McHenry County Blog

Maybe there’s no connection, but when I read in the Quad City Times that the State of Illinois closed all 15 tourism centers on July 1st and then learned that the McHenry County Conservation District was opening a visitor center in Glacial Park, for some reason I linked them.

The purposes are different, of course.

The state is giving out regional tourism pamphlets, while the Conservation District’s Visitor Center is a destination.

You really have to hunt for it to find it. It is truly in the middle of no where, rather than being next to a four-lane highway, as most of the tourism centers are.

And there are the different sources of funding.

State government relies mainly on income and sales taxes, while the Conservation District is support4d by property taxes and grants.

And, the State Tourism Center is laying off people because operating funds are just not available, while the MCCD’s $6.75 million renovation of Comdisco’s hunt club is capital money.

I asked MCCD Board President Nancy Williamson where the money came from and here’s the explanation from the handout:

“The LVVC renovations were funded from unrestricted ‘Reserve’ balances from the District’s Capital Fund.

‘The revenue sources that generated the unrestricted Reserves were derived substantially from grant reimbursements from previous projects completed by the District over the last 10+ years. (Projects unrelated to the LVVC renovations.)

“The grant reimbursements would be received after the projects were 100% completed and paid for.

“Therefore, when the grant moneys were received, the Board elected to set the money aside and designate it for future capital improvements.”

You might want to read that again.

An alternative use of the money would have been to abate taxes on the non-referendum and referendum bonds.

The Lost Valley Visitor Center is quite splendid.

It was subsidized by a $434,435 grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for permeable paving bricks.

That’s a lot of bricks.

They cover the entire parking lot.

It shows that it can be done.  Williamson said it would be helpful to the oaks.

There was a subsidy from the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation for $74,933 as well.

It helped dig the six wells that are used by the heat pumps which were installed. The handout says that “$3-4 heat for every $1 spent. Annual savings of approximately $28,000.”

I was given a tour by an enthusiastic Williamson.

As we started down the long hall that used to lead to bedrooms, she point to a solar light tube which lessens the need for electric lights.

“That would make a good picture on the blog,” she noted.

Although the storm clouds were rolling in about 7 PM last night, natural light was still making it to hallway.

Two divisions are headquartered at the facility:

• Natural Resources Management
• Education

The regional office of the Illinois Natural Resources Commission is also in the sprawling building.

There are rooms galore for teaching opportunities.

What views they have!

There are multiple decks where one can be at the same level of the birds in oak trees.

And, there are multiple places that will made excellent venues for fundraisers.

The biggest one, finished Thursday, was a floor over the old swimming pool.

It’s pretty big, but there are other smaller outdoor spaces.

At the east end of the building, offices are on the second floor, but the first is a big meeting room.

On the way back to the main entrance, I was shown a locker and shower room for those who maintain the conservation areas.

There were also offices for those engaged in educational outreach.

As Williamson was completing our tour, people were cleaning up from the reception.

As I mentioned, when I arrived, most people had left.  The first thing I noticed was that no one was parking in the spots closest to the building.

I wondered why.  Looking at the signs that read, “RESERVED FOR LOW-EMISSION VEHICLE.”

Then I saw three County Board women–Kathy Bergan Schmidt, Mary McCann and Tina Hill–leaving the event.

The next two were Wonder Lake Fir

On the way out I took a couple of shots of the hazy landscape.

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.

I got the feeling Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley was a bit defensive Tuesday night.
Throughout the part of the meeting on the watershed manual, it seemed that he was almost trying to rehabilitate drainage engineer Gary Schaefer’s reputation.

Shepley was like a lawyer (which he is) putting his witness through a series of leading questions concerning his hiring by the city before McHenry County College approached the city, how his only concern was for the lake, that no one had ever talked to him about putting commercial establishments on the watershed.

Except for Schaefer’s obvious employment by both the Crystal Lake Park District and city government and the potential difference in perspectives of the two agencies, I don’t know of anyone who has questioned the engineer’s integrity or qualifications.

Shepley’s questioning just seemed a bit much.

