Ottawa Comprehensive Plan Wins State Award in Chicago

An Illinois Valley city’s flood plan is earning them statewide recognition in addition to helping keep them dry.

The 2016 State Conference was recently held for Illinois’ chapter of the American Planning Association. A number of awards were given out at the event, and Ottawa is bringing one back to the valley.

Mayor Bob Eschbach accepted the Daniel Burnham Award for Outstanding Comprehensive Plan. The award honored the work the city had put into revamping the Ottawa Comprehensive Plan, which looked to minimize flood impacts as well as improve stormwater management, among other things.

The plan was funded by a $100,000 federal flood recovery grand that had been given to the city by the State of Illinois.