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the Lockport Legend | December 13, 2018 | 7
Lockport City Council
Board gives green light to property
annexation, development projects
Jessie Molloy
Freelance Reporter
The Lockport City Council
approved a large property
annexation at its Dec. 5
meeting, while the Committee
of the Whole moved forward
plans for renovations
on an existing industrial development.
The City Council held
a public hearing regarding
the annexation of the
4.02 acre property located
on the Northeast corner of
159th Street and Adelman
Drive. The lot, which has
two assigned addresses, is
currently vacant and zoned
R3 for residential property.
As part of the annexation
agreement, which was approved
unanimously by the
City Council and Mayor
Steve Streit, the zoning was
changed to C3, Highway
Commercial.
City Administrator Ben
Benson said the hope of
the board is that the property
will eventually draw
commercial development,
possibly including a
restaurant.
No comments were made
by any residents or affected
parties at the public
hearing and the annexation
was approved without
objection.
In addition to the annexation,
the board also voted
unanimously to approve a
spring construction project
at the Dellwood Park Community
Center. The project
plans to expand the facility’s
existing parking lot
by adding 74 new spaces in
what is currently a grassy
lawn abutting the lot. The
facility is located at 1811 S.
Lawrence Ave. The project
is to be paid for by the park
district and only needed
City approval to move forward.
The Committee of the
Whole also advanced a large
development project, approving
the Final Development
Plan for an industrial
office project.
The development is being
proposed by J.P. Mc-
Mahon Petro-Chem Transport
Group and includes a
12,967-square-foot, singlestory
office building and a
95,000-square-foot storage
lot for petroleum transport
vehicles on its 14835
New Avenue property.
The 4.37 acre lot currently
includes a gravel storage
area, a well and septic
system, and two mobile
structures.
According to Community
and Economic Development
Director Pam Hirth,
the company moved to the
space “about a year ago”
but found that “the current
facility didn’t fit their
needs.”
The renovation to the
space would include replacing
the well and septic facilities
with new ones and
demolishing the mobile facilities.
The development
is to also introduce a new
driveway to the property,
removed from the existing
driveway which is shared
with the adjacent property to
the north.
IDOT has already approved
the addition of the
driveway on the condition
that the developer sees to
the installation of proper
storm water detention systems.
The company has also
received approval from the
three petroleum companies
with pipelines under the
land.
The building, which is to
include office space and a
service area including four
vehicle bays, is to be located
on the rear, eastern portion of
the property with the lot being
the central and western
portions. The detention area
and additional landscaping
are to be installed along New
Avenue at the “front” of the
property to screen the vehicle
storage area from public
view.
The Plan Committee approved
the development
unanimously last month
after no objections were
raised. With the Committee
of the Whole’s vote it will
move onto the City Council
on Dec. 19.
Finally, the committee
also approved a new ordinance
allowing the City
to seek harsher penalties
against the owners of vacant
or abandoned properties in
the city.
“We have certain appearance
standards for property
in the city,” Benson said.
“Currently we have a few,
no more than a dozen, properties
that are unoccupied
and are not meeting those
standards.”
Benson said the new ordinance
will allow the City
to bring owners of violating
properties before the City
Council for a hearing to resolve
outstanding issues, and
provide a system for fining
violators who continue to
leave property in a state of
disrepair.
The committee passed the
measure unanimously and it
is to be voted on at the City
Council’s next meeting.
NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE FOR
FAIRMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLDISTRICT NO. 89,
COUNTY OF WILL, STATE OF ILLINOIS
I. Apublic hearing to approve aproposed property tax levy increase
for Fairmont Elementary School District #89 for 2018 will be
held on December 19, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. in the Boardroom of the
District Offices at Fairmont Elementary School. Any person desiring
to appear at the public hearing and present testimony to the taxing
district may contact Dr. Diane Cepela, Superintendent, Administrative
Offices, 735 Green Garden Place, Lockport, IL 60441, (815)
726-6156.
II. The corporate and special purpose property taxes extended or
abated for 2017 were $3,147,058. The proposed corporate and special
purpose property taxes to be levied for 2018 are $3,304,096.
This represents a4.99% increase over the previous year.
III. The property taxes extended for debt service and public building
commission leases for 2017 were $0. The estimated property
taxes to be levied for debt service and public building commission
leases for 2018 are $0.
IV. The total property taxes extended or abated for 2017 were
$3,147,058. The estimated total property taxes to be levied for 2018
are $3,304,096. This represents a4.99% increase over the previous
year.
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DEC. 12, 2018