Mainstream Newsletter - March 2023

March 7 - Substantial Improvement, Substantial Damage Training at the Lake County Central Permit Facility and virtual via Zoom.

The presentation will include:

• Sample post flood letters
• Discussion of post flood duties, including damage inspections and use of temporary occupancy permits
• Use of the FEMA Substantial Damage Estimator 3.0 software
• Examples of how to complete a permit review for substantial improvement, substantial improvement reviews and substantial damage determinations

If you would like to attend and have not received an email invite, please contact Darcy McNeill dmcneill@lakecountyil.gov or Brian Frank bfrank@lakecountyil.gov. Know someone who would be interested in attending? Share the presentation zoom link provided. 

March 8 SMC will be presenting an overview of the 2022 North Branch Chicago River Watershed-Based Plan Update, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., at the Patty Turner Cener. If you are unable to attend in person, join via Zoom.

March 9 SMC will be presenting an overview of the 2022 Lake Michigan Watershed-Based Plan at the Lake Michigan Watershed-Based Plan Public Information Meeting from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at the Waukegan Public Library, or register to attend via Zoom. 

Not all counties in Lake County are Certified Communities, but that's our goal. The designation allows the local development regulations officer in certified communities to enforce Lake County Watershed Development Ordinance (WDO) standards within their jurisdiction. Every five years the Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) reviews the communities’ ordinance enforcement records and requires re-certification.

Information and Re-Certification packets were mailed to Enforcement Officers, Community Contacts, and Community Chief Elected Officials in January.  The deadline to submit for re-certification is Sept. 30. Please note, communities who do not meet this deadline will be deemed Non-Certified on Oct. 1, 2023.

To learn more and access the Community Re-Certification documents click here. 

Special thanks to all of the event presenters and to those who attended the 2023 Virtual Designated Erosion Control Inspector (DECI) Webinar on February 21. For your reference, all presentations are now available online. If you have questions regarding the webinar or would like to be present at future event, please contact Mea Blauer at iblauer2@lakecountyil.gov or at 847-377-7701.

SMC held WetPro 2.2, a Wetland Professionals Forum on February 10. The event brought regulators, wetland professionals and other interested parties together to discuss wetland issues in an informal way. This was the 12th meeting in a series of WetPro forums which SMC holds about every six months. More than 90 attendees were present. Topics included: Climate Change Effects on Wetlands, Farmed Wetland Determination Process, and a Nationwide Permits Overview.

Do you have a future WetPro forum topic to suggest? Email gwestman@lakecountyil.gov or jcrane@lakecountyil.gov.