UPDATE: The Fox River Corridor Plan was unanimously adopted by the McHenry County Board on October 16, 2018. The Plan and the Existing Conditions Overview (October 2017) are available for download below.
The Fox River is one of the region's greatest natural assets. McHenry County Planning and Development collaborated with Lake County and local agencies, governments, and organizations to create a corridor plan for the Fox River to improve water quality, multi-modal transportation access, recreation and open space, and river-related commerce. The Plan focuses on a scenic portion of the river that extends from Burtons Bridge in the north, just north of Route 176, to the eastern boundary of Fox Bluff Conservation Area in the south. The planning area spans eight communities, conservation areas, forest preserves, and parks over a distance of 11 miles.
This project builds on the groundwork established through the Fox River Corridor Plan for the Villages of Algonquin and Carpentersville completed in December 2015. Inspired by that project, McHenry County Planning and Development requested assistance through the Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program to develop a vision for the Fox River that extends upstream through McHenry County and a portion of Lake County. The planning process convened a diverse group of stakeholders to help neighboring communities, park districts, businesses, and residents come together to craft a common vision for the river. More specifically, the plan focuses on the following areas:
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Multi-modal connections to/on the river
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Open space that preserves and enhances quality of life, environmental conditions, and water quality of the river
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Commerce aimed at users of the river
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Attracting residents and tourists to the river and adjacent communities
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Public access and recreational use
The planning process, developed in collaboration with McHenry County, involved four phases. The first phase involved a thorough analysis of the existing conditions within the corridor relying on information gathered from the steering committee, interviews with key stakeholders, a public meeting, an online interactive survey, review of previous plans and studies, and collection of maps and data. The second phase focused on developing a vision for the Fox River Corridor and strategies to attain that vision. The third phase involved developing the draft corridor plan that will be reviewed by the steering committee and the public. The fourth and final phase involved revising the corridor plan based on public feedback and its adoption.