered into numerous development agreements designed to stabilize the tax base. Some include College Hills Mall, Wal-Mart, Mitsubishi, Menards, Sam’s, Outlet Mall, Interstate Center, Eagle strip mall, and Suds automotive.

A non-home rule city could not incur debt beyond authorized state limits. State law currently limits debt to 8.625 percent of equalized assessed valuation.

A non-home rule city generally cannot issue debt unless authorized by voter referendum.

In the area of legislation, a non- home city can only legislate as authorized by state law. For instance a city with a “dog at large” problem could not prohibit dogs from running at large unless the state legislature gave authority. It is doubtful the Town could enact the cushy chair ordinance absent home rule authority. Other ordinances likely to be challenged include the mass gathering ordinance, the prohibition on keg transport after 10pm, the prohibition on parking large trucks and trailers in residential neighborhoods, the downtown and city-wide design standards, elimination of the board of fire and police commission for discipline and promotions, prohibition on the public display of x rated material, prohibition on cross burning with the intent to intimidate, prohibition on the possession of cannabis, prohibition on the possession of tobacco by minors, prohibition on graffiti, noise ordinance, regulation of sexually oriented businesses, regulation of towing business, regulation of false alarms, prohibition of discrimination based on matriculation and sexual orientation.”

STARTUP: The Steering Committee reaffirms the concept of home rule.

Enhance diversity

OPPORTUNITY: Increase Normal’s creativity index, by increasing its diversity ranking and attracting a larger proportion of creative people. According to Table 1, the Bloomington/Normal area ranks first in the share of creative class of the workforce.

Table 1: Richard Florida’s Creativity Rankings (332 total regions)

City	Creativity Index	Overall Rank	Creative Rank	High-Tech Rank	Innovation Rank	Diversity Rank
Bloomington-Normal, IL	484	150	1	194	159	158
Bloomington,IN	461	157	260	222	94	32
Champaign-Urbana, IL	490	148	173	182	61	52
Lafayette, IN	758	47	36	96	33	107
Decatur, IL	412	181	258	12	157	203
Madison, WI	925	20	19	82	14	31
Peoria-Pekin,IL	507	141	148	178	18	153
Rockford, IL	602	106	153	77	47	131
Springfield, IL	557	119	23	169	199	143

* The Creativity Index is a mix of four equally weighted factors: the creative class share of the workforce (column 3); high-tech industry, using the Milken Institute's widely accepted Tech Pole Index (column 4); innovation, measured as patents per capita (column 5); and diversity, measured by the Gay Index, a reasonable proxy for an area's openness to different kinds of people and ideas (column 6).
Source: http://www.creativeclass.org/ci.htm

NEED: According to economist Richard Florida, now and in the future, “places that succeed in attracting and retaining creative class people prosper; those that fail don’t” (p. 4) The key to economic growth lies in translating the power of the creative class into “creative economic outcomes in the form of new ideas, new high-tech businesses, and regional growth.” (p. 2)

DESCRIPTION: According to Florida, a person belongs to the creative class if he/she “engages in work whose function is to “create meaningful new forms.” Florida includes scientists and engineers, university professors, poets and novelists, artists, entertainers, actors, designers, and architects, as well as the "thought leadership" of modern society: nonfiction writers, editors, cultural figures, think-tank researchers, analysts, and other opinion-makers in the creative class. Beyond this core group, the creative class also includes "creative professionals" who work in a wide range of knowledge-intensive industries such as high-tech sectors, financial services, the legal and healthcare professions, and business management. (p. 4)

Source: Richard Florida, “The rise of the creative class,” Washington Monthly, May 2002. Retrieved March 11, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0205.florida.html

