The Friends of the Chicago River Planning Committee consists of knowledgeable volunteer professionals from the fields of design, development, construction, planning, engineering, ecology, and marine recreation. The Planning Committee's primary role is to assist Friends' staff in providing guidance for river edge developments.

The Planning Committee has many resources and extensive knowledge of developing on the edge of the river, as well as a thorough understanding of the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development's 2019 River Edge Design Guidelines and the Waterways Ordinance. The Planning Committee meets quarterly, as needed, throughout the year to review and discuss development projects along the Chicago-Calumet River system.

For questions about the Planning Committee, please contact Amy Heldman, Friends' senior planner and GIS manager at aheldman@chicagoriver.org

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Current Members of the Planning Committee

Committee Coordinators

Adam Flickinger, AICP
Planning Director, Friends of the Chicago River

Amy Heldman
Senior Planner & GIS Manager, Friends of the Chicago River 

Committee Volunteer Members

Peter Bator
SpaceCo Inc.

Cathy Breitenbach
Chicago Park District

Grant Crowley
Board Member, Friends of the Chicago River

Tom Honn

Daniel Loewenstein
Board Member, Friends of the Chicago River

Kelly Murphy
MKSK

Jim Mark
Board Member, Friends of the Chicago River, Wight & Co.

Cassandra Rice
Perkins&Will

William Wellington
SmithGroup

Tricia Ruffolo
Cook County

Stephen Schuster
Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C.

Rick Whitney
Fitzgerald Architects

Ryan Christopher Green
Board Member, Friends of the Chicago River, DL3 Realty Advisors Ltd.

Curtis Witek
Curtis Witek Consulting

Natalie Moore
Forest Preserves of Cook County

Wade Splinter
STL Architects

Ethan Appelgren
Hey & Associates

Lakeshia Wright
Guided By Community

Megan Abney