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After being rejected in Naperville, company could build data center in Hoffman Estates

Posted in AI, BACOG, Daily Herald, Data Center, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Plum Farm development, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, School Districts, Sears, South Barrington on June 1, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Hoffman Estates plan commissions Wednesday will hear will hear a request to rezone to manufacturing the 186-acre Plum Parms property northwest of Higgins Road and Route 59, potentially a third data center campus in the village. This view looks south towards Higgins Road, with Old Sutton Road at the center of the image. | Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com

By Eric Peterson | Daily Herald

A company that saw its plans for a Naperville data center rejected in January is now looking to rezone the 186-acre Plum Farms property in Hoffman Estates.

The village’s plan commission will hear the rezoning request Wednesday.

Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod announced at his state of the village address in February 2025 that Florida-based Karis Critical had bought the property at Higgins Road and Route 59 with an interest in developing the village’s third data center campus.

Now doing business as H.E. Holdings LLC, the property owner is currently only asking for a rezoning from the vacant site’s commercial mixed-use and traditional neighborhood classifications to manufacturing.

If the rezoning is approved, the owner plans to contract with a developer for a detailed proposal.

This news has sparked opposition from residents in nearby Barrington Hills. They have sent letters to the plan commissioners and to state representative Martin McLaughlin, a former Barrington Hills village president.

Article continues here.

Related: “South Barrington Mayor Paula McCombie posts information regarding June 3 Hoffman Estates (Plum Farms) Plan Commission meeting,” “(Plum Farms) NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 3,” “Hoffman Estates could see third data center campus with sale of Plum Farms property,” “Hoffman Estates approves sewer, water for development of 185 acres west of The Arboretum,” “Hoffman Estates approves tax incentive at routes 59, 72,” “District 220 lawsuit against Hoffman Estates, Plum Farms developers dismissed,” “South Barrington residents sue over Hoffman Estates development,” “Editorial: Listen to agencies that would feel consequences of Hoffman Estates development”

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Photo Gallery: Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Hersey, Wheeling and Glenbard West graduation ceremonies

Posted in Barrington High School, Daily Herald on May 31, 2026| Leave a Comment »

By Paul Valade | Daily Herald

Barrington High School senior Celia Shaheen, right, takes a photo of fellow graduates before their commencement ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2026 at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington. | Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com

Barrington High School held its graduation ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2026 at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com

Barrington High School held its graduation ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2026 at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com

Barrington High School held its graduation ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2026 at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com

Find more photos here.

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South Barrington Mayor Paula McCombie posts information regarding June 3 Hoffman Estates (Plum Farms) Plan Commission meeting

Posted in AI, BACOG, Cook, County, Data Center, Ethics, FPDCC, Hoffman Estates, IAA, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Politics, Property Taxes, Real Estate, School Districts, Sears, South Barrington, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Traffic on May 29, 2026| 1 Comment »

“Dear Residents,

I have received emails from residents regarding the Village of Hoffman Estates Plan Commission meeting that is taking place next week.   They are holding a public hearing regarding a proposed rezoning request for M-2.

Sec. 9-9-2. – M-2 Manufacturing District.

A. Legislative Intent. The purpose of the M-2 Manufacturing District is to provide areas for a variety of industrial uses where major transportation networks provide accessibility. This district is intended to be developed in a manner which will minimize potential adverse influences to adjoining districts through the application of performance standards.

B. Permitted Uses.
1. Permitted uses of land or buildings, as hereinafter listed shall be permitted in the M-2 Manufacturing District under the conditions specified. No building or lot shall be devoted to any use other than a use permitted hereunder with the exception of the following:

a. Uses lawfully established on the effective date of this Code; and
b. Special uses allowed in accordance with the provisions of Section 9-9-2-C.
2. The following uses are permitted in the M-2 Manufacturing District:
a. Offices.
b. Research and development facilities.
c. Contractor and construction supply and shops conducted wholly within an enclosed building, including but not limited to plumbing, HVAC, roofing and electrical.
d. Accessory uses, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Antennas and communication towers.
(2) Architectural or landscaping embellishments, pools, fountains and bridges.
(3) Public utility installations and public service uses to include requirements for the furnishing of electricity, gas, oil, telephone and television services.
(4) Storage of building materials (during course of construction only).
(5) Temporary buildings for construction purposes only in accordance with the provisions of Section 9-3-10.
e. The following uses are permitted, however, when the property is adjacent to any residential development, the uses shall only be permitted provided all improvements on the M-2 property, including parking and other structures, are set back a minimum of 100 feet from the nearest residential property line:

(1) Wholesale and distribution facilities.
(2) Wholesale florist or greenhouses.
(3) Printing and publishing facilities.
(4) Manufacturing, production, processing, assembly, fabricating, cleaning, servicing and repairing of materials, goods and products.
(5) Mail order facilities.
(6) Packaging and crating facilities.
(7) Warehouses.
f. Data center.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday June 3, 2026, at 6:30 PM at the Hoffman Estates Municipal Building, 1900 Hassell Road, Hoffman Estates, IL.