START UP: As shown in Table 1, Bloomington/Normal ranks first in the creative class share of the workforce, yet our community’s overall creativity ranking is relatively low. Of the other three components comprising the overall ranking, the Diversity Rank seems most amenable to manipulation through public policy. According to Florida, cities that attract and retain creative people are those “with greater diversity and higher levels of quality of place.” (p. 7) His analysis suggests that Normal officials should work with their Bloomington counterparts to make Bloomington/Normal a “good place to live and visit” by emphasizing and actively cultivating openness and diversity. Under the rubric of “Normal/Bloomington—the Madison of the lower Midwest,” the cities could:

co-sponsor programs designed to make students feel more welcome and, therefore, more likely to stay post graduation (e.g., Normal could sponsor a Welcome Back Festival in downtown Normal);
sponsor events not primarily focused on children and families (e.g., sponsor a Gay Pride Parade or ethnic (perhaps Hispanic or Indian) festivals);
develop a sense of place and authenticity by continuing to develop the downtown area, emphasizing the importance of Normal’s historic areas, and developing the music scene;
attract mobile immigrant talent (e.g., by creating a bi-lingual welcome center);
encourage diversity on the Town Council as well as the Normal Planning Commission and among Town of Normal employees;
develop “lifestyle amenities that people really want and use often, as opposed to using financial incentives to attract companies, build professional sports stadiums, or develop retail complexes.” (p. 11)

(Florida’s argument for the last strategy is persuasive. He states, “Whereas companies—or sports teams, for that matter—that get financial incentives can pull up and leave at virtually a moment’s notice, investments in amenities like urban parks, for example, last for generations. Other amenities—like bike lanes or off-road trails for running, cycling, rollerblading, or just walking your dog—benefit a wide swath of the population.” (p. 11)

OPPORTUNITY: Enhance programs for school-aged children from diverse racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds.

NEED: Normal has seen a dramatic change in the racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds of its citizens.

DESCRIPTION: While there are many long-time Normal residents, in recent years, as Unit 5 schools can attest, there has been an influx of children from diverse backgrounds. The after school needs of these children (particularly those with single parents) continue to escalate. Unless their needs are addressed with positive programs, our community could suffer negative consequences. The Unity Center’s HUD-sponsored, after-school/evening program is an example of a program that works.

START UP: Using the Unity Center’s program as a model, locate additional sites in neighborhoods that have the greatest need. Generally there are programs available, but locations and coordination may be lacking.

Develop and maintain a coherent and supportive physical framework

OPPORTUNITY: Adopt the principles of the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU) to guide public policy, development practice, planning, and design.

NEED: Growth has brought with it the twin problems of urban sprawl and the loss of fertile farmland. According to CNU, there is a need to reconfigure our sprawling suburbs into real neighborhoods, conserve our natural environments, and preserve our built legacy. (p. 1)

DESCRIPTION: As stated in the CNU charter, “We recognize that physical solutions by themselves will not solve social and economic problems, but neither can economic vitality, community stability, and environmental health be sustained without a coherent and supportive physical framework.” The CNU advocates the following principles: “neighborhoods should be diverse in use and population; communities should be designed for the pedestrian and transit as well as the car; cities and towns should be shaped by physically defined and universally accessible public spaces and community institutions; urban places should be framed by architecture and landscape design that celebrate local history, climate, ecology, and building practice. “ CNU principles cover the region and town, the neighborhood, district, and corridor, and the block, the street, and the building. Partnerships created with all stakeholders typically results in greater successes.
(Source: http://www.cnu.org/aboutcnu/index.cfm?formAction=charter&CFID=5580754&CFTOKEN=97032588)

STARTUP: Ask the city planner to study Normal’s current zoning, planning, and development practices and recommend ways to incorporate CNU principles into them.

OPPORTUNITY: Press for interstate access to Normal’s northwest side.

NEED: There is a need to expand easy access to Normal’s northwest side from the 3 interstates that connect us to the many travelers that pass Normal each day.

DESCRIPTION: Transportation access has played a major role in the growth of Normal/Bloomington. Given transportation’s role, it is noteworthy that there is no access to Normal for an extended stretch of I55/74 between exit 165 on the north side all the way to exit 160 in Bloomington. Adding a missing northwest exit would increase access to Heartland Community College and provide increased sales tax revenue, particularly from the I-39 and I-74 traveler.

