The Village of North Utica is a charming small town of 1,245 people that enjoys over 2,000,000 visitors a year due to the adjacent Starved Rock State Park.
Originality and Innovation: Utica’s economy is based on two industries, tourism and mining. The planning team included Destination Marketing (ie. Tourism) experts that conducted a destination assessment. Recommendations focused on allocating tourism-centered investments, enhancing the existing assets, cleaning-up the appearance of the I&M Canal, improving signage and traffic flow in and out of the Village.
Utica and surrounding LaSalle County has a long history of mining, and residents and mining operations have peacefully co-existed for much of the community’s history. The The plan provides a detailed map of existing mining and mineral resources, a future land use plan that illustrates approved areas for mining with no expansion, and truck route strategies to route trucks away from residential areas. Other plan elements include ways to enhance pedestrian and bike access, future redevelopment, opportunities for additional public art and a deep focus on how to attract visitor attention when driving south through town towards Starved Rock.
Engagement: The planning process was designed to maximize public input in a fairly short period of time, with two community workshops, two open house sessions, and essentially three public hearings. Interviews were held with multiple stakeholders and local residents, businesses and property owners. Residents particularly enjoyed the “Utica Dollars” exercise, where workshop participants were given $15,000 in play money to allocate between various projects they had previously identified as important (I&M Canal Restoration rated as the top issue).
Implementation: The Action Plan at the end of the document is designed to promote plan implementation, putting all key recommendations in one easy to track location. Several exciting developments have already occurred that were highlighted in the plan. The I&M Canal Trail was reopened between Utica and Ottawa, and the Village completed a revamped streetscape on the prime block (Mill Street) in the core of downtown Utica. The Village also applied for a grant to address downtown flash flooding from Clarks Run Creek.
