Village Strategic Plan August 28, 2026
Summer is winding down, and as I'm out in the community, I've heard many comments that it "didn't feel like summer." Why not?
Mostly everyone has told me it was because the weather has been challenging - too much rain and flooding, wildfire smoke, too hot and humid, too many severe storms, too many destroyed trees. All of this has left many of us unable to enjoy summer days and nights outdoors - instead spending them huddled in our basements waiting out tornado sirens or picking up storm debris. Glen Ellyn has experienced a number of extreme weather events in a short time - weather events that are certainly impacted by our warming climate.
While we at Go Green Glen Ellyn are unable to influence the weather, we do have influence over asking our Village leadership to consider the impacts of these climate threats and planning for a more resilient community to be better prepared to handle such events. We also can ask our Village leadership to consider our collective environmental impact. That's exactly what we did two weeks ago during a Village Board workshop, which we recap in this week's newsletter.
LEARN
GGGE Co-founder Karin Daly speaking during public comment at the August 18 board workshop.
The Village of Glen Ellyn is in the process of developing a new Strategic Plan to guide priorities and decision-making from 2026 through 2030. Strategic plans provide a long-term framework for aligning Village services, resources, and policies with community needs. Generally, the Village undertakes this process every 5 years, with the last plan being developed for 2020-2025.
You can read more about the process, which commenced in the fall of 2025, on the Village website.
In reviewing the most recent draft of the Village Strategic Plan, Go Green Glen Ellyn noted that there was insufficient consideration of concerns to mitigate the impact of climate related events to village residents’ health, safety and property.
Similar to our review of the Comprehensive Plan in 2023, Go Green Glen Ellyn leadership believes that considerations of environmental sustainability must be part of any long term planning for the Village. Where and how we build roads and buildings, manage stormwater, establish and protect greenspace, cultivate healthy trees, ensure residents have access to clean air and water, create opportunities for pedestrian and bike access, and reduce waste are all things that impact Glen Ellyn residents today and into the future.
We shared our concerns in writing with Village Manager Mark Franz and the Village Board, and we asked for a few considerations to be incorporated into the Strategic Action Plan. We are pleased that the Village took some of our recommendations and added them into the draft plan! Below is the full text of what we shared to the Village. The newly updated plan is only available currently as an attachment in the packet for the August 17th board workshop. We hope it will be added to the Village website soon.
You can also see the presentation we shared with the Village Board here during our 5 minutes of public comment.
In reviewing the most recent draft of the Village Strategic Plan, Go Green Glen Ellyn noted that there was insufficient consideration of concerns to mitigate the impact of climate related events to village residents’ health, safety and property. While the Village must maintain a vibrant workforce and safeguard economic sustainability, Go Green Glen Ellyn recommends that environmental sustainability must be on the table and be part of the Village Staff’s mindset as we think about protecting and enhancing our community’s livelihood for the future.
Ensuring that the Village of Glen Ellyn can weather these increasingly intensive events such as flooding, severe storms, and heat domes, is key to the health and safety of our residents. We present to the Village Board and Staff the following items into the existing draft of the Strategic Plan Action Report which should be directly tied to the Village sustainability plan currently in development.
Foster safe and healthy community through climate resiliency (e.g., Increased tree canopy, Reduced solid waste, Reduced emissions, Increased organics diversion, Reduced turfgrass and increased native plantings
Future Ready Infrastructure Planning while reducing environmental impacts through increased energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, and reduction of onsite combustion (e.g. Reduction in electricity usage, Increased usage of on-site or purchased renewable energy)
Pedestrian friendly, transit oriented and modernized downtown* which supports safety and economic vitality while reducing environmental impacts of transportation *Recommended for all the Village, not just the Downtown (e.g., Reduction in vehicle miles traveled, Increase community walk and bike-ability, Increase public transit commuter ridership, Convert municipal non-emergency response gasoline vehicles and equipment to zero emission vehicles, Increase fuel efficiency of remaining municipal combustion engine fleet, Integrate native plantings into roads and roadways)
DO
Now it's your turn - contact Village leadership and let them know that environmental sustainability is important to you! Why is it important? Maybe you grew up in Glen Ellyn and have fond memories of outdoor adventures. Maybe you have young children you want to be able to bike to school safely. Maybe you recently lost a tree in your yard from a storm.
Here's a suggested email, but feel free to write in your own words!
I support the Village's recent additions of climate resiliency, as well as other actions to reduce our environmental impacts, to the 2026-2030 strategic plan. Environmental sustainability is important to my quality of life in Glen Ellyn because _________________(Insert your reason here)________________________________________.
Additionally, having an overall sustainability plan for the Village of Glen Ellyn is important in order for the Village to take steps to reduce environmental impacts and create a community that is safe and healthy for all residents. I also encourage Village leadership to prioritize finalizing a Village sustainability plan with measurable goals.