McHenry County Blog

Just as Lewis and Clark opened up the Northwest Territory for the United States, Rawson’s Bryn Mawr Corporation did the same out west near Route 47 north of Route 176 where you can see the Ryland Homes subdivision sign.

Things surely cannot have worked out the way he had hoped, though.

Laying the sewer pipe north of Route 176 didn’t work the way it was planned.

A peat bog got in the way.

It allow the big sewer pipes to sink so much that septic tank haulers had to make six trips a day from a man hole near the entrance of the new subdivision to Crystal Lake’s sewage treatment plant.

Trying to fix the problem by digging under Route 176 to bypass the peat bog didn’t work out as planned either.

It was supposed to be finished in August, but, then, the rains came. 10 inches of it.

The pipes that were stacked at Haligus Road are now gone, presumably underground.

But machinery is still visible at what I believe is a lift station location behind the landscaping company on Briarwood. (If you want to see what happened when land on the watershed is disturbed, take a look at the ponding in the grass near there. You can see standing water days after it rains.)

In any event, Rawson has opened Crystal Lake’s Northwest to development, pretty much to where Crystal Lake has a boundary agreement with Woodstock.

Whether he will make any money on the development is probably a good question.

Is it possible city fathers and mothers think they owe him for the unexpected risk?

The intrepid explorer then decided to go straight north.

Why does the 1960 Johnny Horton country song, “Way up north, north to Alaska,” come to mind?

Rawson has land he wants to develop that is kitty-cornered across from McHenry County College. 85 acres are on Route 14. He also wants to build 255 single-family dwellings and 92 townhouses. He calls the subdivision Barton Steam.

Part of the property is in Crystal Lake’s watershed, but most is in that of the Kishwaukee River.

Yesterday’s article pointed out how two statements from Crystal Laker’s summarized the positions of the opposing sides:

“It is opening the entire area for development,”

asserted McHenry County Conservation District board member Nancy Williamson.

Realtor Gail Plunkett said:

“We have to look at this north corridor. It’s the keystone of future development.”

Public comment, however, was dominated by a planner based in Crystal Lake named Jerry Davonport, hired by the neighbors to present their case.

Davonport asserted that the proposal did not meet a significant number of the requirements for a planned unit development (PUD). Its planned use did not match the farms or residential estates around it, not to mention that there is no commercial anywhere near the location; its density is considerably higher; existing property values would be damaged; and the traffic would increase tremendously.

Regarding traffic, the issue that tipped the scales against McHenry County College’s baseball stadium proposal, Davonport pointed out that Route 14, at 19,300 trips per day (a 2005 count), is already at capacity.

He estimated that the 960,000 square feet of commercial space (12,000 per acre) would generate about 32,000 trips per day, with maybe 20-30% already on the road.

“This is a lot of trips!” his letter to the council suggests.

“In order to accommodate this project’s impacts, we would have to five-lane the entire road from Woodstock to Crystal Lake, and even then the road would be at capacity.

“Does this sound like Randall Road?” he asked.

Residential traffic, which Rawson wants to build out in 4, rather than 7 years required by ordinance, would add about 3,000 trips per day.

He wondered if the developer would be required to put signals at Lucas and Route 14 and at Briarwood and Route 176, an even more dangerous corner.

“With regard to the residential….”Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley started to ask.

“”We’re not objecting to the residential,” Davonport interjected, adding that his clients would like one acre or greater lots.

Shepley pressed on, asking what Davonport would recommend along Route 14.

“I would look for low density institutional uses,” was the reply. He pointed to Sun City’s backing up of homes to Route 47.

Davonport argued for differentiation between towns.

In other words, a person ought to be able to tell where Crystal Lake ended and Woodstock began.

“We’re just going to become one big mess,” he said, comparing a future Route 14 with Randall Road where one cannot tell where one village ends and another begins.

“The neighbors I talked to all agree that development is coming, but you need to help it go forward in a way that will not be detrimental.

“The traffic needs to be addressed before hand” and “the developer needs to be responsible for signage and signalization.

“If you hold the developer’s feet to the first and make them operate within the law, it will (be good for the community.)”

Was it time to pay Rawson back for the risk he took in opening up Crystal Lake’s northwest?

I don’t know, but this was the second item on the city council’s Tuesday agenda that was destined to bring more money into the city treasurer. The first was the annexation and zoning for Extreme Ford on Route 31.

