Grundy Reporter

Village of Channahon Board of Trustees met Feb. 19.

Here is the minutes provided by the Board:

Village President Missey Moorman Schumacher called the meeting to order at 7:59 p.m. and led the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll call was taken with Trustees Greco, Host, Perinar, McMillin and Slocum present. Trustee Scaggs was absent.

Also present were Village Administrator Thomas Durkin, Director of Community Development and Information Systems Mike Petrick, Finance Director Heather Wagonblott, Director of Public Works Ed Dolezal, Chief of Police Shane Casey, Village Attorney Jean Kenol and Village Clerk Kristin Hall.

VP Moorman Schumacher informed everyone present that the meeting was being recorded and anyone speaking at the meeting deems his/her consent to the recording of their likeness and speech.

CITIZEN/SPECIAL REQUESTS/PUBLIC HEARING Public Hearing – Annexation Agreement with Ridgeline Property Group

Trustee Slocum made a motion to open Public Hearing for an Annexation Agreement with Ridgeline Property Group at 8:02 p.m. Seconded by Trustee Perinar. ROLL CALL AYES: Greco, Host, McMillin, Perinar and Slocum.

NAYS: NONE MOTION CARRIED

Petrick stated the property was formerly known as “Karis”, Ridgeline Property Group is the current owner and applicant. He stated along with the annexation agreement there is a change in zoning, a special use permit request for a planned unit development and a approval of plat, so he will talk about those all at once. He stated the location of the property is east of the new South Frontage Road, not directly next to Pilot but directly across the new Frontage Road from Pilot. He stated it is approximately 28 acres to be annexed and zoned I-1 for Limited Manufacturing District. He stated this would allow construction of a 440,000 square foot light industrial building. He stated the development will pay a minimum of $204,739 to the Village of Channahon towards the traffic signal at East Frontage Road and U.S. Route 6, approximately 11.7% of the estimated signal cost. He further stated the developer will pay recapture to the “Venture One water loop” and thus repaying the taxing bodies the applicable portions through the previously approved Venture One agreement. He also stated that the developer will extend 12’ water main from the “Venture One water loop” providing access to water services for the businesses and properties located on the south side of U.S. Route 6 and a stub for future extensions to vacant property north of U.S. Route 6. He stated that there are no incentives or tax abatements in this agreement and they have not been requested. He stated the Planning & Zoning Commission held a public hearing on January 8, 2018 and recommends approval with the addition of a solid barrier for noise control purposes along the south side of Manor Lane. He stated that traffic projections from the site were already included in the Traffic Impact Study completed by Venture One and submitted to IDOT. He further stated that these traffic counts resulted in IDOT approving the construction of a traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. Route 6 and the Southeast Frontage Road.

Durkin stated this was also included because at the time Karis was in front of the Board requesting approval and that’s why those numbers were included, which justified the need for a traffic signal.

Petrick stated the projected site originally appeared before the Board as Karis. He stated the Board held concept review for this plan at its December 19, 2016 meeting. He stated at the meeting, the primary focus of discussion was the potential for trucks making left turns from the site. He further stated the Board advised that the site design should create the least possible impact to U.S. Route 6. He stated the new configuration of U.S. Route 6 and the Frontage Roads and the Village’s work to complete a signalized intersection has mitigated those potential impacts, with the site accessing the new Frontage Road and not U.S. Route 6. He stated that the Ridgeline Property Group has been in the picture since summer of 2017.

Petrick then presented slides for the proposed Ridgeline Property Group to the Board.

Pete Harmon, representative of Ridgeline Property Group, stated that Chicago has about 1.3 billion square feet of industrial product and the modern product is about 600 million square feet. He stated if you look at Minooka, Romeoville, Bolingbrook we are seeing a new wave of buildings. He stated that when a 1 million square foot building goes empty, you really think about that. His premise is to have smaller buildings; they just finished a smaller building in Crest Hill. He stated these buildings are full, with good tenants. He stated that the proposed building could be broken out into 4 tenants, but if it is subdivided, it will likely be 2 or 3 tenants. He stated he feels good about the proposed site and stated there are about 1.2 million dollars in improvements all without incentives or abatements. He stated they are passionate about coming to this community.

Trustee Perinar asked what the size of the Venture One buildings was that were previously approved.

