The Greenways Plan was last updated and adopted by the local governments in 2009. The plan expands on many goals and objectives that were laid out in the original version and utilizes pro-active measures in bringing about plan implementation. The Plan Goals are grouped into five categories.
- Conservation, Environment and Reservation (CER)
- Parks and Recreation (PR)
- Implementation, Management and Coordination (IMC)
- Legal Issues (LI)
- Education Issues (EI)
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The Plan Goals, listed by category:
Conservation, Environment and Reservation (CER)
- The protection of environmentally sensitive areas.
- A regional system of greenways that protects sensitive environmental areas and promotes conservation of habitat and endangered species.
- Conservation and/or development of greenspace and open space as a consideration in the review of development projects.
- Preservation of cultural and historic areas.
Parks and Recreation (PR)
- A regional park system that provides for a variety of active and passive recreational activities.
- A regional park system that is interconnected by a system of greenways and trails.
- Intergovernmental coordination of ro the planning of parks, greenways and trails.
- Open space and recreational facilities that are accessible to all residents.
Implementation, Management and Coordination (IMC)
- Preservation of greenways as a consideration in the review of development and redevelopment projects.
- Preservation of natural areas for public and private use.
- Continuted development of a coordinated system of trails and greenways.
- A program for funding the acquisition, development and maintenance of greenways.
Legal Issues (LI)
- Utilization of a wide variety of legal tools available for developing or preserving greenways and trails.
- Expand the use of abandoned railroad rights-of-way for greenways and trails.
- A spirit of cooperation in the reservation and implementation of public open space and greenways.
Education Issues (EI)
- Public education on the benefits of greenways to the environment in terms of improved air and water quality, the local economy, aesthetics and the overall quality of life.
Want to know how we're doing?
Check out our running updates on actions within each of our goals below.
Goal : CER1.1 The protection of environmentally sensitive areas.
Objective : Definition of criteria for environmentally sensitive areas, to include wetlands, floodplains, lakes, streams, natural restoration areas, endangered species habitat and wooded areas.
The Comprehensive Plan 2040 document cross references to the Greenways Plan and emphasizes trail expansion. The Municipal Code includes the Chapter 28 Flood Code, which includes the Stream Buffer Ordinance, floodplain regulations, and erosion control.
The City of Bloomington defined and identified “Conservation” Land Use in the Bloomington Comprehensive Plan 2035. The Future Land Use Map in the Plan identifies areas of preservation and conservation including, but not limited to, flood zones, wetlands, nature preserves, and wet bottom basins.
Bloomington codified management of the Flood Plain in Chapter 18, and the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance, Section 6 of Chapter 24 mandates preservation of natural watercourses and other sensitive areas.
Goal : CER1.2 The protection of environmentally sensitive areas.
Objective : Mechanisms for mapping environmentally sensitive areas.
The City, Town, and County, partnering under the auspices of the McLean County GIS Consortium, maintain publicly-available stream and flood plain GIS layers for identifying and mapping wetlands, endangered species habitats, etc.
Goal : CER1.3 The protection of environmentally sensitive areas.
Objective : Identification of linkages between environmentally sensitive areas inside the urban areas and those outside the urban area.
Map 8 in the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan identifies potential future trail / greenway corridors. Both community's comprehensive plans as well as the Greenways Plan itself also provide maps showing these linkages.
Goal : CER1.4 The protection of environmentally sensitive areas.
Objective : Prioritization of environmentally sensitive areas.
The City of Bloomington has protected Kickapoo Creek at The Grove, which now has a trail through the prairie as well. Also, there is remnant prairie along the proposed Route 66 trail. Tribrutaries of Kickapoo Creek have been protected within Gaelic Park and Stonebridge Praire along constitution trial. Anglers Lake Nature Preserve Park is managed as a nature area. The Greenways Plan includes a list of future priority areas to bring into stewardship. Hedge Apple Woods at Ewing Park has been desginated an IBA - Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.
The Town owns and manages two natural areas -- Fransen Park and Hidden Creek Nature Sanctuary. Fransen has been managed with controlled burns and other invasive species management strategies. Hidden Creek is currently (winter 2019) undergoing a restoration under the guidance of a professional firm. Some areas of the Town drain north, toward the Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake watersheds, and we try to be sensitive to storm water management as a result.
Multiple city right of way and drainage areas have been converted to conservation areas with minimal instead of routine mowing.
Ongoing restoration of Pheasant Creek.
Several activities have been undertaken at COMLARA Park, including shoreline erosion control on more than 1,000 feet in 2017. In Fall 2019, they will do more stabilization on tributary 2 on the south end of the lake. They planted more than 1,000 trees in 2018 and early 2019 and will plant another 1,000 in Fall 2019. They also planted an approximately 7-acre pollinator area in 2018.