= = = = =
All images can be enlarged by clicking on them. Most of the detail on Davonport’s map is large enough to be useful. The satellite image comes from Google Maps. No photographs were taken at the meeting.

Just as Lewis and Clark opened up the Northwest Territory for the United States, Rawson’s Bryn Mawr Corporation did the same out west near Route 47 north of Route 176 where you can see the Ryland Homes subdivision sign.

Things surely cannot have worked out the way he had hoped, though.

Laying the sewer pipe north of Route 176 didn’t work the way it was planned.

A peat bog got in the way.

It allow the big sewer pipes to sink so much that septic tank haulers had to make six trips a day from a man hole near the entrance of the new subdivision to Crystal Lake’s sewage treatment plant.

Trying to fix the problem by digging under Route 176 to bypass the peat bog didn’t work out as planned either.

It was supposed to be finished in August, but, then, the rains came. 10 inches of it.

The pipes that were stacked at Haligus Road are now gone, presumably underground.

But machinery is still visible at what I believe is a lift station location behind the landscaping company on Briarwood. (If you want to see what happened when land on the watershed is disturbed, take a look at the ponding in the grass near there. You can see standing water days after it rains.)

In any event, Rawson has opened Crystal Lake’s Northwest to development, pretty much to where Crystal Lake has a boundary agreement with Woodstock.

Whether he will make any money on the development is probably a good question.

Is it possible city fathers and mothers think they owe him for the unexpected risk?

The intrepid explorer then decided to go straight north.

Why does the 1960 Johnny Horton country song, “Way up north, north to Alaska,” come to mind?

Rawson has land he wants to develop that is kitty-cornered across from McHenry County College. 85 acres are on Route 14. He also wants to build 255 single-family dwellings and 92 townhouses. He calls the subdivision Barton Steam.

Part of the property is in Crystal Lake’s watershed, but most is in that of the Kishwaukee River.

Yesterday’s article pointed out how two statements from Crystal Laker’s summarized the positions of the opposing sides:

“It is opening the entire area for development,”

asserted McHenry County Conservation District board member Nancy Williamson.

Realtor Gail Plunkett said:

“We have to look at this north corridor. It’s the keystone of future development.”

Public comment, however, was dominated by a planner based in Crystal Lake named Jerry Davonport, hired by the neighbors to present their case.

Davonport asserted that the proposal did not meet a significant number of the requirements for a planned unit development (PUD). Its planned use did not match the farms or residential estates around it, not to mention that there is no commercial anywhere near the location; its density is considerably higher; existing property values would be damaged; and the traffic would increase tremendously.

Regarding traffic, the issue that tipped the scales against McHenry County College’s baseball stadium proposal, Davonport pointed out that Route 14, at 19,300 trips per day (a 2005 count), is already at capacity.

He estimated that the 960,000 square feet of commercial space (12,000 per acre) would generate about 32,000 trips per day, with maybe 20-30% already on the road.

“This is a lot of trips!” his letter to the council suggests.

“In order to accommodate this project’s impacts, we would have to five-lane the entire road from Woodstock to Crystal Lake, and even then the road would be at capacity.

“Does this sound like Randall Road?” he asked.

Residential traffic, which Rawson wants to build out in 4, rather than 7 years required by ordinance, would add about 3,000 trips per day.

He wondered if the developer would be required to put signals at Lucas and Route 14 and at Briarwood and Route 176, an even more dangerous corner.

“With regard to the residential….”Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley started to ask.

“”We’re not objecting to the residential,” Davonport interjected, adding that his clients would like one acre or greater lots.

Shepley pressed on, asking what Davonport would recommend along Route 14.

“I would look for low density institutional uses,” was the reply. He pointed to Sun City’s backing up of homes to Route 47.

Davonport argued for differentiation between towns.

In other words, a person ought to be able to tell where Crystal Lake ended and Woodstock began.

“We’re just going to become one big mess,” he said, comparing a future Route 14 with Randall Road where one cannot tell where one village ends and another begins.

“The neighbors I talked to all agree that development is coming, but you need to help it go forward in a way that will not be detrimental.

“The traffic needs to be addressed before hand” and “the developer needs to be responsible for signage and signalization.

“If you hold the developer’s feet to the first and make them operate within the law, it will (be good for the community.)”

Was it time to pay Rawson back for the risk he took in opening up Crystal Lake’s northwest?

