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Tuesday, July 22, 2025

McHenry County Planning, Environment & Development Committee met May 7

Webp meeting 05

McHenry County Planning, Environment & Development Committee met May 7.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

1. CALL TO ORDER

Meeting called to order at: 8:31 AM by Larry W Smith.

PRESENT: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield (8:30 AM - 10:12 AM), Althoff (Remote), Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen (8:30 AM - 9:15 AM)

ABSENT :

Also present: Peter Austin, County Administrator; Scott Hartman, Deputy County Administrator; Dennis Sandquist, Director of Planning and Development; Joanna Colletti, Water Resource Manager/Storm Water Chief Engineer; Kim Kolner, Planning Manager; Adam Wallen, Building Enforcement Officer; Karen Lalor, Interview for Hebron Drainage District.

Mr. Reinert made a motion, seconded by Mr. Gottemoller, to allow Ms. Althoff to attend the meeting remotely. The motion passed on a voice vote of all members voting aye.

2. MINUTES APPROVAL

1. Planning, Environment & Development - Public Meeting - Apr 2, 2019 8:00 AM

RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Joseph Gottemoller

SECONDER: Paula Yensen

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

3. PUBLIC COMMENT

John Dreffin, Woodstock, joined the committee members to voice his concerns with a neighbor parking an excessive number of vehicles in their driveway. Mr. Dreffin provided the committee members with photos of the neighbor's property showing the numerous number of different vehicles including construction equipment. He has lived at the residence since 1985, and the neighbor has been there since 2016. He feels the excessive vehicles parked out front have damaged the value of his home. He is asking for a possible amendment to the rules or to have the County step in to help to rectified the situation. He also noted in the past the neighbor has been manipulating the system to try to appear compliant to existing rules.

Dan Haughey, McHenry, joined the committee members to voice his concern for a need to align and improve the permit and notification process. Mr. Haughey's concerns stemmed from a wooded area behind his house being cleared out taking away his privacy and exposing him to Route 31. Mr. Haughey was here today to try to encourage a change in the process and to notify homeowners in the future ahead of allowing the elimination of a natural border.

Nancy Williamson, Village of Lakewood, joined the committee members to encourage them to move forward and authorize the agreement between the County and MCCD (McHenry County Conservation District) for the buyout of the flood-prone properties through the Hazard Mitigation Program. She stated it is a terrific program and they are going to be needing to use this type of funds in the future given the prediction of large rain events. She stated the Conservation District is in the business of being pro-active in putting land together that can handle these type of events and they have done a lot of large projects that have mitigated flooding downstream and helped to alleviate some of the nutrients and sediment that are going into the cities. She closed in saying what the Conservation is doing is pro-active, and what the FEMA Mitigation Project is doing is reacting, but that they can use the Conservation District in both ways to increase their ability to handle what the future brings and grow their money.

4. MEMBERS' COMMENTS

None

5. PRESENTATION

None

6. NEW BUSINESS

1. 8:45 - Interview - Karen Lalor - Hebron Drainage District

Chairman Smith stated he and Karen both serve on another board in which he is monetarily compensated for and therefore would be abstaining from voting on the recommendation of Karen Lalor to the Hebron Drainage District.

Chairman Smith left the meeting at 8:50 a.m. and Vice-Chairwomen Schofield conducted the meeting in his absences.

Committee members introduced themselves and interviewed Karen Lalor for consideration for appointment to the Hebron Drainage District. It was noted that Ms. Lalor meets the requirements as a member for the Hebron Drainage District.

2. Motion: Deliberation and selection of up to one candidate for recommendation to the County Board Chairman for the Hebron Drainage District with a term expiring on September 1, 2021

Mr. Gottemoller made a motion, seconded by Mr. Kearns, to recommend the appointment of Karen Lalor as a member of the Hebron Drainage District with a term expiring on September1, 2021.

Chairman Smith returned to the meeting at 9:53 a.m.

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [7 TO 0]

MOVER: Joseph Gottemoller

SECONDER: Jim Kearns

AYES: Gottemoller, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

ABSTAIN: Smith

3. Motion: Deliberation and selection of up to one candidate for recommendation to the County Board Chairman for the McHenry County Hearing Officer with a term expiring on October 31, 2020

Chairman Smith asked if it was the consensus of the committee members to approve agenda item No.'s 6.4 through 6.11 for one vote on a routine consent agenda.

Mr. Nowak made a motion, seconded by Ms. Schofield, to approve agenda item No.'s 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 6.10, and 6.11. The motion passed on a roll call vote of all members voting aye.

Ms. Schofield explained the reason the selection of the candidate was postponed at the last meeting was that the interview process was not identified. They now have a State's Attorney opinion saying it is the County Board Chairman that brings forward the applicants for an interview.

