The State of Illinois has legislated planning at the regional level to manage each region's agricultural, environmental, and cultural legacy through the Local Legacy Act. With its significant legacy resources, A few counties has been selected for a pilot project in developing Legacy Plans.

Two innovations in plan-making are proposed in this project:
- first, developing a searchable database of the content of existing plans and regulations;
- second, creating sophisticated simulations of future land-use change in the region under different scenarios.

Furthermore, the project will leverage local knowledge and existing planning initiatives in a cooperative effort.