I don’t know, but this was the second item on the city council’s Tuesday agenda that was destined to bring more money into the city treasurer. The first was the annexation and zoning for Extreme Ford on Route 31.

= = = = =
All images can be enlarged by clicking on them. Most of the detail on Davonport’s map is large enough to be useful. The satellite image comes from Google Maps. No photographs were taken at the meeting.

Almost as usual, when the Crystal Lake City Council takes significant action, it does it late at night.

That was the case Tuesday night.

The council voted 5-1 to annex Ken Rawson’s Barton Stream subdivision and 85 commercial acres on Route 14. Brett Hopkins was the “No” vote, arguing that a comprehensive plan should be in place first. Ralph Dawson was absent.

The issue was framed by two Crystal Lakers who spoke during the public comment period.

McHenry County Conservation District trustee and Crystal Lake resident Nancy Williamson led off.

“It is opening the entire area for development,” she asserted.

Referring to the watershed manual, which had just been approved, Williamson said,

”It’s a pair of shoes, but you’ve got no clothes to go with it.”

She argued for waiting until the planning process, including public comment was completed.

Local long-time successful Realtor Gail Plunkett was next up.

“I think it would be a good addition,” she said.

“There are plans for two more big box stores where the (Woodstock) Super-Wal-Mart is.

“Single family residents along Route 14 will not be attractive to the consumer.”

Speaking to traffic predicted to be generated by the Turnberry subdivision west of the Crystal Lake Country Club, Plunkett, who lives one house south of Country Club Road said, “I don’t see any impact.”

“We have to look at this north corridor. It’s the keystone of future development.”

The two comments that I have put in boldface type pretty well delineated the debate.

There were detailed objections from the neighbors and lawyer/planner Jerry Davonport, who gave me the map I hope Google’s Blogger will allow me to post. Tomorrow the objections he raised will be covered in detail, along with some other observations about development north of Route 176.

There were plenty of comments from the council members.

“Conservation design is in direct conflict with one-acre lots,” Councilwoman Kathy Ferguson pointed out. Davonport argued for the latter.

“In terms with the commercial portion, I’m OK with that. They’re going to need some amenities up there.

“In terms of the townhomes, I’d like you to think of villas. I think it would be a better bridging of the design.”

“It’s not as late as usual,” Councilman Jeff Thorsen started out. It was 11:35 PM and the watershed ordinance and manual debate had just finished. That followed a long consideration of the zoning of Extreme Ford on Route 31 south of Route 176.

“We’ll see when you’re done with your comments,” Mayor Aaron Shepley, who has been at odds with Thorsen on the watershed ordinance, interjected.

“I don’t think there’s anyone sitting here who doesn’t think the Northwest corridor will be developed,” Thorsen said. “The question is, ‘How will it be developed?’”

Thorsen came down on the same side as Ferguson on the issue of one-acre lots versus clustered housing.

“I don’t think that’s what we want to see for this corridor.”

“The important thing is what Kathy bought up,” Brett Hopkins said. “I would go with the conservation plan overall (but the density is too high).

“As far as the commercial goes, I’ve been against commercial on this part of Route 14.

“What I don’t want to see is what happened on Randall Road, where you don’t see any delineation (between towns). This was open land (which provides a delineation between Crystal Lake and Woodstock).”

Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller also came out in favor of the conservation design approach.

“Are you going to have one-acre lots? Why even extend sewer out there, if you can have septic?” she asked.

“I think the commercial works for me on Route 14.”

“I also agree the smaller lots work better,” added Councilman Dave Goss. “From a design viewpoint, you parallel road to Route 14, you have double lots there. (It’s a) perfect place to put BMPs (Best Management Practices). I don’t care for them at all.

“I do agree that commercial is appropriate there.”

Attorney Joe Gottemoller summarized the project. One of the elements that motorists would be able to notice is that the part of Ridgefield Road that intersects with Route 14 north of McHenry County College would be moved slightly south so that it would be at a 90 degree angle to the state highway. The Rawson property would have a road coming into that intersection from the west.

“I do get a little nervous because of what Mr. Davonport pointed out,” Shepley said.

He told of knowing some of the neighbors, who had asked him if the subdivision wold mean they could get sewer and water.

“We’re never going to force annex a residence,” he emphasized.

“I think there are two sides to the coin,” the mayor continued.