Maybe it was because of what Nancy Williamson said. (See yesterday’s article on the meeting for her words.)

Or maybe it was because I suggested the sales tax revenue that could be obtained from stores that could be built in the watershed.

Just before I left Shepley said,

“Everybody sitting here is doing this for one reason. It’s not for power or money. It’s for love of community.

“The suggestion that there’s been some sort of a conspiracy to push this through (has been made.)

“If I were not on the council, would I say ‘There’s some connection with the college?’

“I might.

“It isn’t crazy.

“There’s no amount of tax dollars from developers that would motivate us to do something to the lake.”

Shepley pointed out that as a Home Rule city, “we have the power to raise taxes,” if more money is needed.

I got the feeling Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley was a bit defensive Tuesday night.
Throughout the part of the meeting on the watershed manual, it seemed that he was almost trying to rehabilitate drainage engineer Gary Schaefer’s reputation.

Shepley was like a lawyer (which he is) putting his witness through a series of leading questions concerning his hiring by the city before McHenry County College approached the city, how his only concern was for the lake, that no one had ever talked to him about putting commercial establishments on the watershed.

Except for Schaefer’s obvious employment by both the Crystal Lake Park District and city government and the potential difference in perspectives of the two agencies, I don’t know of anyone who has questioned the engineer’s integrity or qualifications.

Shepley’s questioning just seemed a bit much.

Maybe it was because of what Nancy Williamson said. (See yesterday’s article on the meeting for her words.)

Or maybe it was because I suggested the sales tax revenue that could be obtained from stores that could be built in the watershed.

Just before I left Shepley said,

“Everybody sitting here is doing this for one reason. It’s not for power or money. It’s for love of community.

“The suggestion that there’s been some sort of a conspiracy to push this through (has been made.)

“If I were not on the council, would I say ‘There’s some connection with the college?’

“I might.

“It isn’t crazy.

“There’s no amount of tax dollars from developers that would motivate us to do something to the lake.”

Shepley pointed out that as a Home Rule city, “we have the power to raise taxes,” if more money is needed.

I’ve got to tell you, when I went into the Crystal Lake City Council chambers Tuesday night, I felt that the watershed manual would be approved before the meeting was over.

It wasn’t.

The consensus of the council sometime between midnight and one was that maintenance, enforcement and how to finance them had to be a part of any ordinance that would be enacted.

Score one for the McHenry County Defenders and others who were activated by recent flooding, which Mayor Aaron Shepley said was a “136 year rain event, based on the mosquito people’s data.”

This is just my opinion, but I think the Defender’s analysis of that manual and McHenry County College’s “Hush, Hush, Hush; Rush, Rush, Rush” zoning petition for a baseball stadium are the reasons that the manual was not approved and probably won’t be until October.

City officials withheld the manual itself from environmentalists and, when released after the filing of a Freedom of Information request, it wasn’t even the manual being considered by the city’s Technical Advisory Committee.

That is but one indication in the city’s and MCC’s lack of transparency that led more than me to believe that a lot is happening that is not on the table.

The Defenders marshaled experts who made technical suggestions, many of which were incorporated in the latest version of the manual that Gary Schaefer’s company, Hey and Associates, has presented.

(As an aside, I think that an essential role that the Defenders have played since spinning off from the Fox Valley Defenders is providing technical advice to folks throughout McHenry County when growth issues have threatened to completely overwhelm common sense. That, plus the all-important lobbying of public officials by members of the Defenders.)

The talking of knowledgeable members of the Defenders with city councilmen and women was certainly evident last night.

In addition to what was said at the public comment section of the city council meeting last night at previous meeting after previous public meeting, Defenders pointed out what became the all-important sticking point:

How would the manual to be enforced?

George Boulet, not a member of the Defenders as far as I know, but a member of the city’s own watershed Technical Advisory Committee, probably put it most succinctly:

“I have no fundamental issues with the technical issues in this manual.

“My problem is how do you get it enforced?”

This most important part of the meeting did not start until 10 PM, 2½ hours after the scheduled staring time of 7:30.

Excuse me if I think its placement on the agenda was to minimize public participation.