START UP: Ask Normal’s city planner to conduct a feasibility study; approach local legislators about sponsoring access to the Road Fund.

OPPORTUNITY: Develop a Bloomington/IWU/BroMenn/ISU/Normal/Heartland corridor connected by a trolley line.

NEED: Main St., especially the section just south and north of the railroad overpass, is Normal’s most unattractive physical feature, surpassing even the unsightliness of Veteran’s Parkway. At the same time, Main St. connects our community’s primary centers of human capital and development.

DESCRIPTION: According to CNU, “Corridors are regional connectors of neighborhoods and districts; they range from boulevards and rail lines to rivers and parkways. Transit corridors, when properly planned and coordinated, can help organize metropolitan structures and revitalize urban centers.” A trolley, itself an historic means of transportation, would “celebrate local history” and could act as a metaphor to energize IWU, BroMenn, ISU, and Heartland to cooperatively develop an area of research and development built on shared historic strengths, perhaps biology, medicine, and/or nursing. (Applying technological solutions (robots) to elder care suggests itself. See NYTimes, Mar. 5, 2004) The trolley line would begin at the Court House in downtown Bloomington, travel north along main street past BroMenn, turn east along Beaufort to downtown Normal, west on North St., north on School, west on College, north on Main, and finally west on Raab Road, terminating at Heartland.

STARTUP: Commission Farr Associates to do a feasibility study that would focus on the costs and benefits of a trolley line. Simultaneously, convene a group of relevant faculty and administrators from the IWU, BroMenn, ISU, and Heartland to brainstorm possible areas of cooperation. The collaboration should result in a grant application.

OPPORTUNITY: Develop a Peoria/Bloomington/Normal/Champaign/Urbana corridor connected by light rail.

NEED: It is time to find some collaborative ground on which to base regional development.

DESCRIPTION: As can be seen in Table 1 (above), these communities share similar creativity indices. They also house major universities. Too often, as the continuing “battle of central Illinois airports” illustrates, these communities have acted as competitors. A modern light rail system would act as a metaphor for creative energy toward collaboration.

STARTUP: The mayor of Normal and the President of ISU should convene a meeting of their counterparts in Peoria, Champaign/Urbana and Bradley, IWU, and UIUC, respectively, for the purpose of settling on some, one cooperative project and funding source.

Plan and manage growth

OPPORTUNITY: Plan and manage growth to avoid urban sprawl.

NEED: The Town must consider the impact of urban sprawl and manage its growth in order to preserve prime agricultural land, engage in appropriate soil conservation cultural practices, and minimize losses of this non-renewable resource. More attention must be given to making the best use of undeveloped and “blighted” areas in town before we “sprawl” out into the county.

DESCRIPTION: Sometimes it is too easy to move further and further into the county before we “use up” all available nearby land. Let’s be careful how we “use up” farmland.

START UP: Increase emphasis on protecting agricultural land. Create property tax incentives to “fill in” before we expand out. Become a full partner with the Regional Planning Commission, City of Bloomington, and other communities within the County.

OPPORTUNITY: Using the guideline developed to govern development on Broadway and Vernon as a model, develop coherent zoning policy for all of the neighborhoods that border the ISU campus.

NEED: There is a need to secure and maintain the property value of those homeowners living near to the ISU campus. Such a “development ring” will provide for the thoughtful development of commercial and residential interests in the community while also develop the aesthetic appearance of the downtown area.

DESCRIPTION: Developing an equitable and strategic “zoning ring” that addresses issues with regard to multi-residential housing condition and single family housing while also working with commercial/private development will ultimately serve to strengthen the economic foundation of the entire “community.” Such a “zone” would thoughtfully integrate surrounding communities to the campus. This may include a continued strengthening of building codes regarding student population density and aesthetic issues such as green-space, architecture, pedestrian traffic and commercial venues that contribute a sense of community.

START UP: Develop a cohesive policy regarding zoning that borders around ISU. Form a historic districts association.

Develop an aesthetic identity

OPPORTUNITY: Define an aesthetic identity.

