Sustainability Action Plan (Adopted 2011)

Sustainability Action Plan

Created by citizen working groups and then adopted by City Council in 2011, the Sustainability Action Plan encompasses nine areas of sustainability. The plan's purpose is to "Improve the quality of life for Elgin citizens to improve its local environment, while making Elgin a more viable and vibrant place to live."
Each area (or recommendation category) of the Sustainability Action Plan provides a number of goals, and each goal has specific, actionable objectives. A total of 107 objectives are included in the plan. Of those objectives nearly a third are education-focused. Other objectives are related things such as policy recommendations, ordinance adoption and incentive programs.

Staff provided a progress report to City Council in 2017, estimating nearly 75% of objectives complete or on-going. 

Sustainability Action Plan Document and Recommendations

Full Planning Document (5 MB download)

  1. 2011 Elgin Sustainability Action Plan

Recommendations by Sustainability Category

  1. Alternative Energy
  2. Economic Development
  3. Green Building Technologies
  4. Green Infrastructure
  5. Healthy Living and Community Education
  6. Recycling and Waste Management
  7. Transportation and Mobility
  8. Urban Design
  9. Water Resources

Progress Reports

  1. 2012 Sustainability Action Plan Implementation Progress Report
  2. 2018 Sustainability Action Plan Implementation Progress Report
Image of a plant showing the nine Sustainability Action Plan Areas of Focus