McHenry County Blog

A view from above of the Meyer Gravel Pit next to the Fox Trials Subdivision.

That’s what Meyer Gravel Pit watch dog Bruce Janu wants to know.

He sent an email to those wanting to follow the issue Monday morning:

“Good morning friends and neighbors,

“So tomorrow is a Village Board Meeting and, according to the Chicago Tribune reporter I talked to the other day, the Village is set to vote on the Meyer extension request.

“Meyer sent a letter to the Village last month asking for more time. As it stands now, little is known about what is to happen tomorrow night.

“Will they vote for the extension? Will they vote on allowing Meyer more time to present its case? No one seems to know.

“And, of course, the Village is way behind in notifying residents.

“There is no agenda posted yet on the website. In fact, the minutes for the last two meetings haven’t even been posted yet.

“Even though the Zoning Board did not recommend Meyer’s request, it was only a recommendation. The Village can vote in favor of the plan and it may happen tomorrow night.

“The Board Meeting will take place January 3, 2012 at the Village Hall at 7 pm.

“Hope to see you there. As soon as I get more information, I’ll let you all know.

A follow-up email says,

“As for tomorrow’s meeting, I was told that Meyer is not expected to be there.

“The Village Board will be voting on Meyer’s request to have more time to present to the Village Board.

“So, as I understand it, they will not be voting on Meyer’s proposal per se—but on whether or not to grant Meyer more time to put together a presentation.

“How long of a time period they are asking, I am not sure.

“The vote on Meyer’s proposal will probably occur at a later date depending on what the board decides tomorrow.”

I continue to be amazed at how McHenry County Blog is used by people as a research tool. Sometimes comments are left on articles that were written a long time ago. Here’s a commentary from someone who lives on McConnell Road that was found today below this article from a year and a half ago.

It’s about the proposed baseball stadium, the land for which is to be donated after gravel mining is completed on the rest of the property.

It states on the Woodstock City website that, “Woodstock is the kind of city that people fall in love with.”

This can’t be the furtherest from the truth due to the gravel pit (aka baseball stadium, NOT) on Lily Pond Rd.

You can see the conveyor belt that probably is a cause of some of the noise starting at 7 AM.

The noise starting at 7:00 a.m. is horrible and the dust is so bad that you can’t open your windows year round anymore.

We don’t live on Lily Pond but do live on the west side of McConnell Rd. I can’t even imagine what the people on Lily Pond Rd. or closer are going through!!!

I have talked to many people and many can’t wait to leave Woodstock, IL and definitely would not recommend living here.

The local governments lack of support for it’s people and the well being of Woodstock was made clear when they allow this gravel pit to exist.

This brings to question, Can the government here be bought or are they just plain ignorant?

I think we all know the answer to this question!!!!!

Lily Pond Road residence near the gravel pit.

My ex-wife Robin Geist and I used to live on Lily Pond Road, so I know the area well.

There was a gravel pit then (the late 1970′s) between Lily Pond Road and the railroad track, but it wasn’t very active.

There’s no visible movement on the Woodstock baseball stadium planned for Route 14 between Woodstock and Centegra’s Woodstock hospital, but the operation that is going to finance the land has begun.

Driving on Lily Pond Road between McConnell Road and Route 14, below you can see what my son and I saw Saturday:

Coming from the north, we saw a sign saying,

That was in front of a pile of dirt and an erosion fence.

Next we came to the entrance.

Earth movers were parked near the piles of dirt they had moved around. If plans for the minor league baseball stadium come to fruition, I imagine people will be able to see the stadium in the distance.

The final shot is what seems to be the Northeast corner of the gravel pit part of the property.

Between there and Route 14 is where my ex-wife Robin Geist and I used to live in a second floor apartment. We used walk down Lily Pond and beyond on McConnell Road. Somehow, I don’t imagine the Lily Pond neighbors are looking forward to all the development.