The request seeks to change the zoning of approximately 186 acres from CMU Commercial Mixed Use and TN Traditional Neighborhood to M-2 Manufacturing District. The property is generally located between Illinois Route 59 to the east, the Canadian National Railway to the west Higgins Road (Route 72) to the south and is across the street from the Woods of South Barrington.

Any residents interested in learning more or providing public comment should make plans to attend the meeting.”

Thank you Mayor McCombie!

Related: “(Plum Farms) NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 3,” “Hoffman Estates could see third data center campus with sale of Plum Farms property,” “Hoffman Estates approves sewer, water for development of 185 acres west of The Arboretum,” “Hoffman Estates approves tax incentive at routes 59, 72,” “District 220 lawsuit against Hoffman Estates, Plum Farms developers dismissed,” “South Barrington residents sue over Hoffman Estates development,” “Editorial: Listen to agencies that would feel consequences of Hoffman Estates development”

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(Please) WATCH: Experts say increased spending doesn’t mean better students

Posted in Barrington Education Association, Education, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, The Center Square, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on May 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Photo: RDNE Stock project / Pexels

By Esther Wickham | The Center Square

Spending more taxpayer dollars doesn’t make kids smarter, according to experts.

As K-12 test scores and student proficiency rates continue to decline nationwide, education experts question whether increased education funding is improving student outcomes or merely contributing to inefficiencies within the public school system.

National Assessment of Educational Progress data released in 2024 show that the average reading score for 12th-grade students fell three points since 2019 and is 10 points lower than the first assessment in 1992. Average math scores for 12th graders have also declined by three points since 2019.

Critics argue the issue is not a lack of funding, but how education dollars are being spent

“We don’t have an education funding problem. We have an education spending problem,” Ryan Walters, CEO of Teacher Freedom Alliance, told The Center Square.

Walters said increased funding has often gone toward administrative bloat rather than students and teachers. He said schools should be raising academic standards, improving accountability and implementing school choice programs to give parents more control over their children’s education.

“School choice is a huge factor in this. We need that universally across the country so that if schools are low performing and they don’t want to shape up, parents should be able to take their kids somewhere else,” Walters said.

Please read more and watch a video here.

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Barrington High School graduation ceremonies are tonight at Willow Creek

Posted in Barrington High School, Property Taxes, South Barrington, Topics Of Interest, Traffic on May 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Location: Willow Creek, 67 Algonquin Rd, South Barrington, IL 60010

Time: Doors open at 5:30 pm. The ceremony begins promptly at 7:00 pm.

Prelude Performances: Senior musical and dance performances from 5:45 – 6:45 pm

Livestream: The ceremony will be live streamed beginning at 6:45pm. Click here to view the livestream. (Please note that the same link will be used to livestream other area high school graduations prior to May 29. The link will not work for the BHS ceremony until Friday, May 29.)

Click here for further information. 

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New data: Illinois homeowners pay country’s highest property taxes

Posted in Barrington Education Association, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Policy Institute, Look For The Union Label, Overhead, Pension Funding, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on May 27, 2026| Leave a Comment »

 

The state again had the highest residential property tax rate in the U.S. in 2024, tied with New Jersey.

By LyLena Estabine | Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois remains at the top of the country in homeowner property taxes, tied with New Jersey.

Both states had an average effective rate of 1.88% of home value in 2024, more than double the national average of 0.86%.

That translates to a bill of roughly $5,452 on a house worth the 2024 Illinois median of $290,000. But the whole state isn’t affected evenly.

Residential property taxes are particularly burdensome in counties such as Kendall, McHenry, Lake and DeKalb, all four of which are among the 12 highest-rate counties in the country. Median household property taxes in those counties ranged from to $5,974 to $8,923. On top of income taxes and the highest combined state and local tax rate in the U.S., that’s a hefty bill to manage.

High taxes, particularly property taxes, were a top-two issue for 58.1% of likely Illinois voters in a recent poll. Neighboring states all have lower property tax rates, which can entice people to leave Illinois. In 2024, Illinois lost a net of nearly 12,000 people to Indiana, where the effective property tax rate was only 0.76%. Nearly a net 10,000 left for Wisconsin, with an effective property tax rate of 1.32%.

Illinois property taxes are driven by a combination of local and state decisions. Public schools are funded primarily by property taxes, but school districts are forced to rely so heavily on them in part because the state diverts a growing share of its education spending to pensions.

