About the Plan Commission
The Plan Commission is a citizen's advisory group which advises the City Council on a broad range of city planning issues. The Plan Commission consists of nine (9) members who are residents of the City. Each member is appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the City Council. The goal of the Plan Commission is to ensure that the City's plans, goals, policies, land use ordinances and regulations are promoting orderly and coordinated growth and development within the City. The Plan Commission recommends changes in the official plan of the City, which consists of the City’s comprehensive plan, subdivision regulations, and zoning ordinance. Such changes are made by amendments to the text and/or map of the official plan of the City. The Plan Commission also reviews and makes recommendations to the City Council on petitions for site plan approval, special use permit, planned unit development, and plats of subdivision.
Powers and Duties
The Plan Commission has the following powers and duties:
• To prepare and recommend improvements looking to the present and future development of the City, which is known as the official plan of Geneva. The official plan consists of the City’s comprehensive plan, subdivision regulations, and zoning ordinance. The official plan includes requirements in reference to streets, alleys and public grounds in unsubdivided lands within the corporate limits of the City and in contiguous territory outside of the corporate limits of the City and distant not more than one and one-half (11/2) miles from such limits, and not included in any city, village or incorporated town.
• To prepare and recommend to the City Council from time to time such changes in the official plan as may be deemed necessary by the City Council or by the Plan Commission.
• To prepare and recommend to the City Council from time to time for specific improvements, in the pursuance of the official plan.
• To give aid to the officials of the City charged with the direction of projects for improvements embraced within the official plan, to further the making of such improvements, and generally to promote the realization of the official plan.
• To initiate, hear and make recommendations to the City Council on applications for amendments to the text or map of the zoning ordinance.
• To hear and make recommendations to the City Council on applications for special use permits, including planned unit developments.
• To review and make recommendations to the City Council on site plans.
• To review and make recommendations to the City Council on applications for plats of subdivision affecting land within the corporate limits of the City, and in contiguous unincorporated territory outside and distant not more than one and one-half (11/2) miles from such limits of the City.
• To exercise such other powers germane to the powers and duties listed above as may be conferred by the City Council.
Application Review Procedures
Development Staff Review
The goal for the Planning Division is to completely process Plan Commission applications in 8 to 12 weeks. Once a complete application is submitted it is routed to the City’s Development Staff for review. The Development Staff is a 14 member team representing the City’s Community Development, Economic Development, Administrative Services, Public Works, Fire, and Police departments. A single review letter incorporating all of staff’s comments is forwarded to the applicant approximately 4 weeks after the original submittal. If revisions are requested, the applicant should respond to staff’s comments and submit revised plans within 10 days in order to remain within the 8 to 12 week time frame. If additional revisions are required, the applicant submittal and staff review process will continue until the documents are deemed sufficient for Plan Commission consideration. Once the application documents are in order, the request is forwarded to the Plan Commission for consideration.
Recommendation by the Plan Commission
The Plan Commission is a recommending body to the City Council. If a public hearing is not required, the Plan Commission will make a recommendation at the initial meeting. If a public hearing is required, the Plan Commission will then hold a second meeting, two (2) weeks from the hearing date, at which the Commissioners will make findings of fact on each of the applicable standards, if any, and vote to recommend approval or denial of the request. If deemed necessary, the Plan Commission may also recommend conditions of approval for certain requests.
Steps after the Plan Commission
After a recommendation is made by the Plan Commission on a particular request, it is then forwarded to the Committee of the Whole for further review and consideration. The Committee of the Whole includes the Mayor and all ten City Council members. The Committee of the Whole will also make a recommendation to approve or deny the request, which will ultimately be decided by the City Council at the next available meeting.
Plan Commission Meeting Procedures
Adopted in October of 2004, the Plan Commission Bylaws establish rules and procedures for Plan Commission membership and meetings. Specific procedures for public hearings are available for viewing by clicking here. How to View Application Documents All documents that are on file as part of a Plan Commission application are available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Community Development Department office located at Geneva City Hall, 22 S. First Street, Geneva, Illinois. Packets for upcoming meetings are also available for review online by clicking here.
How to Submit Comments to the Plan Commission
• Comments can be made in person at the public hearing, per the procedures for hearings in the Plan Commission Bylaws.
• If you are unable to attend the public hearing, comments may also be submitted in writing. - Written comments should be addressed to the Plan Commission Chairman and Members.
- Emails may be sent to the City Planner. Comments may be typed in the body of an email or attached as a Word or PDF document.
- Handwritten letters and signed hardcopy letters may be faxed to (630) 232-1494 or sent to the following address:
Plan Commission c/o City Planner
City of Geneva
22 S. First Street Geneva, IL 60134
- Written comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the Plan Commission meeting.
Questions?
Questions may be directed to City Planner, David DeGroot, at (630) 232-0814 or ddegroot@geneva.il.us.
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