NEED: We want to live in a community as distinctive as its name. Normal needs to define something that we do well and distinctively. Creating an aesthetic identity would have the added benefit of bringing more visitors to Normal.

DESCRIPTION: Perhaps an aesthetic identity could be based on the uniqueness of our name, “Normal,” or on the history of ISU, oldest state university, or on the early success of the softball tourney. Alternatively, an aesthetic identity could be based on the history of Normal—who was born/raised here, attended ISU, etc. Regardless, we need to carve out what makes Normal unique and market that to the rest of the Midwest.

START UP: Approach ISU about using empty (in the summer) residence halls to attract family vacationers using the theme of “Return to Normal,” a quiet, retreat-like setting, without all of the chaos of the usual tourist zones. Compile a list of famous former Normalites (think of the amazing actors from ISU (current/past) as well as politicians, inventors, and many others). Approach them for resources or ideas for resources to assist in sharing the story of how they were once “Normal” or passed through a “Normal” phase of their life. Create a living museum to complement the new Children’s Discovery Museum.

OPPORTUNITY: Building on the concept of the Fell Arboretum, establish urban forestry as an integral part of Normal’s self image.

NEED: The debacle of Denny’s removing a mature tree on Main St. demonstrates that tree policy needs an advocate and manager.

DESCRIPTION: J. James Kielbaso, Professor of Urban Forestry at Michigan State University, defines urban forestry as “a specialized branch of forestry that has as its objective the cultivation and management of trees for their present and potential contribution to the physiological, sociological and economic well-being of urban society.” (p. 1)

START UP: Make a long-term commitment to urban forestry by considering trees as an environmental, economic, and aesthetic asset requiring adequate investment, dedicated management, and supporting laws/regulations. Charge Normal’s arborist to inventory all trees and develop a plan to make urban forestry a central aesthetic theme.
Source: http://www.ias.unu.edu/proceedings/icibs/ecocity03/papers/kielbaso/

OPPORTUNITY: Eliminate unnecessary lighting (light pollution) for aesthetic, environmental, and economic reasons.

NEED: Light pollution as an environment and aesthetic problem has generally been overlooked or inadequately addressed.

DESCRIPTION: The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) publishes recommendations for the illumination levels of outdoor lighting. Exceeding IES’s recommended levels wastes energy and, by increasing glare, reduces nighttime visibility. (p. 1)

START UP: Develop and adopt a comprehensive outdoor lighting ordinance with the goal of reducing unnecessary glare (improving night-time visibility for safety and security), energy conservation, reduced cost, and improved aesthetics of the community.
Source: http://www.monmouth.com/~ksears/litepol1.htm

OPPORTUNITY: Based on the success of the Beyond Normal film series and the historic Normal Theater, launch a juried Beyond Normal Film Festival.

NEED: Normal is perceived as a small city with big city benefits. A juried film festival would extend those big city benefits and enhance our “hip” index.

DESCRIPTION: Built in 1937 and renovated in 1993, the historic Normal Theater is the art decor centerpiece of downtown Normal. The Normal Theater already presents the best in classic, foreign and current films. A juried film festival would seem a nature extension.

STARTUP: Ask Dan Craft and the Pantagraph to convene a panel of ISU and IWU film experts to study the feasibility of juried film festival.

OPPORTUNITY: Designate the Town of Normal as the public art capital of Illinois.

NEED: Develop an aesthetic identity that would be distinctive and promote civic pride. Currently there is little that is visible that pulls this city cohesively together into a single entity.

DESCRIPTION: Public art, especially water fountains, is something that appears to be a new development in Normal. Between ISU’s new fountain in front of Stevenson Hall and the proposed water feature in the downtown “round-about,” there is a recognition of public art as terminating vistas, serving to develop the aesthetic of the community, and providing a space for creating a living, shared community beyond homes, dorms and office buildings.

START UP: Consider a public and commercial development policy similar to Seattle’s, which requires 1 percent of development cost be set aside for public art.

OPPORTUNITY: Encourage the development of studio space for the artistic community.

