Ray Quintanilla’s Dec. 9 article, “NIPC looking to its own future,” suggests that Phil Peters is leaving the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission at a time when the commission’s importance is declining. Leaders of Chicago Metropolis 2020 recognize the many accomplishments of NIPC, especially under the leadership of Phil Peters, and believe that its work has been important to guiding the growth of our region. We commend NIPC for the development of its many regional plans and policies, and its work to promote intergovernmental cooperation between local governments and provide technical assistance.
If there is a problem with NIPC, it is that the state has mandated that almost all functions related to land use, environmental and some transportation planning be separated among hundreds of different entities in our region. Such fragmentation leads to inefficient and ineffective decision-making. It is our belief that better coordination will result in more comprehensive solutions and have a positive impact on the strength of our economy and quality of life. Chicago Metropolis 2020 recommends merging NIPC and Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) with the planning functions of RTA.
Under Phil Peters’ leadership, NIPC has increased its importance to the region. But the need for coordinated regional planning is stronger than it has ever been. Why not create a mechanism to make it possible, as the Chicago Metropolis 2020 report suggests?