Petrick stated the current Venture One building under construction is just over 1 million square feet. He stated the next one that would be directly east of that was slightly larger or a combination of two buildings, approximately 1.2 million square feet and then to the north side you have an even larger building possible, approximately 1.3 million square feet.

Trustee Perinar expressed her concern is the Village has approved three large buildings that still can be divided. She stated that by passing this project we could take possible business away from the ones we previously approved.

VP Moorman Schumacher stated that’s on the business, the Village doesn’t need to fill them. She stated the taxing bodies would still be receiving the property taxes.

Durkin stated the Venture One project is building a single building first and work on leasing that before building a second building begins construction. He stated that they recognize this as a strong market and believe that they will not have a problem filling the space. That is why they made the investment in the area.

Mr. Harmon stated if you look at the southeast market, roughly 65 million square feet spanning from I-355, Romeoville, Woodridge down to I-55 and I-80; the vacancy rate of what we are putting up is less than 3%. He stated that there must be something there and they have been the beneficiaries of it. He said they have found that this is the niche, we don’t want to compete with them the types of building constructed at the Crossroads 55 development. He stated it’s like having a duplex or a single family home.

Trustee Perinar expressed concerns regarding the potential truck traffic, which residents are concerned with as well.

VP Moorman Schumacher stated that the trucks are here, regardless. She stated that we have to do what we can to get the improvements needed because we can’t stop them from being here. She stated that the Village doesn’t have the ability to fix the big picture; the Village has to do what we can.

Trustee Slocum stated he doesn’t know if the residents care about the trucks coming and let’s do what we can to control what’s in our Village. He stated we can control what we approve to put up. He asked how tall the proposed Ridgeline building would be.

Mr. Harmon stated 44 feet to the top.

Trustee Slocum stated there are three main ways to get into Channahon. He stated this is the first thing you are going to see when you come in from the east and while it may not be as big as the one down the road, but this is half the size and it sits literally on U.S. Route 6. He expressed concerns about the east side of Channahon but this warehouse is going to be all they see. He feels like it’s going to dominate the landscape and if any retail will want to go into the north.

Mr. Harmon also spoke about the solid barrier wall to provide noise reduction to the residents of Manor Lane. He stated they are still looking into what the best solution is for that.

Trustee Slocum stated there are some studies that say the sound walls make more noise than if they weren’t there. He stated the residents will hear noise.

Jerry Smith, resident of Manor Lane in Channahon, stated the trailers will not make any noises it’s the vehicles that are moving them around. He is concerned about the traffic coming around the north, specifically if there will be trucks and trailers.

Mr. Harmon stated there may be some trucks and trailers potentially going around the north side of the building but not as many as there will be on U.S. Route 6. He stated that most of the traffic, approximately 80%, will be coming out to the southwest corner of the building. He stated the north side of the building is all car parking.

Craig Coffey, resident of Channahon, stated he moved here two years ago. He stated he came from Romeoville before there was anything else. He stated you couldn’t pay him enough to sit at any light on Weber Road. He stated within the last year, it is like Weber Road. He stated he has been pinned in his subdivision for a 1⁄2 hour due to construction. He stated there are semi trucks coming into the neighborhoods and construction workers parking on the streets. He stated on a building this size you may get 55 workers in there, probably from staffing agencies in Joliet. He stated there is a lot of potential already for problems; due we need to add more?

VP Moorman Schumacher stated this is the last piece over here as everything else has already been approved. She stated the construction, as inconvenient as it is, is a temporary thing. She stated that the construction has to happen for the improvements to happen. She asked if we didn’t do the development how would the improvements be made.

Mr. Coffey stated we wouldn’t need the improvements.

VP Moorman Schumacher stated we would need the improvements because the trucks are here, with warehouses outside of the Village limits and I-55 and I-80 being here, along with US Route 6.

Mr. Coffey stated we don’t need to add any more warehouses to it. He realizes the construction will clear up but he wants to know if the Village can handle all of the traffic with adding another building.

Trustee Slocum made a motion to close Public Hearing for an Annexation Agreement with Ridgeline Property Group at 8:58 p.m. Seconded by Trustee Greco. ROLL CALL AYES: Greco, Host, McMillin, Perinar and Slocum.

