In the wake of neighborhood concerns about new construction projects along Central Street, the city will hold a series of workshops to develop new zoning and streetscape plans for the area starting Feb. 1.

In the wake of neighborhood concerns about new construction projects along Central Street, the city will hold a series of workshops to develop new zoning and streetscape plans for the area starting Feb. 1.

The first session, on Thursday, Feb. 1, will focus on Central west of Hartrey Avenue. A second session, Thursday, Feb. 8, will study the area east of Hartrey.

Both sessions will run from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Parasol Room at the Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave. 

City consultants The Lakota Group, assisted by Gewalt Hamilton Associates and Infrastructure Engineering, will facilitate the sessions.

The city requests that persons planning to attend the sessions register by Jan. 26 by calling (847) 866-2928 or sending e-mail to bnewman@cityofevanston.org.

The initial meetings are described as “visioning workshops” in which participants will review and discuss area issues, strengths and opportunities. The two sessions will discuss similar information, so attendees can attend either one or both.

On March 1, the city plans a community workshop for the consultant team to review the findings of its analysis along with strategies and concepts for improvement and development of the corridor, including streetscape design concepts.

And on March 29, a second community workshop will review the planning process and refine the preliminary corridor plan and streetscape design concept.

The consultants will then submit their report to a special joint Planning and Development Committee and Plan Commission meeting on April 12.

More information is available on the city’s web site.

Bill Smith is the editor and publisher of Evanston Now.

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