An upcoming APA-IL Conference presentation explores Boone County’s joint preparation of a comprehensive plan and UDO. This presentation will be useful for anyone interested in development in counties with significant rural areas or at the intersection of urban development and rural preservation.
On Oct. 10, 2025, at 9:15 a.m., CGS Senior Research Associate Mim Evans will be part of a team presenting “Balancing Preservation and Development.”
Mim will collaborate with Boone County Land Planner Jessica Roberts and consultants Todd Vanadilok (Egret and Ox Planning), Jake Seid (Sightline Planning and Zoning) and Stephanie Brown (Chastain & Associates) to share what the team learned from the process of completing their recent comprehensive plan and unified development ordinance for Boone County.
This county-focused presentation is unique in this year’s APA-Il conference program. Here are some of the top reasons it’s worth checking out!
• County-level perspective: Most presentations focus on municipal planning. But for rural counties, in particular, a county-level view is essential for thoughtful development.
• Municipal-county collaboration: One of the most valuable results of the county comprehensive plan was how the process brought together county officials with leaders from the county’s different communities and other taxing jurisdictions. County and municipal plans are most successful when they work together instead of at odds!
• Balancing urban and rural needs: Even a rural county such as Boone has urban areas and heavy industry. How can counties balance the traditional farming economy with the development of industry? Or the desires of rural residents with those of more suburban residents who expect higher levels of services and amenities?
• Balancing growth with conservation: Residents in rural counties value economic growth. But they also value conservation of the forests, prairies and farmland that make rural living special. Finding the right balance is essential for county planning.
• County land-use jurisdiction and annexation: Counties contain many jurisdictions – from cities and townships to special interest districts. The process of getting all those jurisdictions into one map and all those stakeholders into conversation is essential to moving county development and municipal annexation from haphazard to intentional.
• County UDO development: Housing, industry, solar/wind, noise and event ordinances… a lot must be considered in a County Unified Development ordinance. Learn how one county handled these sensitive issues.
Whether you’re a city or county planner or might like to work at the intersection of urban and rural in the future, this presentation will have something for you.
Don’t miss it!
Oct. 10
9:15-10:15 a.m.
APA-IL Breakout Session
The Platform – Union North
