Grundy Reporter

Coal City Planning and Zoning Board met June 17.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

At 6 p.m. on Monday, June 17, 2019, Chairman Georgette Vota called to order the meeting of the Coal City Planning and Zoning Board in the boardroom of the Village Hall. This meeting is a training session conducted by Dan Bolan and Mark Heinle from Ancel, Glink, Diamond, et all, the Village's attorneys. Roll call Members Maria Lewis, Jill Breneman, Richard Crotteau, John Hawkinson, Irving DeWald and Amanda Burns.

The presenters began the training session with discussion concerning signs. The Village has codes regarding signage and the discussion included: 

SIGNAGE:

• Subject matter-"Protected Speech"

• Sign Regulations

Placement/setbacks/Right-of-way Color Lighting/Brightness/Glare On Premises/Off Premises Construction material Size

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• TIF District

“Tax Increment Financing" Baseline Assessment Value Increment increase for 23 years-investment will raise the assessed value of property Helps to avoid blithe

• Enterprise Zone

Tax incentive Economic Development vehicle Encourages development

NONCONFORMITIES

• Legal nonconformities

Grand-fathered properties Occurred before codes were established

• Coal City Village Codes include:

1. Active nonconformities 

2. Standard nonconformities 

3. Design nonconformities Cannot expand a nonconformity use in an active nonconformity Discontinuance of an active nonconformity

1. Specify a specific time frame (i.e. 6 months to comply 

2. Make revisions to 156.29 2(G1) OPEN MEETINGS ACT & FOIA

• Open Meetings

1. Discussion of public business 

2. Open forum meeting-transparency in government 

3. Required training for board members with the Illinois Public Access Office-Certificates on File 

4. Minutes and Recordings 

5. Public Comment offered at every meeting

6. Closed sessions, tape destruction

• FOIA

1. Freedom of Information Act-access to public records 

2. 5-day response time 

3. Longer response time for commercial requests 

4. Exceptions to the requests explained 

5. FOIA Officer respond to the requests/completion Of FOIA training

STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTEREST

• Required to be filed yearly with the County Clerk by all Village Officials

RECREATIONAL CANNABIS

• Lawful use & sale of recreational cannabis by adults after Jan 1, 2020; if Illinois Governor signs the bill

• Cannabis lounges/dispensaries

• Regulations differ between medical marijuana and recreational marijuana

• "opt-out" option prohibiting or limiting cannabis business-cultivation centers, growers, transportation & distribution centers

• Regulating the cannabis business

1. Zoning ordinances 2. Special use permits 3. Distance perimeters 4. Limited businesses 5. Hours of operation

Lewis moved to adjourn at 8:07 p.m., second by Burns. All signified by saying aye. No one opposed. Motion carried. 

The Board thanked the attorneys for the informative training.

https://coalcity-il.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/PZ-Minutes-06-17-19.pdf