“I think this is an appropriate area for development.”

Concerning conservation design, he suggested the homes be “cluster(ed) in the middle (to) preseve the open space on the outside.”

“There’s a wetland in the center,” Mueller pointed out.

“My only point is that we in Crystal Lake like to protect open space. It’s nice to look at.”

With regard to the townhomes, Shepley had “mixed emotions.”

“Close to the college, you probably couldn’t ask for a better location,” he said pointing out that students might rent them.

“This is largely not in our watershed.

“I agree with what Jeff said. If not commercial, then what?”

“Office has some of the same downsides.”

Shepley observed that on Randall Road Crystal Lake had to grow down to Miller Road or Lake in the Hills would grow up.

“I don’t think we have boundary agreement with Woodstock on Route 14,” Shepley added.

“Yes, we do,” someone stated.

‘If we want it to be pure open space, we buy it,” Shepley continued.

“The reality is that costs money. The way to get that money is raising taxes as long as we don’t own the property. The property owner has certain rights to develop that property.

[One thing that Shepley did not point out was that by re-zoning the property the city increased the value of the property considerably.]

“McHenry County College has just as many cars going in and out as any shopping center.

“I do not agree at all that it is appropriate to put residences there (backing up to Route 14, a suggestion of Davonport).

“When you come back with the site plan,” Shepley said to the developer, “you need to make sure the future landowners that are not going to be configured in a way that their property values are not negatively affected by the (rear) fence.”
He was referring, of course, to the neighbors who objected vehemently to the zoning approval of Extreme Ford on Route 31 south of Route 176 earlier in the council meeting.

= = = = =
All images can be enlarged by clicking on them. The map is from Jerry Davonport, the satellite photo from Google. All pictures were taken previously.

Almost as usual, when the Crystal Lake City Council takes significant action, it does it late at night.

That was the case Tuesday night.

The council voted 5-1 to annex Ken Rawson’s Barton Stream subdivision and 85 commercial acres on Route 14. Brett Hopkins was the “No” vote, arguing that a comprehensive plan should be in place first. Ralph Dawson was absent.

The issue was framed by two Crystal Lakers who spoke during the public comment period.

McHenry County Conservation District trustee and Crystal Lake resident Nancy Williamson led off.

“It is opening the entire area for development,” she asserted.

Referring to the watershed manual, which had just been approved, Williamson said,

”It’s a pair of shoes, but you’ve got no clothes to go with it.”

She argued for waiting until the planning process, including public comment was completed.

Local long-time successful Realtor Gail Plunkett was next up.

“I think it would be a good addition,” she said.

“There are plans for two more big box stores where the (Woodstock) Super-Wal-Mart is.

“Single family residents along Route 14 will not be attractive to the consumer.”

Speaking to traffic predicted to be generated by the Turnberry subdivision west of the Crystal Lake Country Club, Plunkett, who lives one house south of Country Club Road said, “I don’t see any impact.”

“We have to look at this north corridor. It’s the keystone of future development.”

The two comments that I have put in boldface type pretty well delineated the debate.

There were detailed objections from the neighbors and lawyer/planner Jerry Davonport, who gave me the map I hope Google’s Blogger will allow me to post. Tomorrow the objections he raised will be covered in detail, along with some other observations about development north of Route 176.

There were plenty of comments from the council members.

“Conservation design is in direct conflict with one-acre lots,” Councilwoman Kathy Ferguson pointed out. Davonport argued for the latter.

“In terms with the commercial portion, I’m OK with that. They’re going to need some amenities up there.

“In terms of the townhomes, I’d like you to think of villas. I think it would be a better bridging of the design.”

“It’s not as late as usual,” Councilman Jeff Thorsen started out. It was 11:35 PM and the watershed ordinance and manual debate had just finished. That followed a long consideration of the zoning of Extreme Ford on Route 31 south of Route 176.

“We’ll see when you’re done with your comments,” Mayor Aaron Shepley, who has been at odds with Thorsen on the watershed ordinance, interjected.

“I don’t think there’s anyone sitting here who doesn’t think the Northwest corridor will be developed,” Thorsen said. “The question is, ‘How will it be developed?’”

Thorsen came down on the same side as Ferguson on the issue of one-acre lots versus clustered housing.

“I don’t think that’s what we want to see for this corridor.”

“The important thing is what Kathy bought up,” Brett Hopkins said. “I would go with the conservation plan overall (but the density is too high).