NEED: A diverse community that attracts and retains an educated workforce should support an enhanced quality of life that includes a creative population that considers Normal their home.

DESCRIPTION: The downtown area could have studio space in upper stories of some of the buildings and/or space could be rehabbed in the One Normal Plaza area. There could be permanent gallery space made available at the new Multi-modal Transportation Center so artists could have exhibition space. Semi-annual events similar to the Sugar Creek Arts Festival could be promoted to make Normal a destination to find fine art.

START UP: Space should be identified as soon as possible so that, as the downtown area develops, this type of need can be accommodated.

Develop economic engines

OPPORTUNITY: Make Normal THE downstate location for medical practitioners and medical facilities that specialize in programs that serve aging populations.

NEED: Based on demographics alone, serving aging populations will be a growth industry.

DESCRIPTION: We have a very pleasant community that retires a large number of highly paid individuals. Many retirees will choose to stay in Normal if medical options of high quality exist that address their needs and are readily available. Developing a regional reputation in this area could also act as a magnet, drawing retirees to relocate here who want to avoid the congestion of a larger metropolitan area, while maintaining their quality of life (medical care, cultural opportunities, etc).

START UP: Assess the interest within the local medical community of specializing in this area.

OPPORTUNITY: In partnership with ISU, make space available to be used as economic incubators.

NEED: The vast majority of new jobs being created are due to small business expansion.

DESCRIPTION: Actual physical space, as well as financial and professional assistance, would be made available with adequate subsidy to ease the burden of business startup costs. The assistance could have a time limitation that would require the business to “graduate” to an independent location and status within a reasonable period of time so the opportunity can continue to be offered to new businesses. It should involve a business plan that will provide employment for multiple employees. This concept could have one location specifically for intellectual or service-related businesses and another geared towards manufacturing or distribution that would take advantage of our excellent transportation access.

START UP: Acquire a building that could accommodate the needs and work cooperatively with ISU to identify professional resources in the community.

OPPORTUNITY: Work with State Farm, Country Companies, and ISU to establish an accredited institution that provides certification and designation in the insurance and financial services industry.

DESCRIPTION: The community is fortunate to have two financial services companies of the stature of State Farm and Country Companies, as well as ISU, an institution of higher learning with a dedicated program of insurance education, located here. Normal can capitalize on this strength by building a training center or encouraging the start up of a business that would offer enhanced learning opportunities and designation that will address the ever-changing field of financial services electronically.

STARTUP: Research should be done to see if there are other businesses presently offering this same type of service and informal discussion could begin to determine interest and need.

OPPORTUNITY: Make Normal/McLean County the permanent home for the Farm Progress Show.

NEED: The Farm Progress Show draws thousands of people each year and the dollars they spend could accrue annually instead of once every twenty years.

DESCRIPTION: Normal sits in the middle of the richest farm ground in the country. Normal would be an ideal location for this event because of the natural resources and the ease of access via the interstate system, Amtrak service, and airport. The strong agriculture program at ISU, Farm Bureau, and the various seed companies in the vicinity are all additional resources that make Normal the ideal home for this premier agricultural event.

START UP: The Visitors and Convention Bureau could initiate contact with the Farm Progress organization to determine their interest and requirements for making Normal the permanent home for the Farm Progress Show.

Find solutions for water problems, affordable housing, and public transportation

OPPORTUNITY: Work with leaders from smaller communities contiguous to Normal toward regional solutions for water problems, affordable housing, and public transportation.

NEED: There are almost no houses available in Normal with a selling price less than $100,000. According to the Bloomington-Normal Association of Realtors, the average price of a new home is $218,376 and of an existing home is $126,232 (February, 2004).

DESCRIPTION: The problems of abundant water, adequate sewage treatment, affordable housing, and cheap regional transportation are intricately linked. Assuming the existence of cheap public transportation to and from our smaller community neighbors, one solution to the shortage of affordable housing in Normal/Bloomington is to encourage its construction in smaller contiguous communities. However, increasing the housing stock in these smaller communities is constrained by lack of water and adequate sewage.