Ms. Althoff made a motion, seconded by Mr. Gottemoller, to recommend the appointment of Michael McNerny as a member of the McHenry County Hearing Officer with a term expiring on October 31, 2020.

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Pamela Althoff

SECONDER: Joseph Gottemoller

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

4. Resolution Granting a Waiver of the Penalty Fee for Stormwater Management Permit #SW19-0026

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Robert Nowak

SECONDER: Carolyn Schofield

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

5. Resolution Authorizing Planning and Development FY2019 Budget Reduction for Abandoned Residential Property Grant Program

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Robert Nowak

SECONDER: Carolyn Schofield

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

6. Resolution Authorizing Execution of a Stormwater Management Ordinance Conservation Easement In Lieu of Stormwater Storage for Stormwater Management Permit SW17-0095 at 8920 Howe Road, Greenwood Township (Stable Environment and Sustainability)

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Robert Nowak

SECONDER: Carolyn Schofield

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

7. Resolution Authorizing a Revised Intergovernmental Agreement Between the County of McHenry and the McHenry County Conservation District Implementing a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for the Buyout of Flood Prone Properties Along the Nippersink Creek (Stable Environment and Sustainability)

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Robert Nowak

SECONDER: Carolyn Schofield

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

8. Resolution Authorizing an Emergency Appropriation to the Department of Planning and Development Fiscal Year 2019 Budget for Hazard Mitigation Grant Funds Received from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (Stable Environment and Sustainability)

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Robert Nowak

SECONDER: Carolyn Schofield

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

9. Resolution Authorizing a One Year Extension of the Intergovernmental Agreement Between McHenry County and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for a State-Local Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (Stable Environment and Sustainability)

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Robert Nowak

SECONDER: Carolyn Schofield

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

10. Resolution Authorizing the County Board Chairman or His Designee to Execute all Necessary Legal Documents to Purchase Certain Real Property at 310 Waverly St, Spring Grove; 6117 Sheridan Pl, Spring Grove; 6116 Sheridan Pl, Spring Grove; 1304 Linden Ln, Spring Grove; 316 Waverly St, Spring Grove; Sheridan Pl (2 lots), Spring Grove; and Sheridan Pl (1 lot), Spring Grove and to Acquire Title to and Possession of Real Property Using Funding Provided by the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (Stable Environment and Sustainability)

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Robert Nowak

SECONDER: Carolyn Schofield

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

11. Resolution Authorizing a Contract with Kanzler Construction for the Demolition of Structures Located at 310 Waverly St, Spring Grove; 6117 Sheridan Pl, Spring Grove; 6116 Sheridan Pl, Spring Grove; and 1304 Linden Ln, Spring Grove, Illinois (Stable Environment and Sustainability)

RESULT: RECOMMENDED [UNANIMOUS]

MOVER: Robert Nowak

SECONDER: Carolyn Schofield

AYES: Gottemoller, Smith, Schofield, Althoff, Kearns, Nowak, Reinert, Yensen

12. Proposed Unified Development Ordinance Amendments

Dennis Sandquist, Director of Planning and Development, along with Kim Kolner, Planning Manager, joined the committee members to discussed Proposed UDO (Unified Development Ordinance) Amendments. Ms. Kolner explained an attachment was added after the agenda was posted and a handout was provided to the committee members of the policy items in question. Ms. Kolner stated they were seeking direction from the committee members regarding possible revisions to the policy. Ms. Kolner informed the committee members she would also be doing research on what other communities are doing, considering emerging concerns, as well as reviewing State statute.

Ms. Althoff left the meeting at 9:05 a.m.

Committee members discussed each of the policy items needing to be addressed in the UDO along with additional items that need clarification for interpretation and enforcement process.

Dr. Yensen left the meeting at 9:15 a.m.

RESULT: DISCUSSION

7. OLD BUSINESS

None

8. REPORTS

1. ZBA and Hearing Officer Reports

1. Zoning Petitions going before the County Board on May 21, 2019

Kim Kolner, Planning Manager, joined the committee members and provided a summary of the two Zoning Board of Appeals petitions going before the County Board on May 21, 2019.

Petition No. 2018-042 concerns a variation request from A1C-A1C for a property located in Grafton Township. The ZBA recommended approval for this petition.

Petition No. 2018-063 concerns a variation request from A1C-A1C for a property located in Algonquin Township. The ZBA recommended approval for this petition.

RESULT: PRESENTED

9. EXECUTIVE SESSION (AS NECESSARY)

None

10. ADJOURNMENT

Ms. Schofield left the meeting at 10:12 a.m.

Mr. Gottemoller made a motion, seconded by Mr. Nowak, to adjourn the meeting at 10:13 a.m. The motion passed on a voice vote of all members present voting aye. (Absent was Althoff, Yensen, and Schofield)

https://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=12&ID=4272&Inline=True

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