Blue Island Energy Plan
The Masters in Urban Planning and Policy requires the practical experience of building a plan for a chosen area in or around Chicago. The 50+ class of students is assigned to teams to create that plan within one semester. All teams are given the same theme but different study areas. Our theme was energy.
I was the co-Project Manager for the 2021 Blue Island, Illinois Energy Plan. While most of our fellow teams consisted of approximately 15 students, my group worked with the same requirements and deadlines as a nine-person crew. We were also the first cohort of students to complete this assignment in an entirely virtual environment.
Logo created by team member, Dimitri Martin.
Vision Statement
After the study area was determined, we collected data regarding population demographics, land use, current energy programs, etc. We then conducted a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis that was condensed into main themes. From this point, we were able to write a vision statement for our project:
By 2040, Blue Island will be a community of affordable, energy-efficient housing and
walkable neighborhoods. Capitalizing off its accessible location in the greater Chicago area, Blue Island will provide local, green jobs for its residents and neighbors by enhancing transit connectivity and the implementation of solar energy. This transition will be completed with the enactment of policies that prioritize a green economic future and equity in all its forms, offering choice, security, and safety to its residents and the surrounding environment.
Team Presentation
On March 2, 2021, I and three others of my team presented our findings to the whole class as well as four judges picked from various planning groups and UIC faculty. The presentation is shared here. On a whole, our feedback from the judges was positive. Most liked that our group specifically called out current energy programs and policies in Blue Island and that the narrative was easy to follow. Our main critique was to think bigger and more creatively about solutions, which we took to heart in the second half of our project.
Midterm Slides.pptx.pdfFrom Blue to Green_ Bridging Blue Island to a Clean Energy Future.pdfThe Plan
Our efforts resulted in an energy plan of which my team is very proud. In total, we proposed seven overarching policy proposals consisting of 24 specific policies that harmonize to create a balanced and feasible future for the residents of Blue Island. I am particularly fond of Section 7.0, Zoning Proposals, as it shows our group took into consideration the larger system that needed to be changed to ensure the success of our plan.
For my contribution, I researched and wrote policies 1.2, 4.2, and 5.3. I also reviewed and edited every policy to ensure each was fully realized, finding and adding information where it was lacking. Finally, I copy edited the full document.
Management
As co-Project Manager, this assignment required a lot of negotiation. The other Project Manager set deadlines, organized folders, and created timelines. I organized meeting times and spaces, reviewed and edited final documents, and followed up with group members to ensure they were comfortable with their workload and time management. This combination was effective; at weekly check-ins with all teams, ours was always on track with or surpassing the larger groups.