STARTUP: Convene a panel of regional leaders and experts. The panel will develop at least one concrete proposal to solve the regional problems of abundant water, adequate sewage treatment, affordable housing, and cheap transportation

OPPORTUNITY: To simultaneously advance diversity, increase the stock of affordable housing, and avoid concentrations of low-income housing in a single area, Normal should actively encourage developers to build a subdivision based on Traditional Neighborhood Develop (TND) zoning standards.

NEED: As stated in the CNU Charter, we need to reconfigure “sprawling suburbs into communities of real neighborhoods and diverse districts,” conserve “natural environments,” and preserve “our built legacy.” At the same time, the Town should avoid future concentrations of low-income residents in a single area, e.g. Orlando, by dispersing low-income housing throughout the community. TND’s are designed to accomplish all of these goals.

DESCRIPTION: Normal has a strong traditional of historical neighborhoods. The TND zoning regulations are an attempt to recreate with new construction the look and feel of a historic district. Savannah Green represents a half-hearted attempt to create a community built according to TND standards.

STARTUP: Create a task force comprised of local officials, developers, and citizens and charge them with the creation of a plan for development. Use financial incentives to persuade a builder to build a complete TND neighborhood.

OPPORTUNITY: Create a unified regional water system for Normal/Bloomington and McLean County.

NEED: Water will be for the next century what oil/gas has been for the last century. A regionalized approach to McLean County’s potable water supply and delivery system should be further reviewed.

DESCRIPTION: Currently, Normal appears to have adequate water supplies, but Normal’s exploratory activity to the west and northwest has heightened awareness and protectionism from rural communities and farmers in those areas. A regional system of cooperation could easily be built for water, and the model of cooperation might lend itself to the continued metro approach to police/fire/rescue service.

START UP: Continue with cooperative meetings that have begun and proactively work to a positive solution. Partner with the Regional Planning Commission, City of Bloomington, and other communities within the County. Use the Bloomington/Normal Water Resource District as a model. Expand the discussion to include preservation of “agricultural zones” as development continues in a well-planned fashion.

OPPORTUNITY: Develop a regional approach to solid waste management and recycling.

NEED: Our throw away society generates more solid waste than ever before.

DESCRIPTION: In order to effectively manage land use, appreciate our non-renewable environment, and comply with all EPA regulations, a long-range approach to landfill development and creating opportunities for recycling should be considered.

STARTUP: Create a task force to investigate this option. Members should include environmentalists, biologists, geologists, and local landowners.

Greenways/Connected Green Space

OPPORTUNITY: Extend the concept of the Constitution Trail into our neighborhoods by developing extensive pedestrian/bike arteries throughout Normal.

NEED: We have a strong need to maintain and further develop opportunities to make Normal a pedestrian friendly community. The community is significantly based on pedestrian populations. In addition, the CDC estimates that the number of deaths due to obesity has increased by 33% in the last 10 years and will soon displace smoking as the top killer in the U.S. See Table 2.

Table 2: Preventable deaths:
Leading causes by number of deaths

	2000	Change from 1990
Tobacco	435,000	+35,000
Obesity	400,000	+100,000
Alcohol	85,000	-15,000

Source: CDC

This increase is attributed to poor diet and physical inactivity. The federal government is attacking the former. Normal should attack the latter by designing our neighborhoods for people as well as cars.

DESCRIPTION: ISU students and residents of neighborhoods in close proximity to downtown Normal would increase “foot traffic,” bring a population base into the redeveloping downtown area as well as augment the strong sense of community already in place. Furthermore, the residents of Normal are more likely to exercise daily if there are paths that parallel familiar city streets, connect neighborhoods to recreational sites, and lead to more practical destinations. The idea is to make it easier for people to walk or bike from home to offices, schools, and grocery stores. It would also serve to offset Normal’s lack of interesting geography, by extending the concept of the Constitution Trail, perhaps Normal’s most interesting physical feature.

