Scenarios

Reference

The reference scenario illustrates the land use changes expected if current policies continue unchanged to 2030.

ETJ (1.5mi)

The Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction scenario illustrates potential development patterns resulting from limiting new growth to within a one-and-a-half mile ETJ buffer around municipalities.

Green Infrastructure

The green infrastructure scenario limits development in areas as defined by the Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Vision plan and by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Natural History Survey Green Infrastructure methodology.

Ag Pres Dist

Agricultural Preservation Districts are derived from National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)'s STATSGO soil and designated as no-growth areas.

40 Acre Ag Zoning

This scenario limits development to 40 acre blocks in areas identified as prime agricultural lands (as defined in Ag Districts scenario). Once any cell within a 40-acre block is developed, that block is closed to further development.

Compact Contiguous Growth

This strategy examines the use of dynamic boundaries as a means of guiding development in McHenry County and encouraging compact and contiguous growth. The boundaries are used to encourage compact and contiguous growth by requiring development to occur within a defined area before other vacant or developable areas in the County. Areas inside the boundary are made more attractive for urban development while restricting development outside of the boundary.

Groundwater Protection

In this scenario a mask of groundwater recharge areas based on permeability, class III groundwater recharge areas and potential for aquifer contamination is created; the undeveloped areas are designated as no-growth.

Short-term Transportation Projects

This scenario projects the changes in development patterns resulting from short term road projects (those being completed by 2012) identified in the McHenry County 2020 Long Range Transportation plan.

Financially Const Trans Projects

This scenario projects the changes in development patterns resulting from road projects identified as 'fiscally constrained' in the McHenry County 2020 Long Range Transportation plan.

23/90 Interchange

This scenario projects the impact of a new interchange at Route 23 and I-90 on development patterns in McHenry County.

I-53 Ext

This scenario projects the impacts of an extension of I-53 to Rt 120 in Lake County on residential and commercial development patterns in McHenry County.

Land Evaluation Districts

In this scenario, Agricultural Districts are determined by areas with a Land Evaluation (LE) score of 80 or above.

Employment Opportunities

This scenario assumes that some percentage of current commuters that work outside the Co. can find local jobs.

Business Parks

This scenario identifies potential Business Park locations in the County and increases their relative attractiveness.

TOD

In this scenario, an accessibility network of 1/2 mile is assigned to new and existing transit stations. Areas within these networks are considered redevelopment zones, meaning that they are open to redevelopment and increases in density. The results of this scenario project the impacts of Transit-Oriented Development on development patterns in McHenry County.

Conserv Ordin

This simulation identifies the areas subject to the automatic and cumulative trigger requirements of the McHenry County Conservation Design Addendum. The automatic and cumulative triggers are separated in order to illustrate how each set of parameters interact with the county. To see information on the specific data layers in each SimView, please click on the of the corresponding layer in the navigation bar on the left.

Class III Groundwater Scenario