Proactive maintance of environmental sensitive areas around wind farms.
The Bloomington & Normal Water Reclamation District was awarded the Platinum Peak Performance award by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies for 100 percent operational compliance nine years in a row at its southeast waste water treatment facility.
Goal : CER1.5 The protection of environmentally sensitive areas.
Objective : Identification of stream valleys, drainage ways and other bodies of water that should be protected through greenways.
In response to wind farm development, the County created protective buffers near Mackinaw River, Henline Creek, Buck Creek and Weston Cemetery Prairie.
Goal : CER2.1 A regional system of greenways that protects sensitive environmental areas and promotes conservation of habitat and endangered species.
Objective : Development of additional trails and/or greenways to enhance the natural areas of the metropolitan area.
The Town of Normal has expanded the Constitution Trail by 2.25 miles since 2009. Route 66 has also been extended from Southwest Bloomington to Shirley and from Normal to Towanda. The Town of Normal has also restored two streambanks, Anderson Creek and prairie plantings at Fairview Creek. In addition, the Greenways Plan includes a list of future priority areas to bring into stewardship.
Goal : CER2.2 A regional system of greenways that protects sensitive environmental areas and promotes conservation of habitat and endangered species.
Objective : Interconnected greenways as a means to preserve habitat and provide a buffer from human activity.
Goal : CER3.1 Conservation and/or development of greenspace and open space as a consideration in the review of development projects.
Objective : Ordinances that require developers to dedicate resources to the park and public open space system.
The Town of Normal had school and parkland fees even before this 2009 update of the Greenways plan. Because all school green space is in the cities, that space is already accounted for by the county. Also, for new subdivisions, the county would not impose a new parkland fee.
Goal : CER4.1 Preservation of cultural and historic areas.
Objective : Identification of areas that have a cultural or historic significance.
The Town of Normal has the Van Leer mansion, Sprague's Super Service and Route 66. Cultural and historical significance data exist at the state level, but extracting them requires special clearance. At the national level, there is a proposed amendment to create a listing of the top 10 trails in the country, which would include Route 66, ahead of 2026, the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. In addition, there’s a windfarm where the historical importance was highlighted because the windfarm is in a nature preserve. There's also a historical marker for Kickapoo Creek, denoting its historical significance.
Goal : CER4.2 Preservation of cultural and historic areas.
Objective : Identification of cultural or historic sites that can be linked to greenways.
Goal : CER4.3 Preservation of cultural and historic areas.
Objective : Local programs and measures that encourage the preservation of cultural and historic sites.
The City of Bloomington has local programs, but they don't necessarily focus on Greenways. The programs that do exist currently are more focused on buildings. There is, however, Miller Park, which was established in 1887, and has been managed by Bloomington since then; it had the largest man-made lake in Illinois at the turn of the 20th century. Ewing Castle and grounds have been under the auspices of Illinois State University since Hazel Buck Ewing's death in 1969.
Goal : PR1.1 A regional park system that provides for a variety of active and passive recreational activities.
Objective : Sufficient parks and public open space to reflect the needs of existing and future area residents.
Since 2009, the Town of Normal has done a master plan and an update. The City of Bloomington is updating their parks master plan in 2018-2019. The national standard for park space, which both jurisdictions follow, is 10 acres per 1,000 residents. Both the Town of Normal and the City of Bloomington are deficient in terms of square footage of open space per person, though the City of Bloomington is close to reaching the target, at just 75 acres short of 10 acres per 1,000 residents. The Town of Normal has improved its parkland since 2009, having added Shepard Park since that year.
Goal : PR1.2 A regional park system that provides for a variety of active and passive recreational activities.
Objective : A reasonable number of facilities to accommodate both active and passive recreational needs.
There has been almost no change since 2009, though the City of Bloomington added The Grove and ParkLands Foundation added the Sweeney Nature Preserve. Some interpretive features and ADA-accessible docks were also added in that time.
Goal : PR2.1 A regional park system that is interconnected by a system of greenways and trails.
Objective : Public and private development of specialized outdoor recreational facilities linked to greenways and trails.
Goal : PR2.2 A regional park system that is interconnected by a system of greenways and trails.
Objective : Codes that provide for the reservation of greenways in new development.
The Town of Normal does have some open space and landscaping requirements in its development codes, but nothing new since 2009.
Goal : PR3.1 Intergovernmental coordination for the planning of parks, greenways and trails.
Objective : A mechanism for continuing dialogue that supports regional cooperation and coordination in the planning and provision of parks and public open space.