STARTUP: Consider public health concerns when creating design standards. Insure that our streets are safe, comfortable, and interesting to the pedestrians, while simultaneously reducing dependence upon the automobile. Embed civic, institutional, and commercial activity in neighborhoods instead of isolating them in remote, single-use complexes. Encourage the school board to size and locate schools to enable children to walk or bicycle to them. Require developers to donate to Normal a parcel of land in each development for a neighborhood park and require that new developments be designed with ease of access to the Constitution Trail. In conjunction with ISU and BroMenn researchers, apply for a grant from the Active Living Research Foundation for a project that identifies environmental factors and policies that increase physical activity.
Source: http://www.activelivingresearch.org/index.php/Grants/5

Continue long-range planning

OPPORTUNITY: Continue long-range planning. Normal must have a clearly defined plan for residential expansion. Residents need to understand how future development will unfold and how it will impact their quality of life.

NEED: In order for the Town to preserve its greatest assets, it must plan ahead.

DESCRIPTION: Initiatives including, but not limited to 2030, the comprehensive plan, the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, regional greenway planning, regular zoning codes revisions, and regularly reviewed design standards all must be given the highest priority. It is critical that routine, operational decisions made today do not negatively impact tomorrow’s growth opportunities.

STARTUP: Continue existing committees. Explore regulations that would provide more control over how Normal will grow and what it will look like as the process unfolds.

Develop partnerships and reduce redundancy

OPPORTUNITY: Create a partnership with Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, Inc. to pursue possible joint uses of their land.

NEED: Normal has a need for more recreational spaces, child-care, and senior care.

DESCRIPTION: On February 19, 2004, Dan Irvin, Manager of Plant Communications, informed the Steering Committee for the 2030 Report that Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, Inc. would be interested in exploring cooperative uses of the land surrounding the Mitsubishi plant. Mr. Irvin stated that Mitsubishi currently occupies approximately 30 percent of their approximate 100 acres. He stated that Mitsubishi was specifically interested in joint ventures that would benefit both their employees and Normal residents. He mentioned softball fields, senior care, and childcare.

STARTUP: Create a task force to explore possible joint ventures with Mitsubishi.

OPPORTUNITY: Using Bloomington/Normal Water Reclamation District as a model, explore service mergers (garbage/police/fire/rescue) with Bloomington.

NEED: There is a need to reduce redundant delivery of services and to capitalize upon operational efficiencies relating to services provided to Normal and Bloomington.

DESCRIPTION: The twin cities have inherent opportunities regarding potential mergers of services in order to maximize service delivery, minimize duplication of those services, and make the best use of tax resources. Exploratory committees should be established to examine waste, inefficiencies as well as opportunities that present themselves when resources are pooled together. The endeavor would, even if not eventually successful, develop ways in which the two communities could work together to promote our communities.

START UP: Start with fire stations or garbage collection and evolve together as experiences can be gained. The “jointly” painted water tower is a good example of putting a first step forward.

OPPORTUNITY: Align programs addressing the long-term needs of Normal with the plans of Bloomington, the surrounding communities, and major employers within the community.

NEED: There are a number of business, institutional, and governmental entities in the area that have sufficient size/scale to have a significant impact on Normal’s ability to achieve it’s long-range goals. For example, the evolution of downtown Normal and the nearby student population make more pressing issues of zoning, development, and safety.

DESCRIPTION: Integrated planning, communication, coordination, and (especially) purposeful alignment of long-term goals/objectives with all these entities will become an essential component in the development of Normal’s vision. For example, dovetailing plans between Normal and ISU will develop complimentary strategies of growth, help to mitigate issues that come with dining and drinking establishments, and housing of student and non-student populations.

START UP: Start with more cooperation with ISU. Currently, Town and University officials meet on an “as needed” basis. Develop and empower a liaison council between the Town of Normal and ISU that meets monthly. Such a counsel should have “teeth” and include students, ISU administrators, town counsel members, and town residents.

Value education

OPPORTUNITY: Through serious P-16 partnerships, make educational opportunity one of the primary reasons to visit and live in Normal.

