Kankakee Times

Kankakee County Planning, Zoning and Agriculture Committee met Thursday, Dec. 22.

Here are the minutes as provided by the committee:

Planning, Zoning, and Agriculture Committee Meeting December 22, 2016

MINUTES

Members Present Mr. Tripp, Mr. LaGesse, Ms. Polk, Mr. Mulcahy, Ms. Peters, Mr. Payton, Mr. Hildebrand, Mr. Ritter, and Ms. Dunbar Members Absent Mr. Olthoff, Mr. Einfeldt, Mr. Washington, Mr. Tholen, and Mr. Byrne In Attendance

• Board Members Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Liehr

• Department Heads Delbert Skimerhorn

• Media Present

1. Call to Order/Roll Call

The meeting was called to order by the Committee Vice-Chairman, Mr. Tripp, at 9:00 a.m. Quorum present.

2. Public Comment

• Darrel Bruck commented on the landfill.

3. Approval of Minutes

None completed.

4. Building

• Building Reports - October 2016 and November 2016 Delbert Skimerhorn stated that, in October, two new homes were issued permits, and four commercial projects, for a total number of permits of 84, which brought a valuation of $1,605,393. They collected fees of $18,987. For November, they issued one more new home, and four commercial projects, for total permits of 76, with a valuation of $1.4 million. They collected $16,566 in fees.

Mr. Hildebrand made a motion to approve the Building Reports and Mr. LaGesse seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

• Update of Staff Hiring Mr. Skimerhorn stated that, at the committee meeting in November, he requested permission to find a replacement for Gary Phillips, their Chief Building Inspector, who intends to retire this time next year. He is pleased to announce that they have made an offer to Steve Marion, which he has accepted, and he will be starting January 3, 2017.

Mr. Wheeler stated that, just to clarify, this money was in their budget as it was an unfilled position.

5. Transportation

6. Zoning

• ZBA Case#16-08; Rezoning A1-Agriculture District to RE-Rural Estate District and Variances to Sections 121-148.e (Minimum Lot Width in RE-Rural Estate District), 121- 281.b.2 (Side Yard Setback), and 121-99.e (Minimum Lot Width in A1-Agriculture Distract) on a parcel generally situated in Section 14 of Essex Township. The petitioners are Jason M. Grace and Rachel M. Grace, property owners and applicants. Mr. Skimerhorn showed the committee a PowerPoint presentation which gave the history of this parcel, and then reviewed with the committee what the property owners were requesting. The Zoning Board of Appeals heard this case on December 19, 2016, and recommended approval 7-0.

Mr. LaGesse made a motion to approve the zoning request and Ms. Dunbar seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

7. Planning

• 2015 CLG Grant - Kankakee County Preservation Plan Michelle Sadler stated that, in 2015, they came to the committee to ask for a CLG Grant to do a preservation plan that went through the state and was approved. They started that in late 2015 to early 2016. The grant was finished in September and they submitted it to the state. They produced the documents to the committee, but they do not have final approval from the state yet. They are waiting for the state to put their stamp on it. There is also still a reimbursement waiting from the state for their portion. All of their services were in kind services, so there were no actual monies coming out of the Planning Department’s budget.

• 2017 CLG Grant - Historic Preservation Ms. Sadler stated that they have a CLG Grant every year, so they are now asking for the 2017 grant, and for the committee to approve their moving forward to apply. They won’t know for about three months, but it’s due at the end of January. They would like to apply for the 2017 CLG Grant to do some intensive level, historical, and agricultural surveys of the townships. They will do them one at a time, and there may be some smaller townships that don’t have much, so they can combine them. They are estimating the total cost to be about $31,000 Seventy percent (70%) of that would be $2,170, which would be from the state, so Federal money, and $9,300 would be ours, and that would be in kind services through the Historic Preservation Commission for their volunteer work. They would help the actual surveying out in the field, driving with a member from the consultants, and actually doing the surveys.

Mr. Mulcahy made a motion to approve moving forward with application for the 2017 CLG Grant, and Ms. Dunbar seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

• Resolution to Restore Landfill Moratorium Mr. Wheeler stated that in 2012, the County established a five year moratorium considering a siting application for a new or expanded landfill in Kankakee County, and that will be expiring in May 2017. Why this was brought back to the committee now was so that they don’t have someone come and submit an application before they’re ready to plan and decide exactly what they want to see happen here in the future. While the moratorium goes on until May, they would take that time and he will work with the Planning Department and this committee, so that if something comes up in the future they would like to see happen, they would have a plan that takes into account the safety of the citizens, the financial situation of the County, and the technology that’s available.

Planning, Zoning, and Agriculture Committee Meeting December 22, 2016

Mr. Payton made a motion to restore the moratorium on the landfill, and Ms. Polk seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

• Appointments to Economic Alliance by Kankakee County Board Mr. Wheeler stated that it’s time for appointments to the Economic Alliance, and he spoke with Tim Nugent about this briefly. Mr. Byrne, with his time commitments, will not be able to be on it, and they have some new members who are interested. With no slight to any of the efforts that the longstanding members who are there have made in the past, they thought it was time to give some new people an opportunity to serve on that board, and who have some unique skill sets to bring to it. The new members must be members of the PZA Committee. He has spoken with Steve Einfeldt, who has a background in the building trade and an understanding of the housing market. He also spoke with Shane Ritter who has a background in engineering and an understanding of plants, factories, and what their needs, wants, and desires are, both on a local and a global scale. He also felt that they needed representation from the eastern part of the county, so he spoke with Sam Payton because the weakest economic link is his home district. He just wanted to let the committee know that these names will be on the upcoming Executive agenda.

• Presentations

Planning Office Overview Mr. Skimerhorn explained to the committee what the Planning Department is and what they do, specifically for the benefit of the two new County Board members on the committee.

Zoning Mr. Skimerhorn explained the zoning process to the committee, specifically for the benefit of the two new County Board members on the committee.

Transportation Program-MPO Geoff Olson explained the transportation program to the committee, specifically for the benefit of the two new County Board members on the committee.

8. Old Business

9. New Business

10. Adjournment

A motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:12 a.m. was made by Mr. LaGesse, and seconded by Mr. Mulcahy. Motion carried.

Jim Tripp, Committee Vice-Chairman Diane Owens, Executive Coordinator