Resident Advisory Groups Are a Cornerstone of Community Engagement in Lake Forest

By David A. F. Sweet

When plans were under review for the new Lake Forest Police Station, one key observation helped improve the design: the building’s main staircase was too small for the two-story flow of daily police operations. The solution? An internal staircase and elevator to ease movement and avoid bottlenecks.

This idea didn’t come from the project’s architects – it came from longtime Lake Forest resident Steve Wright. As a volunteer member of a City Manager Advisory Group, Wright brought valuable insights like this to the table — and as the original architect of the office building at 1925 Field Court, he had a unique perspective on the space now being retrofitted into the new station.

A look at the design of Lake Forest's new police station.

“I truly believe advisory groups are extremely helpful tools in achieving the best outcomes for both the project and the City as a whole,” said Wright.

Lake Forest has a long tradition of involving residents in public decision-making through its Boards and Commissions. Additionally, Lake Forest has embraced the practice of appointing short-term advisory groups – teams of highly qualified volunteers who lend their expertise to help guide large capital projects and long-term planning initiatives. These residents, often professionals in architecture, engineering, development, planning, or urban design, provide practical insight, challenge assumptions, and offer solutions.

The advisory groups do not have any decision-making authority but rather offer constructive criticism, most often during the early stages of a project. After the groups complete their work, projects are forwarded to Boards, Commissions and the City Council for consideration through the formal public review process.

Since becoming City Manager in 2019, Jason Wicha has been a consistent advocate for advisory groups as a way to ground projects and initiatives in community perspectives.

“These groups provide recommendations to help achieve the best possible outcomes on major projects,” Wicha said. “Their members always have a deep understanding of the character of Lake Forest and are committed to the most advantageous long-term outcome.”

The result is a smarter, more responsive local government – one where community expertise becomes community impact. This emphasis on meaningful public involvement is also a priority in the City’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, which underscores community engagement as essential to shaping Lake Forest’s future.

Most recently, advisory groups were formed to advise staff and the City’s consultants on the new Police Station, the Deerpath Park Athletic Field project, the Deerpath Streetscape Improvement initiative, the Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Campus redevelopment, and the Comprehensive Plan updates for various chapters, including the Central Business District, Waukegan Road Business District, and the Route 60 Corridor. Currently, an advisory group is supporting the final phase of the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan update.

“The idea is to get people from the community to observe what the staff is coming up with, and offer their perspective and expertise,” said former Alderman Jed Morris, who chaired the police station advisory group. “It’s a useful technique during a capital project – it gives it more credibility. It’s a healthy way to ensure the community gets what we need, but not more than we need.”

Longtime developer Bob Shaw, who has contributed to four advisory groups since 2010, sees the approach as a smart extension of Lake Forest’s civic spirit.

“While our City Boards and Commissions are focused on near-term planning and operational oversight, these committees can harness a range of professional expertise focused on one-off special projects and initiatives,” Shaw said. “With our community’s volunteer culture, I believe almost any resident will respond to a short-term task.”

Aside from adding expertise, the advisory groups can help the City identify creative solutions. In the case of the Police Station, one early design called for placing the tactical firing range in the building’s basement/ parking garage. An advisory group member pointed out that a lot of soundproofing would be needed; a further concern was digging in the area to help install soundproofing might be troublesome with a water table nearby. Hearing this, Alderman Rich Walther – himself a veteran engineer – suggested an innovative, less expensive solution for the firing range. He suggested putting it below the exterior Sally Port (a secure area to transport prisoners) and extending the ramps, improving the range’s aesthetics and functionality.

“This thoughtful design addresses key concerns by reducing noise and vibration, preserving proper ceiling height and range length, and enabling vehicles to drive over the range roof to access the Sally Port safely and efficiently,” said Chief of Police John Burke.

Wright emphasized it takes both the advisory group and a willing and thoughtful design partner to make this process work.

“The design team did a fine job in the overall planning of the new police station, and this was a refinement that they embraced in that collaborative spirit,” Wright said. “Not all designers would have been as accepting of outside suggestions.”

And the impact of these groups extends well beyond just the police station. The Deerpath Streetscape Advisory Committee directly influenced the final design of the major improvement project currently under construction.

“Throughout numerous discussions, the City worked with the community to ensure concerns were thoughtfully addressed, including the impact on sightlines to significant historic buildings,” said Marcy Kerr, who represented the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation on the Advisory Committee.

As an advisory group veteran, Shaw said all the ones he has participated in have provided valuable input to the City Council and City staff. But the new police building stands out.

“The Police Department, Public Works, Finance, Community Development and the architects interacted directly with the advisory group to address multiple space layout options,” he noted. “This has been an outstanding problem-solving endeavor.”

Find the latest information on the new police station project at cityoflakeforest.com/PoliceStation. The illustration in this article was designed by our Graphic Design Intern Kimberly Garcia.