NEED: Education is vital to upward mobility and to fiscal success, for individuals and for communities. B-N is already a highly educated community. We are at a crossroad regarding the viability of our public educational institutions—Unit 5 is in serious fiscal trouble and District 87 is fighting smaller but still significant fiscal threats. Illinois State University and Heartland Community College, too, face financial challenges. All of these institutions struggle to attract and retain diverse populations of faculty, staff, and students; all struggle to behave in ways that are perceived as nondiscriminatory and open. Currently the local Bloomington-Normal Education Alliance, once supported via a grant from the Illinois Board of Higher Education, limps along at the staff level, but leadership of the educational organizations is not significantly involved.

DESCRIPTION: The vision would be to significantly blur the lines so that:

The area is served by a single school district or collaboration would be so well orchestrated that the boundaries would be transparent to users.
Magnet schools would provide choice to all P-12 students. University laboratory schools, which are public, would be part of the magnet system.
The university and community college would see themselves as being in the student achievement business. Higher education would collaborate to develop, implement, and staff magnet schools with university student interns (from all fields, not just those preparing for teacher certification) and share staff with P-12 schools.
P-12 schools would see themselves as being in the teacher education business. Preparation of teachers becomes a collaborative effort such that future teachers experience significant classroom experiences throughout their four years (even if the first two are at Heartland) under the tutelage of experienced master teachers in the local district(s).
Higher education and P-12 schools would seriously recruit future teachers and university faculty collaboratively, both through “tapping” of local P-12 students (particularly minority students) and through recruitment of minority and non-traditional candidates from other areas and from the business community.
High school students would be provided meaningful opportunities to experience advanced placement and college coursework.

STARTUP: Revitalize the Bloomington-Normal Education Alliance with leaders of the public educational systems, town governments, and community organizations interested in education and, particularly, minority student achievement.

OPPORTUNITY: Increase cooperation between the Unit 5 School Board and administration and Town of Normal officials.

NEED: The Unit 5 School Board and administration and Town of Normal officials must realize that their decisions are intertwined. For example, building a new high school in the far northeast side of Normal resulted in large, unanticipated expenditures for road and sewer upgrades.

DESCRIPTION: In terms of the impact of the decisions of public bodies on the value of homes, the decisions of the Unit 5 School Board is arguably greater that that of Normal’s City Council. Unequal school structures—think Fairview vs. Northpoint—and closing neighborhood schools have a drastic negative influence on the value of homes and property. Unit 5 officials must be guided by the same progressive planning principles as should guide Normal officials. (See Opportunity 4 above.) At the same time, Normal officials must realize that they are not helpless in the face of Unit 5’s budget woes. The Town could, for example, consider the adoption of a local income or sales tax, the proceeds to be used to support education.

STARTUP: The Unit 5 School Board should reduce the number of times it meets from twice a month to once a month and use the extra meeting time to meet with Normal officials on a regular, monthly basis to share concerns and plans.

Accountability and information transparency

OPPORTUNITY: Use information technology to enhance contact and accountability with citizens, businesses, and other governmental/regulatory groups.

NEED: Expand public participation in government decisions using information technology.

DESCRIPTION: Examples include public participation (online discussion forums, opinion polling, virtual meetings, and meeting broadcasts), content management (online local codes and ordinances), e-governance (online applications, forms, and services), and portals to facilitate interaction with business, and other local, state, and federal government/regulators.

START UP: Evaluate e-government strategies that produce greatest initial returns in terms of cost savings, increased efficiency, and better communication with constituents.

OPPORTUNITY: Seize emerging opportunities to implement new technologies throughout the community.

NEED: The planning of developments and improvements should incorporate as many technological opportunities as feasible.

DESCRIPTION: New technologies are developing at unimaginable speed. However, technological opportunities exist today that will affect Normal’s future. Examples already in place include plans for creating a wireless environment downtown, a fully functional Global Information System, the existing Metcom system, and the Electronic Justice System.

STARTUP: Charge reviewers of all project plans to incorporate at least one new technology every project.

This page last modified 05/14/08.