Beach Management Plan

The Waukegan Beach Management Plan contains implementable recommendations that build on past and current planning efforts and provides guidance for protecting existing natural resources while preserving flexibility for future recreational use on the beach. These recommendations are unique to the needs and interests of the Waukegan community, and are comprehensive through a process of community input and outreach to various partners and resource experts.

The Beach Management Plan will meet the identified needs by providing an outline of desired future beach/dune use, describing where these uses should be and how they will be managed, and outlining maintenance options. The Plan covers the need for permitting and approvals and provides guidelines for how/when these are to be obtained and from which regulatory agency. The goal of the Plan is to protect and manage Waukegan's unique beach and dune resources in a sustainable manner, both environmentally – to protect the natural areas as plant and wildlife habitat, and economically – so the City of Waukegan and partners can continue to maintain the beach moving forward.

Sections of the Management Plan:

  1. Habitat Management. Includes habitat management guidelines for North Beach, and identifies wildlife and plant monitoring and invasive species management needs for beach, dunes, and wetlands.
  2. Sand Management. Includes sand management guidelines for entire beach and nearshore areas (shoal and accretion prevention on North Beach, sand nourishment on South Beach). The sand management section will consider natural dune formation processes and provide management actions to limit dune buildup on South Beach while maintaining healthy dunes in natural areas. This section will provide design strategies to minimize management needs (e.g. sand movement on beach/boardwalks, into harbor).
  3. Beach/Recreational Management. Includes beach management and maintenance guidelines for recreational use of the beach. Consideration will be given to access points that will protect habitat while facilitating recreational beach use.

Downloaded the Beach Management Plan (PDF).