Economy, Livability and Data
The Chicago Metropolitan area is one of the great economic centers in the world. It has abundant natural resources such as open space trails, parks and water ways. The Metropolitan area also has magnificent transportation systems for moving people and goods around. The aforementioned resources provide great job opportunities for the residents. The residents themselves are seen as renewable resources due to their diverse renovations to fuel economic development. The municipality has to improve human capital by supporting education and workforce development for it to achieve continued innovations and economic growth. Both local and state governments have to pursue coordinated investments, improved access to information and reformed tax policies. The local government is obliged with creating a community that is livable by ensuring safety, health and walkability of everyone. There should be promotion of sustainable local food, expansion and improvement of open squares and parks, management and conservation of energy resources and water, and improvement of transportation systems, land use and housing. For proper forecasting and planning, the Go To 2040 project has to have relevant and sufficient data at disposal. The data are those concerned with capital projects, socio-economic forecasts and indicators, implementation action areas, public engagements and so forth (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2016; Levy, 2015).
Using Data
As a regional planner, one can use the data to identify financial constraints. This is important in meeting objectives in transportation investments so that necessary measures are reached for the constraints to be overcome. Updates on revenues and expenditures of the project will enable the planner to maintain sufficient capital to meet both capital and operational expenditures. Data on major capital projects are helpful for the planner to realize those that are constrained so that projected funds for their completion can be obtained. Various socio-economic indicators will enable planners to track the developments of various social economic phenomenons to certain standard levels. Data on implementation actions is needed to describe how various projects are being accomplished (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2016; Levy, 2015).
Data on Social Justice and Neighborhood Zoning
The data can be obtained on the current population and housing condition that people in such zones live in. The data should also concern local characteristics and historical aesthetics, natural environments and access to green space. The planners can then come up with housing options that suits the people according to their zones. The transportation system should take into consideration systems of pathways and bicycle and pedestrians that are separate from automobile ways. Sustainability considerations have to promote local land use and support transportation. There should be adequate sewer and fresh water facilities, locations for public amenities like schools, hospital and social centers. In such regions, it will be important that the cost of economic and social utilities such as housing, transport, school and other social services are affordable to those people, without compromising the quality. However, Counties and Councils of Government (COGs) have to play significant roles to encourage and facilitate collaborations among municipalities. Tax base in such areas is usually inadequate and economic planners will have to plan ways to improve them. Since such areas usually have damaged environments, data will be important in approximating funds needed to rehabilitate it. The whole plan has to agree with both federal and state legislations. Although the local government wields a lot of power as regards local planning and development it benefits from federal and national grants to finance such plans. The data will therefore be important when seeking such grants from the two level governments (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2016; Levy, 2015).
References
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. (2016). Go to 2040. Retrieved on 3 March 2016
Levy, J. M. (2015).Contemporary Urban Planning. New York: Routledge.