Report continues here.

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Barrington Area Council of Governments meets tonight

Posted in AI, BACOG, Data Center, Elections, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Meeting Minutes, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Springfield, Well Water Quality on May 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) is scheduled to meet this evening beginning at 6:00 PM at the Lake Barrington Village Hall, 23860 Old Barrington Road. Their meetings will include:

  • 6:00 PM – Finance
  • 6:40 PM – Nominations
  • 7:00 PM – Executive Board

Meeting agendas are not posted by BACOG, nor are minutes, but their website does state, “Copies of approved minutes for BACOG committee and executive board meetings are available upon request. Please submit requests by email to bacog@bacog.org.

Related: “(Plum Farms) NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 3”

 

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(Plum Farms) NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 3

Posted in 220, 300, AI, BACOG, Data Center, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Plum Farm development, Politics, Real Estate, School Districts, Sears, South Barrington on May 23, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Image courtesy Joe Lewnard | Daily Herald Staff Photographer, 2019

“Notice is hereby given that the Plan Commission of the Village of Hoffman Estates will hold a public hearing on June 3, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in the Hoffman Estates Municipal Building, 1900 Hassell Road, Hoffman Estates, IL to consider a map amendment (rezoning) from the current zoning of CMU Commercial Mixed Use and TN Traditional Neighborhood to M-2 Manufacturing District for property generally bounded by Illinois State Route 59 on the east, the Canadian National Railway on the west, Illinois Route 72 (Higgins Road) on the south, and collectively containing approximately 186 acres.

The petitioner of the request is H.E. Holdings LLC (owner).
P.I.N.s: 01-28-301-004, 01-33-100-003, 01-33-100-004, 01-33-103-008, 01-33-103-007

Raj Chhatwani, Chairperson
Plan Commission
Published in Daily Herald May 18, 2026 (332354), posted 05/18/2026″

Editorial note: The notice signs state, “FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION DIVISION, 847-781-2660, PLANNING@HOFFMANESTATES.ORG.

Related: “Hoffman Estates could see third data center campus with sale of Plum Farms property,” “Hoffman Estates approves sewer, water for development of 185 acres west of The Arboretum,” “Hoffman Estates approves tax incentive at routes 59, 72,” “District 220 lawsuit against Hoffman Estates, Plum Farms developers dismissed,” “South Barrington residents sue over Hoffman Estates development,” “Editorial: Listen to agencies that would feel consequences of Hoffman Estates development”

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Judge rules South Barrington Park District’s land auction was improper

Posted in 220, BACOG, Cook, County, Daily Herald, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, South Barrington on May 22, 2026| 2 Comments »

By Russell Lissau | Daily Herald

The South Barrington Park District’s 2024 auction of land that subsequently was sold to a religious group was improper, a Cook County judge has opined.

Judge Allen P. Walker’s decision doesn’t undo the sale of the 34 acres near Bartlett Road and Route 59 — property sometimes called “Area N” — to Schaumburg-based Fourth Avenue Gospel, nor does it halt that group’s plan to build a church and school there. Fourth Avenue is owned and operated by a congregation of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.

A lawsuit trying to cancel the sale and stop the project hasn’t been resolved either.

Park District Executive Director Jay Morgan declined to comment, saying the park board hasn’t had an opportunity to review the ruling. A Fourth Avenue representative couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Park district residents voted to allow the undeveloped property to be sold at auction in 2023. Fourth Avenue Gospel was the only bidder and offered about $1.7 million for the property.

But the park district board terminated the anticipated sale because of community opposition.

Article continues here.

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Pritzker board eliminates poor attendance from Illinois school ratings

Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Crime, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Ethics, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Policy Institute, Immigration, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Real Estate, School Districts, Snowflake Effect, Springfield, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on May 21, 2026| 1 Comment »

High chronic absenteeism will no longer hurt a school’s state rating.

By Hannah Schmid | Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois plans to eliminate poor attendance from school ratings at a time when a fourth of the state’s students miss a significant chunk of the academic year.

In an overhaul the State Board of Education approved in April, “chronic absenteeism,” or missing 10% or more of the school year with or without a valid excuse, will no longer ding a school’s rating. All nine current board members were appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

The new system will use the term “consistent attendance,” the percentage of students present 90% or more of the school year.

That semantic switch may confuse parents about what’s really being measured, though it’s just a different way of saying the same thing. But the revised system also changes attendance from a “core indicator” in the rankings to merely an “elevating indicator.”

Why that matters: Strong “consistent attendance” will raise a school’s rating, but a weak performance won’t hurt it.

The state calls this a “strengths-based” approach, but it means the high rates of students skipping class across Illinois won’t affect schools’ ratings.

Report continues here.

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