760+ ACRES OF SUGAR GROVE'S PRISTINE LANDSCAPE TO REMAIN UNTOUCHED, FOR NOW News traveled fast on Monday throughout Sugar Grove and Elburn as residents received a statement from the Village of Sugar Grove.
Social media pages were buzzing about the withdrawal of the Crown Community Development petition to rezone 760+ acres along Route 47 surrounding the I-88 Interchange. The developer proposed to build massive-scale e-commerce distribution facilities by requesting to rezone the land from E-1 Estate Residential to Industrial.
Crown withdrew indicating widespread resident opposition as the reason, largely due to the opposition group created by Carolyn Anderson of Elburn's Blackberry Township. It now has close to 1,800 followers and has been actively opposing the rezoning request. It will continue to remain active, promoting thoughtful progress for the Sugar Grove and Elburn communities.
In last week's public hearing, the group's legal representative, Mr. Coughlan, presented several items to the Planning Commission from his thoroughly prepared lawsuit document that was created, though not yet filed, on behalf of those in opposition. Mr. Coughlan also represented the citizens of Sugar Grove at the Heartland Recycling Public Hearings when a construction land fill was being proposed directly across from Harter Middle School.
Just after noon on Monday, The Village of Sugar Grove sent out the following statement:
"The Village of Sugar Grove has received notice from Crown Community Development withdrawing petition #18-010 requesting to rezone approximately 760 acres at the intersection of I-88 and Sugar Grove Parkway (IL 47). Crown cited the widespread public opposition as the reason for their decision. Crown did not indicate any future plans for the property.
The Sugar Grove Planning Commission has cancelled the Public Hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 13, 2019. The Village Board will cancel the Public Hearing for the Annexation Agreement Amendment scheduled for February 21, 2019.
The Planning Commission and Village Board appreciate the time that the public spent attending the various meetings and the testimony made at the Public Hearings. The Village will continue to work with the Illinois Toll Highway and Illinois Department of Transportation on completing the I-88 and Sugar Grove Parkway interchange."
WHAT'S NEXT?
Monday's withdrawal has many speculating that another Crown proposal is not far behind, or possibly the same one due to a potential de-annexation since the annexation agreement contains a provision for de-annexing the land.
Currently, leasing for the large-scale industrial park is still being marketed at the Sugar Grove Economic Development website under the Available Sites/Blgs tab. However, residents remain hopeful that the scope of Crown's plans for the land will now change significantly in an effort to maintain the integrity of the community. Many feel this can only be done by following the Village's original Comprehensive Plan, not the most recently amended plan from June 2018 that was changed to include the type of industrial development that was being proposed.
With thousands of acres of commercial zoned land for sale along Route 47 in Sugar Grove and Elburn combined, residents expect much growth in the future for this area. While this has many watching closely for what types of developments will be proposed, most vow to embrace this growth with an open mind– but only as long as their Village Officials consider such projects in the spirit of 'thoughtful progress'.
Only time will tell.
PICTURED ABOVE: Beautiful Scenic Green Road In Elburn, Facing East, Located Just North of Where the Crown Development Proposed to Position Phase II of their Massive-Scale e-Commerce Warehouse Development -Story and Photo by Lindy Kleivo