“As far as the commercial goes, I’ve been against commercial on this part of Route 14.

“What I don’t want to see is what happened on Randall Road, where you don’t see any delineation (between towns). This was open land (which provides a delineation between Crystal Lake and Woodstock).”

Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller also came out in favor of the conservation design approach.

“Are you going to have one-acre lots? Why even extend sewer out there, if you can have septic?” she asked.

“I think the commercial works for me on Route 14.”

“I also agree the smaller lots work better,” added Councilman Dave Goss. “From a design viewpoint, you parallel road to Route 14, you have double lots there. (It’s a) perfect place to put BMPs (Best Management Practices). I don’t care for them at all.

“I do agree that commercial is appropriate there.”

Attorney Joe Gottemoller summarized the project. One of the elements that motorists would be able to notice is that the part of Ridgefield Road that intersects with Route 14 north of McHenry County College would be moved slightly south so that it would be at a 90 degree angle to the state highway. The Rawson property would have a road coming into that intersection from the west.

“I do get a little nervous because of what Mr. Davonport pointed out,” Shepley said.

He told of knowing some of the neighbors, who had asked him if the subdivision wold mean they could get sewer and water.

“We’re never going to force annex a residence,” he emphasized.

“I think there are two sides to the coin,” the mayor continued.

“I think this is an appropriate area for development.”

Concerning conservation design, he suggested the homes be “cluster(ed) in the middle (to) preseve the open space on the outside.”

“There’s a wetland in the center,” Mueller pointed out.

“My only point is that we in Crystal Lake like to protect open space. It’s nice to look at.”

With regard to the townhomes, Shepley had “mixed emotions.”

“Close to the college, you probably couldn’t ask for a better location,” he said pointing out that students might rent them.

“This is largely not in our watershed.

“I agree with what Jeff said. If not commercial, then what?”

“Office has some of the same downsides.”

Shepley observed that on Randall Road Crystal Lake had to grow down to Miller Road or Lake in the Hills would grow up.

“I don’t think we have boundary agreement with Woodstock on Route 14,” Shepley added.

“Yes, we do,” someone stated.

‘If we want it to be pure open space, we buy it,” Shepley continued.

“The reality is that costs money. The way to get that money is raising taxes as long as we don’t own the property. The property owner has certain rights to develop that property.

[One thing that Shepley did not point out was that by re-zoning the property the city increased the value of the property considerably.]

“McHenry County College has just as many cars going in and out as any shopping center.

“I do not agree at all that it is appropriate to put residences there (backing up to Route 14, a suggestion of Davonport).

“When you come back with the site plan,” Shepley said to the developer, “you need to make sure the future landowners that are not going to be configured in a way that their property values are not negatively affected by the (rear) fence.”
He was referring, of course, to the neighbors who objected vehemently to the zoning approval of Extreme Ford on Route 31 south of Route 176 earlier in the council meeting.

= = = = =
All images can be enlarged by clicking on them. The map is from Jerry Davonport, the satellite photo from Google. All pictures were taken previously.

Very early Friday morning (late, late Thursday night is a better description of the time), while I was writing stories about the Crystal Lake Park Board’s discussion of McHenry County College’s baseball stadium with consultant Gary Schaefer, I had this insight.

Actually, I was probably remembering what Crystal Lake Park Board member Mike Walkup said during Thursday night’s meeting.

It’s so obvious that I wonder why I didn’t think of it before.

This whole college baseball stadium push (hush, hush, hush; rush, rush, rush) is about getting more tax revenue for the city fathers and mothers to spend.

Dah.

Virtually everything public officials do is about money and I ashamed it took me this long to figure it out.

I know that Mike Williamson and Rosemary Kurtz, among others, talked about the precedent that granting this exception to the decades old 20% development restriction in Crystal Lake’s Watershed Ordinance.

Listening to Schaefer of Hey and Associates tell the park board how some parcels might not just be covered by the 50% of impervious material like roofs and parking lots being requested by MCC, but up to the 70% that the Crystal Lake Zoning Ordinance allows really got my brain a whirring.

Look at all of that empty land north of Route 176 on this Google satellite map. Most is in the watershed. (Click to enlarge.)

Any that is 4 feet above the water table can be built upon under the proposed Watershed Ordinance rules.

