Your Downtown Morton is an outreach process for residents, business owners and property owners to communicate what they believe to be the strengths and weaknesses of Downtown, and to prioritize what issues are most important to address in the near and long-term. This outreach process will complement an extensive analysis of existing conditions in Downtown followed by the development of recommendations and implementation strategies. Together this will create a Downtown Development Plan to guide decision-making in Downtown Morton. Our planning process depends on active community involvement and citizen participation. This website is just one of many ways you can participate in the planning process. Opportunities to participate at a meeting or workshop are listed below. Check back often for meeting and workshop updates which will be posted as they are scheduled. You can follow the progress of the project through this website and through Facebook, Twitter and RSS feeds.
Workshops will include short, informative presentations followed by interactive group exercises and hands-on activities.
Business and Building Owners Workshop- Tuesday, February 9th 5:30 pm
Downtown business and building owners are likely to have a unique set of issues, concerns and aspirations for Downtown. This workshop will provide an opportunity to communicate their thoughts about the potential for Downtown Morton.
Community Workshop #1 - Thursday, February 10th 7:00 pm
This community workshop is the first of many face-to-face community outreach events for the general public that will occur throughout the planning process. The purpose of this workshop is to allow residents to tell us what they think, before we begin making plans and recommendations. The workshop will: (a) review the purpose of the Downtown Development Plan, the planning process to be undertaken, and the schedule for the study; and (b) secure local views on problems, issues and potentials within Downtown.
Visioning Session/Community Charrette (Community Workshop #2)- Thursday, April 7th 7:00 pm
The Visioning Session will involve the consultant team, Morton Economic Development Council staff, Village staff, elected and appointed officials, organizations and residents at large. The session will include both large group and small group working sessions to review and discuss conditions and potentials within Downtown Morton. The large groups will work together to identify issues and opportunities, and the small "breakout" groups will work through a hands-on, creative charrette process to develop a vision for Downtown Morton.
Community Workshop #3 - Tuesday, June 21st 6:00 pm
Following review by the Downtown Development Committee, the third community workshop will be conducted to review and discuss the preliminary Downtown Framework Plans and Guidelines. Appropriate revisions to the draft will be made based on feedback from the workshop.