Paul Bednar Planning & Design, Ltd. was established in 2003, specializing in community and municipal planning, environmentally sensitive landscape design & implementation, sensible growth, and neo-traditional planning principles.

Paul is invested in the community, both personally and professionally, and has a strong history of volunteer efforts.  He is a community leader in historic preservation, neighborhood renewal, downtown revitalization, and open space advocacy, and serves on local boards in this capacity.

Paul Bednar graduated in 1981 from the University of Illinois, with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree.  Over the past 25 years, he has worked in the public and private sector, in both design and planning.  He is a registered Landscape Architect in the State of Illinois, a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and a member of the Congress for the New Urbanism.

Paul’s major focus is to help municipalities plan for sensible growth and use design as a tool to create a sense of place.  His goal is to meet the needs of his clients through innovative planning and sensitivity to the community's unique fabric. 

He has 25 years of experience in relating to the residents, commissioners, staff, and business leaders within the community. The end result is a professional plan for a successful transition into the future, whether it’s a city, village, neighborhood, or park/school district.

Services we offer

• Municipal Planning
• Landscape Architecture
• Urban Design
• Site Master Planning
• Comprehensive Planning
• Economic Development Planning
• Grant Writing
• Park Design
• Preservation Planning
• Neighborhood Planning

Staff

Paul Bednar, AICP, RLA, CNU

Paul began his career in 1981 at the Cook County Planning Department, where he prepared environmental studies, created maps and assisted with the CDBG program. 

He later spent five years as a Village Planner in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, where he handled development proposals, zoning issues and design studies, and created numerous zoning code amendments, including a new sign code. 

He also spent thirteen years, including six years as Director of Landplanning, at Burnidge Cassell Associates, a multi-disciplined design firm in Elgin, Illinois.  His duties there included municipal planning consultant services, master planning, overseeing urban design projects and a wide range of landscape plans and recreation/park plans.

Community Service – Paul Bednar

• Fox Valley Land Foundation, Board Member
• Small Town & Rural Planning Steering Committee of the American Planning Association
• Elgin Downtown Neighborhood Association, Design Committee Co-Chairman
• Gifford Park Association in Elgin, Previous President and 15-year Board Member
• Hoffman Estates Planning Commissioner for 6 years
• Elgin METRA Task Force for 4 years
• Downtown Elgin New Century Partnership, Previous Vice President
• Elgin Image Advisory Council, Past Chairman
• Elgin Leadership Academy, Past Steering Committee member
• Youth Sports Coach and Board Member for Elgin Football, Basketball, Baseball

Awards and Recognitions:

• Elgin Mayor’s Awards: 1996, 2000, 2002, 2005
• Elgin Image Awards: 1997, 2000
• ILASLA Merit Award 1995 - Fountain Square Plaza Re-opening, Elgin, IL *
• ILASLA Merit Award 1999 - Lake Zurich Master Plan, Lake Zurich, IL *
• ILAPA 1999 Honorable Mention - Lake Zurich Master Plan, Lake Zurich, IL *
• APWA Project of the Year, Historic Preservation/Restoration 2004 - Lake Zurich Promenade *
  * as project manager for Burnidge Cassell Associates

Jean Bednar

Jean received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Utah in 1986, specializing in creative writing.  Jean’s professional experience includes writing, editing, and desktop publishing, both as a freelancer and as a volunteer.  She is responsible for creating the many presentations and reports the firm prepares for municipal clients.

Community Service – Jean Bednar

• Gifford Park Association Board Member for 15 years
• Larkin Center Cheers for Children Brunch, Committee Member
• Jan Ehrenberg Scholarship Foundation, Member of the Board of Directors
• Gail Borden Public Library Foundation, Member of the Board of Directors
• Gail Borden Public Library Foundation, Co-Chairman, 2005 Dinos on Parade
• Gail Borden Public Library Trustee