Crystal Lake’s sales tax revenue has been cannibalized by the new stores on Randall Road in Algonquin and Lake in the Hills.

The city council has unwisely–for the future of sales tax revenue for the city, in my opinion–already given Lake in the Hills another huge future shopping venue in the gravel pit south of Virginia Street Road.

It did that by agreeing to move Pyott Road east to allow a longer LITH Airport runway. (More about that mistake by Mayor Aaron Shepley and the city council tomorrow.)

So, Crystal Lake has a lot of catch-up to do.

And opening up the undeveloped part of Route 14 in the watershed seems to be the city’s best hope to regain sales tax receipts lost to Algonquin and Lake in the Hills.

The strategy will be to drain off sales tax receipts from the Woodstock area and subdivisions that will be built in the Crystal Lake watershed to the west and other developments still farther west.

= = = =
Since writing this I was given a stack of old Northwest Herald’s and found this proposal for an 85 acre commercial development by Chicago’s Bryn Mahr Corporation north of Lucas Road (the one that runs into the college’s Ring Road) on Route 14 just beyond the edge of Crystal Lake’s watershed and just beyond the proposed baseball stadium. Developer Ken Rawson says he won’t develop the 12 acres of his 270 acre parcel that lie within Crystal Lake’s watershed.

Reporter Jim Butts wrote, “’Hopefully this will give Crystal Lake a new commercial corridor up to Woodstock,’ Rawson said.”

It will be held by the Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission on August 15th and September 18th. They are broadcast on public access TV.

This is the same developer whose sales have been slowed by the sewer problem on Route 176.

Very early Friday morning (late, late Thursday night is a better description of the time), while I was writing stories about the Crystal Lake Park Board’s discussion of McHenry County College’s baseball stadium with consultant Gary Schaefer, I had this insight.

Actually, I was probably remembering what Crystal Lake Park Board member Mike Walkup said during Thursday night’s meeting.

It’s so obvious that I wonder why I didn’t think of it before.

This whole college baseball stadium push (hush, hush, hush; rush, rush, rush) is about getting more tax revenue for the city fathers and mothers to spend.

Dah.

Virtually everything public officials do is about money and I ashamed it took me this long to figure it out.

I know that Mike Williamson and Rosemary Kurtz, among others, talked about the precedent that granting this exception to the decades old 20% development restriction in Crystal Lake’s Watershed Ordinance.

Listening to Schaefer of Hey and Associates tell the park board how some parcels might not just be covered by the 50% of impervious material like roofs and parking lots being requested by MCC, but up to the 70% that the Crystal Lake Zoning Ordinance allows really got my brain a whirring.

Look at all of that empty land north of Route 176 on this Google satellite map. Most is in the watershed. (Click to enlarge.)

Any that is 4 feet above the water table can be built upon under the proposed Watershed Ordinance rules.

Crystal Lake’s sales tax revenue has been cannibalized by the new stores on Randall Road in Algonquin and Lake in the Hills.

The city council has unwisely–for the future of sales tax revenue for the city, in my opinion–already given Lake in the Hills another huge future shopping venue in the gravel pit south of Virginia Street Road.

It did that by agreeing to move Pyott Road east to allow a longer LITH Airport runway. (More about that mistake by Mayor Aaron Shepley and the city council tomorrow.)

So, Crystal Lake has a lot of catch-up to do.

And opening up the undeveloped part of Route 14 in the watershed seems to be the city’s best hope to regain sales tax receipts lost to Algonquin and Lake in the Hills.

The strategy will be to drain off sales tax receipts from the Woodstock area and subdivisions that will be built in the Crystal Lake watershed to the west and other developments still farther west.

= = = =
Since writing this I was given a stack of old Northwest Herald’s and found this proposal for an 85 acre commercial development by Chicago’s Bryn Mahr Corporation north of Lucas Road (the one that runs into the college’s Ring Road) on Route 14 just beyond the edge of Crystal Lake’s watershed and just beyond the proposed baseball stadium. Developer Ken Rawson says he won’t develop the 12 acres of his 270 acre parcel that lie within Crystal Lake’s watershed.

Reporter Jim Butts wrote, “’Hopefully this will give Crystal Lake a new commercial corridor up to Woodstock,’ Rawson said.”

It will be held by the Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission on August 15th and September 18th. They are broadcast on public access TV.

This is the same developer whose sales have been slowed by the sewer problem on Route 176.