The Barrington Hills village board denounced the Longmeadow Parkway project at its meeting Monday night, saying the proposed four-lane tollway would harm residents and burden taxpayers during difficult financial times.
Trustee Brian Croll acknowledged that the board’s opposition to Kane County’s plan, which has been discussed since the 1990s, may be too late. But Croll said he felt it was important to raise concerns that he heard from Barrington Hills residents.
Read more from the Daily Herald here.
The reporter makes no mention of Trustee Brian Cecola who worked on this LMP resolution and introduced it last night for approval by the BOT. Thanks Brian and thanks to all the board members for approving this crucial resolution unanimously!
Unanimous because Fritz Gohl was not in attendance. He stated on the record his support of Long Meadow Parkway so as not to go back on a deal made by prior administration with the Village of Algonquin. Residents should know what the Village traded for in order to support LMP. Don’t we deserve to understand the value we gained for the deal with an honest answer?
The damage Bobby and Fritz and the the gang did to this village is incalculable!!! It will take years before all of the ramifications of their actions will be fully understood and absorbed.
For the record:
MCHENRY COUNTY BOARD
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION MEETING
SEPTEMBER 06, 2005
Chairman of the Board – Kenneth Koehler (District 2)
Joint Regional Planning – Algonquin/Barrington Hills
John Schmitt, Village of Algonquin President and Robert Abboud, Village President of Barrington Hills are here to speak to the board.
Mr. Abboud spoke about the Boltz Road bridge project, Barrington Hills efforts to update its comprehensive plan and the large scale development planning of the two properties owned by Texas developer, Fritz Duda, which are within the planning jurisdiction of Barrington Hills and adjoin Algonquin.
Mr. Abboud said Barrington Hills supports the Boltz Road project as it will improve traffic patterns in Barrington Hills as well as helping the county develop economically. He added that during the coming months he will be discussing regional traffic issues with Fox River Grove, Cary, Crystal Lake and Algonquin to further enhance the understanding of the issues and solution strategies that are needed.
Barrington Hills has taken an extensive effort to update their comprehensive plan which is about 50% done and will take about four more months to complete. The work is being overseen by their planning commission and executed by Teska and Associates.
Lastly Mr. Abboud talked about the Fritz Duda property development. Because of the critical impact to the surrounding property owners, Barrington Hills has executed a detailed planning effort as part of their comprehensive plan update. A handout was given showing their proposal for this property. He said that Algonquin and Barrington Hills are in agreement with this plan.
Mr. Schmitt, Village President of Algonquin said that Algonquin is not directly involved with this property, they are bystanders. His concern is about having border agreements with adjoining communities so that there are not external developers coming in and dictating to them where they will go if you don’t agree with their plans. Border agreements are very important and Mr. Schmitt highly encourages them. Mr. Robert Kozen and Mr. Lee Brown of Teska and Associates spoke about the proposed plan that they have come up with for this property. Copies of the plan were handed out to board members. This property consists of about 360 acres. The 86 lots on this conceptual site plan are not less than 3.5 acres and will have individual septic systems. Mr. Brown said this discussion is about a planning issue not a site development issue. It is about allowing the property to be developed in the best way that will protect the natural resources that exist on the property.
