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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 02/18/1989 - City CouncilSPECIAL MEETING MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1989 7:30 P.M. A Special Meeting of the McHenry City Council was called to order by Mayor Busse on Monday, February 13, 1989 at 7:30 P.M. at City Hall. At roll call the following Aldermen were present: Bolger, Nolan, Lieder, Teta, McClatchey, Serritella. Absent: Patterson, Smith. City staff in attendance were Attorney Narusis, Clerk Gilpin, Director of Development Greenwood. Plan Commission members in attendance: Sheppard, Buhrman, Toole, Guiterrez, Uttich. Absent: Wilson and Osmon. Others in attendance were John Gann of Gann Associates, Kathy Marinangel, Fran Olsen and Kit Carstens of the McHenry Area Economic Development Commission, Dave Backhaus, Ray and Mabel Pieroni, Isabelle Freund, Toni Donahue, Vern and Jean Schiller, Lou Marchi, Butch Meyer, Roger Gerstad, John Schroeder, Roy Dooley, John Vlcek, Donna Tobeck, Joe King, Jim Michalski and several unidentified persons. Mayor Busse announced that the purpose of this combined Special Meeting with the Plan Commission and the City Council was to consider various development options in the Bull Valley Road Corridor as prepared by John Gann of Gann Associates. Since the Bull Valley Road Corridor is perhaps the most talked about and controversial development matter before the Council at the present time, Gann included information and options in his report to give members of the Plan Commission and City Council the basis to make their own decisions on development of that corridor. Based on the Council's decision, Gann would then revise the final form of the plan so as to reflect the City's policy. Gann explained that the boundaries for the Bull Valley Corridor were established as follows: On the north - the Nunda Township line, on the east - River Road, on the south - Mason Hill Road extended and on the west - Ridge Road and Bull Valley Road corporate limits. This area extends along Bull Valley Road five miles from the highway about 1/2 mile to the north and one mile to the south. It consists of about 7 1/2 square miles of land or about 4,800 acres. This is about the size that the entire incorporated City of McHenry was in 1979. The three key development issues that were to be discussed at this meeting were: 1) the western bypass route - to determine the alignment of the western leg of the Bull Valley Road bypass around the central part of the City; 2) southern arterial route - the alignment of a direct connection of this western leg with Crystal Lake Road and US 31 south of Bull Valley Road; and 3) location of centralized commercial - to determine the location of a single dominant retail concentration in the corridor as an alternative to strip commercial throughout the corridor. Alternative solutions for each of these three issues and a listing of factors favoring each were presented in Gann's report. Following discussion on the western bypass route, the Council concurred with Option 1 which was the use of the existing Curran/Draper Roads -providing some of the curves along Draper Road could be softened. On the question of the southern arterial route, it was decided to choose Option 2 which was to extend Curran or Ringwood Road straight south to Mason Hill Road and extend Mason Hill Road eastward to Route 31. Concerning the location of a commercial center, Gann provided four options for consideration. It was the consensus to adopt Option 2 which was to locate a commercial center at the Route 31 and Bull Valley Road intersection. Mayor Busse called for a recess at 9:03 P.M. The meeting reconvened at 9:20 P.M. with everyone still in attendance. The remainder of the meeting was concerned with land use in the Bull Valley Corridor. At previous meetings, City Officials chose a policy of concentrating commercial developments at key intersections rather than extending along arterial street frontages. A second policy was chosen favoring the location of new multi -family development around activity centers rather than along arterial frontages. This would indicate that in most cases such areas will have to be planned for single family residential use. Council Meetings Special Attendance Comprehen. Plan February 13, 1989 Page 2 Gann's report said that single family subdivisions can be compatibly planned along arterial streets in any of the following ways: 1) access from parallel frontage road; 2) rear yard abutting arterial; 3) access from minor street perpendicular to arterial. Following lengthy discussion Alderman Serritella suggested that no final decision be made until Alderman Patterson and Smith could be attendance to vote on this important issue. Also discussed was the location of an auto center to accommodate car dealers in the City who desire to expand their operations. One of Gann's proposals was to locate this auto center north of Bull Valley Road on Route 31. No definite consensus was made. Mayor Busse called for a continuation of this meeting until Tuesday, February 28, 1989 at 8:00 P.M. Motion by Serritella, seconded by Lieder, to adjourn. Voting Aye: Bolger, Nolan, Lieder, Teta, McClatchey, Serritella. Voting Nay: None. Absent: Smith, Patterson. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 10:27 P.M.