The staff at the various local agencies have a good working relationship and have expressed common overall goals for future greenways planning in both rural and urban areas. However, this is typically contingent on funding and what the local agencies can or cannot do with the limited resources that are available. The trail system is also well coordinated. Bloomington and Normal have a strong history of cooperation on the Constitution Trail dating back to its inception. (Nothing built since 2009 was a cross-border kind of project, though.) The trail segments that the Town has built since 2009 have been entirely in Normal, so no cooperation was required. Both jurisdictions also have a longstanding good relationship with the County on the Route 66 trail.
Goal : PR4.1 Open space and recreational facilities that are accessible to all residents.
Objective : A plan and capital improvements program that supports the development of public and private parks and open space that is accessible to all residents.
The Town of Normal has an updated Master Parks and Open Space Plan, and it addresses accessibility for those with mobility impairments. The Town of Normal has also changed some things at playgrounds to improve this sort of accessibility and has detention basins that could be available to the public if access were built and promoted.
Goal : PR4.2 Open space and recreational facilities that are accessible to all residents.
Objective : A process for the review and monitoring of area needs for park land.
Goal : IMC1.1 Preservation of greenways as a consideration in the review of development and redevelopment projects.
Objective : Identification of development standards for greenways.
The Town of Normal has a significant tree preservation ordinance, which protects large trees. If they are removed, they must be replaced with a lot of new trees. The Town of Normal also requires that existing vegetative screens along property lines be maintained. The Town of Normal's stream buffer ordinance also protects greenways.
Goal : IMC1.2 Preservation of greenways as a consideration in hte review of development and redevelopment projects.
Objective : Identification of regional greenways and greenway linkages.
Goal : IMC1.3 Preservation of greenways as a consideration in the review of development and redevelopment projects.
Objective : Development and implementation of restoration standards for greenways that maximize conservation opportunities.
Goal : IMC2.1 Preservation of natural areas for public and private use.
Objective : Identification and dedication of natural areas in new developments.
Just open space and parks, including the Town of Normal's stream buffer ordinance, are handled this way without consideration of natural area status or capability through restoration.
Goal : IMC2.2 Preservation of natural areas for public and private use.
Objective : A process that encourages reservation through innovative means such as conservation easements.
Only ParkLands Foundation offers conservation easements in the Mackinaw River watershed. However, there is a major need for another entity to offer conservation easements to areas in the other McLean County watersheds (Sugar Grove Foundation may still do that for lands contiguous to Funks Grove). There is interest in conservation easements in the Kickapoo Creek watershed, but there was no conservation-based organization available to provide an easement or accept a donation. The area also needs consistent codes that are enforceable. Developers and planners need to be aware of the requirements at the start of a project to avoid conflict during the review process.
Goal : IMC3.1 Continued development of a coordinated system of trails and greenways.
Objective : An advisory committee that includes representatives from local government and stakeholders to promote coordinated implementation of the greenways plan.
Goal : IMC3.2 Continued development of a coordinated system of trails and greenways.
Objective : A process that integrates the interests of private landowners into the implementation of the greenways plan.
Goal : IMC4.1 A program for funding the acquisition, development and maintenance of greenways.
Objective : A process of capital improvement funding to help implement the greenways plan.
Goal : IMC4.2 A program for funding the acquisition, development and maintenance of greenways.
Objective : Pursuit of innovative funding sources such as grants and impact fees.
Goal : LI1.1 Utilization of a wide variety of legal tools available for developing or preserving greenways and trails.
Objective : Consideration of conservation districts, conservation easements, utility easements and other mechanisms for greenway development in McLean County.
ParkLands Foundation formed as a de facto conservation district that does fee simple acquisition, accepts donated land, and does conservation easements, but only in the Mackinaw River watershed. Therefore vast stretches of our county go uncovered and conservation opportunities are being lost. However, the Town of Normal also has the stream buffer ordinance.
Goal : LI2.1 Expand the use of abandoned railroad rights-of-way for greenways and trails.
Objective : Cooperation and coordination with railroad companies in the acquisition of existing or future abandoned railroad rights-of-way.
The Town of Normal passed a resolution in favor of the Norfolk Southern trail project. The main update for this goal is that Norfolk Southern is currently in the process of removing the existing railroad from Bloomington to Farmer City. At this time, all of the railroad crossings along this line have been removed within McLean County. A different contractor is currently removing the actual rail from this abandoned line.
Goal : LI3.1 A spirit of cooperation in the reservation and implementation of public open space and greenways.
Objective : Establishment of a mechanism that provides an opportunity for a continuous open dialogue and exchange of information with interested citizens, government agencies, private developers or landowners adjacent to potential greenway sites.
Goal : EI1.1 Public education on the benefits of greenways to the environment in terms of improved air and water quality, the local economy, aesthetics, and the overall quality of life.
Objective : Identification of audiences to be targeted for greenways education and methods of outreach to engage these audiences.
Through the Town of Normal Parks Department, there might be some education of residents along creeks, encouraging them not to mow, etc.