NAYS: NONE MOTION CARRIED

PUBLIC COMMENT

CONSENT AGENDA

A. Consider Approval – Minutes – Committee – February 5, 2018 B. Consider Approval – Minutes – Board – February 5, 2018 C. Consider Approval – Minutes – Executive Session – February 5, 2018 D. Consider Approval – A Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Settlement Agreement and Release E. Approve Payment of Bills List of February 19, 2018 for $245,398.07 F. Approve Payment of Net Payroll Expenses for the two week period ending February 11, 2018 for $122,665.62

Trustee Greco made a motion to approve the consent agenda as read. Seconded by Trustee Perinar. ROLL CALL AYES: Greco, Host, McMillin, Perinar and Slocum.

NAYS: NONE MOTION CARRIED

REPORTS & COMMUNICATIONS FROM VILLAGE OFFICIALS

A. VILLAGE PRESIDENT

VP Moorman Schumacher reminded residents that the State of the Village Address will be held Wednesday, March 7th at the Four Rivers Environmental Center.

B. VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR An Ordinance Approving Addendum No. 3 to an Intergovernmental Cooperative Planning and Boundary Agreement between the City of Joliet and the Village of Channahon

Trustee Slocum made a motion to waive second read and approve An Ordinance Approving Addendum No. 3 to an Intergovernmental Cooperative Planning and Boundary Agreement between the City of Joliet and the Village of Channahon. Seconded by Trustee Greco. ROLL CALL AYES: Greco, Host, McMillin, Perinar and Slocum.

NAYS: NONE MOTION CARRIED

A Resolution Approving the Intergovernmental Agreement with Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

Trustee Slocum made a motion to approve A Resolution Approving the Intergovernmental Agreement with Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Seconded by Trustee Perinar. ROLL CALL AYES: Greco, Host, McMillin, Perinar and Slocum.

NAYS: NONE MOTION CARRIED

Durkin stated that the monthly report was attached if the Board had any questions.

C. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & INFORMATION A Resolution Entering into an Agreement with BRT Outdoor, LLC for the Installation of a Village Monument Sign

Trustee Perinar made a motion to table A Resolution Entering into an Agreement with BRT Outdoor, LLC for the Installation of a Village Monument Sign. Seconded by Trustee Slocum. ROLL CALL AYES: Greco, Host, McMillin, Perinar and Slocum.

NAYS: NONE MOTION CARRIED

Petrick stated that the monthly report was attached if the Board had any questions. We have issued 16 new housing construction permits for the year.

D. FINANCE DEPARTMENT A Resolution Authorizing the Dissolution of the Odor Alert Network

Trustee Perinar made a motion to approve A Resolution Authorizing the Dissolution of the Odor Alert Network. Seconded by Trustee Host. ROLL CALL AYES: Greco, Host, McMillin, Perinar and Slocum.

NAYS: NONE MOTION CARRIED

Consider Approval – An Ordinance Establishing an Administrative Procedure for Assessing and Determining Claims under PSEBA – 1st Read

Wagonblott stated Trustee Host has some questions for the Village Attorney, so this will be brought back at the next meeting and the monthly report was attached if the Board had any questions.

E. POLICE DEPARTMENT Casey stated he the monthly report was attached if the Board had any questions.

F. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Dolezal stated he the monthly report was attached if the Board had any questions.

G. VILLAGE ATTORNEY Attorney Jean Kenol stated he had nothing to report.

COMMITTEE REPORTS Trustee Sam Greco - Finance/Human Resources – No report.

Trustee Patricia Perinar – Community & Legislative Affairs - No report.

Trustee Chantal Host – Public Safety/Emergency Support Trustee Host stated as part of the on-site assessment that is going on the community is invited to offer comments by calling (815) 467-5142 on February 20th between the hours of 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. She also stated that Finance Director Wagonblott had found a discrepancy in a bill which saved the Village from paying more money than we owed.

Trustee Scott McMillin – Public Works and Facility – No Report.

Trustee Mark Scaggs – Community Development – Absent

Trustee Scott Slocum – Technology/Community Image/Code Enforcement - No Report.

OLD BUSINESS

NEW BUSINESS

EXECUTIVE SESSION

ADJOURNMENT Trustee Slocum made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:05 p.m. Seconded by Trustee Greco. VERBAL ROLL CALL: ALL AYES MOTION CARRIED

http://files.channahon.org/public/BOARD_MTG/Minutes/2018/2018.2.19%20Board%20Minutes.pdf