The board asked questions about the proposed roads in the development as well as about the open spaces and whether a home owners association would be involved. Mr. Abboud responded to questions in lengthy detail as it pertains to the history of what Barrington Hills has done since 1957. Mr. Moy asked if this was the first time Barrington Hills has taken a piece of property and developed a land plan for it. Mr. Abboud said no that they are actually working in Cook County regarding a large piece of land around Rt. 59 and Rt. 72 which is a difficult area for Barrington Hills right now. They have a significant commercial development plan for those properties for the Barrington Hills part as well as the Cook County part, much of which is Cook County Forest Preserve. Barrington Hills is looking to Cook County to extend the boundaries out towards Rt. 72 and Rt. 59 and Barrington Hills would pick up approximately another 1,500 acres to add to their 8,500 acres of forest preserve. The property not owned by Cook County is owned by private landowners and Barrington Hills is working with those land owners on that property. Through the Development Commission which Mr. Abboud established they are working with landowners who own large parcels of property on how, if at all, the landowners wish to develop the property and how it will fit in with the plan of Barrington Hills? Mr. Moy said he has a problem with the fact that Barrington Hills has gone ahead and used tax payer money to create a plan for somebody’s piece of property. Mr. Abboud said they do not intend to usurp individual property rights but want to work with property owners. Mr. Brewer said he found it disconcerting that Mr. Abboud would come to the board about joint planning and show that they have planned one private party’s land
APPROVED: 9.20.05 2
McHenry County Board Regular Session
Tuesday September 6, 2005
Page: 3
which is outside the limits of Barrington Hills. He said it is one thing to do a comprehensive plan and to try to get all developers, commercial and residential, to conform as closely as possible to that, but to come in and use tax payer dollars on a concept plan for one piece of property is disconcerting. He felt that this should be worked out with the Duda people not with this board.
Mr. Abboud said in regard to using tax payer dollars there is a substantial precedent in Illinois for the use of tax payer dollars for very specific planning and development in terms of both protecting the value of the existing residents and also to assist the individual property owner whose owner is covered under the development plan. He said Barrington Hills has made a substantial number of offers to the Fritz Duda Company and they are happy to negotiate with them. They have elected not to come to the table.
Chairman Koehler thanked Mr. Abboud and Mr. Schmitt for coming in today.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Chairman Koehler explained the rules of public participation. The following person spoke:
Donald Dann of Highland Park against TNR Feral Cat Program
Mr. Dann left copies of his statement for the board. Noting no one else wishing to speak, Chairman Koehler closed this part of the meeting.
McHenry County Board Regular Session
Tuesday September 6, 2005
Page: 4
Sue Low
Thank you Historian!
And there it is folks, why VBH never objected too let alone participate on the LMP Advisory Board concerning where the Eastern portion of the LMP terminus would be situated . . . . .
In the McHenry County Board minutes I believe the real estate former VBH Pres. is referencing is the Iaterola property at 72 and 59 which disconnected from VBH and will cost in time VBH taxpayers Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in lost real estate and sales tax revenue when developed while forever exposing VBH Southern border to development creep. This former VBH Pres. characterizes as local government and property owners working together on land planning . . . .
Some are of the opinion the motive behind former VBH Pres. spending more than 1 Million Dollars of VBH taxpayer money on Sears litigation recklessly exposing VBH to an 18 Million Dollar counterclaim by Sears developer (which had it been successful would have bankrupted VBH) was the Iaterola property. This potential liability to VBH taxpayers former VBH Pres. and BOT kept secret from you and me. [Entire Sears lawsuit settled with no further expense to VBH taxpayers by Pres. McLaughlin only a few months after taking oath of office]
The destruction wreaked upon Coal City and Sublette Illinois yesterday took about 17 minutes and will in time be repaired. The destruction wreaked upon VBH by the misguided decisions of former VBH Pres. over an 8 year period has left a permanent wake of destruction in VBH in part taking the form of the LMP exiting onto Algonquin Road in VBH.
I’ll take my chances on a tornado or two any day over the deceptive style and reckless decision making by former VBH Pres. and his cronies.
Does anyone in this village realize the debt we owe to Mr. Stieper for his visionary oversight of the foibles of living in paradise? He has expended numerous hours overseeing the many “mistakes” (that have cost us dearly) made by the former administration.
All I can say is, a heart felt thank you, Dave!
Thanks Historian…..reading the former VBH President’s words caused a sharp pain in my brain as I imagined his pompous, “I know everything”, droning, long and tenuous style.
Secondly, thanks Mr. Stieper for your spot on “behind the scenes reality” that only a few of us saw. Former VBH President’s “Save 5 Acres” made him a white knight to many gullible voters. In reality, his shenanigans were all about his large ego and not for the health of our tax base.
We all need to admit the obvious and move on…especially Mr. Gohl.