DeKalb County Community Development Department to continue helping Maple Park

MAPLE PARK – The relationship between the village of Maple Park and the DeKalb County Community Development Department has been a successful one for the past 12 years.

Derek Hiland, community development director for DeKalb County, hopes to maintain that relationship and hopefully even see it grow as the county’s needs continue to evolve. He made a presentation at the village of Maple Park’s monthly meeting April 3.

“I went mainly to introduce myself and share the importance of the village’s involvement in DeKalb County’s Regional Plan Commission,” he said. “They have been an integral community partner since 2005, and it is my hope they continue to do so.”

Hiland heads a department whose primary responsibility is to help direct and manage growth and land use changes in DeKalb County. His department is able to assist in such management through the interpretation, application and enforcement of DeKalb County’s unified comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, building codes and storm water management regulations.

“Planning extends beyond the boundaries of corporate limits,” he said. “The RPC provides a format for communication and creation of policies on other regional issues from its partner communities.”

Maple Park Village Clerk Elizabeth Peerboom is one of 14 representatives, from the aforementioned number of municipalities, who serves on the DeKalb County RPC.

Hiland provided an update about some of the items covered the last time the RPC met in February, which included water tower maintenance, a local guide about drinking water and a discussion about new retail, commercial, industrial and residential development projects, among other topics.

Significant agenda items for the next five years include animal control regulations, concealed carry law, intergovernmental agreements and medical marijuana regulations.

Also at the April 3 meeting, the Village Board approved its annual budget for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2018, and ending April 30, 2019.