The Joliet City Council decided to advance the controversial plans for Corridor 80 Subdivision at its Jan. 15 meeting.
The developer, Exeter Spencer Land, had been seeking approval for its future warehouse development plans for the 101-acre site at the southeast corner of Spencer and Cherry Hill roads.
Council action was delayed for several months up to this point. Officials provided no public explanation as to why tabling the matter was necessary.
Interim City Manager Marty Shanahan could not be immediately reached for comments.
Exeter Spencer Land wants to set up an industrial subdivision for two warehouse buildings using space provided by five lots. The tenants have not been identified for the site.
At a September 2018 meeting of the Joliet Plan Commission, there was standing room only for attendees, in part, because several took time to voice their concerns for the project. Among the issues noted were traffic congestion, noise pollution and public safety.
Several attendees at a September 2018 meeting of the Joliet Plan Commission cautioned city officials and their consideration of plans for warehouses and referenced the council’s recent decision to advance unrelated plans for Love’s truck stop.
According to city council documents, staff finds the requested I-1 Light Industrial Zoning conforms to the south side comprehensive plan, making the proposal consistent for the location in question.
The city is requiring that Exeter Spencer handle the costs associated with public improvements, water and sewer connection fees, the East Side Sewer Treatment Plant surcharge and the impact fees. In accordance with city ordinances, the developer is also responsible for landscaping, which will include 30-foot berms along the north and west property lines.
The annexation agreement stipulates the property has a set of prohibitive uses as it regards future development. Those include outdoor storage facilities, mobile homes, regional pollution control facilities and sexually oriented businesses.
In a unanimous vote, officials advanced a set of requests for annexation and classification to I-1 industrial zoning, authorized an annexation agreement and approved a preliminary plat of subdivision.
A future final plat will be required to allow for development of the subdivision as proposed.
Joliet police contract OK’d
Also at the meeting, the city council authorized a collective bargaining agreement and memorandum of understanding between the city of Joliet and the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council and Joliet Police Supervisor’s Association.
Council action provides that the agreement is effective from Jan. 1, 2020 until Dec. 31, 2022.
The deal stipulates that eligible employees can be granted a 2 percent pay increase annually.
The city used the Weiss Staffing and Deployment Analysis conducted in recent years to restructure the Joliet Police Department command staff to help determine where cost-savings may be realized.
At the discretion of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council, city officials eliminated the position of captain.
According to city council documents, the current duties of captains will be eventually absorbed by the Joliet Police Department’s deputy chiefs and lieutenants. With this reduction, which eliminates the four highest paid positions in the Joliet Police Supervisor’s Association, the city has agreed to a one-time increase of 5 percent, payable on Jan. 1, 2020.
The city is expected to realize a cost-savings of several hundred thousand dollars annually.
Round it up
A brief recap of action had at the Jan. 15 regular meeting of the Joliet City Council:
Officials adopted a series of ordinances associated with CenterPoint Intermodal Center at Joliet Subdivision.
In 5-4 split vote, the city council granted a special use permit to allow a massage spa in a B-3 General Business Zoning District, located at 1736 Essington Rd.
A motion was passed authorizing a resolution endorsing the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Greenest Region Compact.
Officials approved a request to purchase hot water boilers at Riverwalk Homes.