I got home at 1 AM. Not many people who are working can afford to lose that much sleep.

First, Schaefer made what is the third presentation I have heard on his two years of work.

I don’t think I will be doing a disservice to summarize that Schaefer said the proposed rules would keep the quality of water in Crystal Lake constant (and it has not deteriorated over the last 30 years), but increase the flow into the lake.

Then there were public comments.

First was Timothy O’Neill, president of a North Shore property owners association with 160-165 homes. He was concerned about flooding, pointing out the city had allowed houses to be built that it should not have. One has cattails 5 feet high in its back yard.

“We really never had that problem until we cut down all the willows and ask that soaked up a lot of water, even in the winter,” he added.

“The more we build in the watershed, it’s going to come down there near the lake. It always has and always will.”

Barbara Day, President of the Defenders, then read a letter that is worth reproducing here, even though it is quite long:

Crystal Lake City Council members should:

1) adopt a moratorium on all development petitions in the Crystal Lake watershed
2) NOT adopt the Crystal Lake Watershed Stormwater Design Manual in its current form

Reasons:
1) the latest draft of the Crystal Lake Watershed Stormwater Design Manual was made public on Friday, Aug. 24. It was discussed at the Technical Advisory Committee on Tues. Aug. 28. While improvements have been made since the Defenders first got a draft at the end of June, the manual is still not adequate as a guide for all future development in the Crystal Lake watershed. It is lacking in the following areas:

—no guidance given for how developments should be designed to limit their footprints
—no requirement that developments provide a complete plan for how the quality of groundwater will be maintained before a variance to allow a greater footprint is granted.
—no requirements that developers demonstrate upfront the effectiveness of planned water quality practices using computer models
—no requirements included on pollutant source control for new developments (control of polluting roadsalts, fertilizers and pesticides are needed.)
—no requirement for stormwater volume reduction for all development categories
—no requirements for monitoring of the quality of stormwater before it is infiltrated into the ground or for groundwater monitoring to detect failures of water quality practices
You can find the manual at www.crystallake

2) The City of Crystal Lake is well aware that the Crystal Lake Park District has requested a moratorium to allow them time to hire and have an independent consultant review the Stormwater Design Manual. If the city council acts now, they will have limited the park district’s input into a decision that affects their responsibilities as steward of Lippold Pond and Crystal Lake.

3) for a document as important to the future of Crystal Lake as the Stormwater Design Manual is, the city should hold a special meeting to receive public input.

4) the recent storms should give everyone pause. The City should take a step back and reassess the assumptions that have gone into the Stormwater Design Manual, namely that more impervious surface in the watershed is fine because combined with engineered stormwater management practices, the city will be able to get more water into the ground, into to the tiles and to the lake. While this seemed like a good idea while the main concern was low lake levels, the recent flooding problems raise serious concerns about what will happen in the future if extensive pavement and rooftops cover the Crystal Lake watershed. Where will that water go?

Linda Gaska, who lives on Nash Road, warned,

“Repair costs once the watershed is compromised probably will be more costly than any revenue that will be obtained from that development.”

She citied how New York City’s drinking water had been contaminated by overdevelopment of its watershed.

Gaska added that she had heard that Lippold Park was at 100% capacity, making it impossible to filter water from the drain tile system the way it should be.

Nancy Williamson, a member of the McHenry County Conservation District board and Crystal Lake resident since 1974 delivered this observation:

”In my years with the city, I don’t think I’ve ever been so disappointed with the opaqueness of this process.

“The college’s plans were first mentioned with no mention of the watershed footprint.

“In the June meeting (6-26) we found out there was a draft manual,” she said, pointing out that when she finally got it—after an additional 7-day delay—it was the October, 2005, draft. She then discovered that the Technical Advisory Committee members were “looking at a completely different manual.”

“Suddenly, in less than a month and a half, we are going to deal with this engineered manual,” Williamson said.

“We are not addressing the lake issues, the watershed issues.

“What is your hurry?

“Who is benefiting?

“Is this going to benefit the citizens of Crystal Lake (or somebody else)?

“This is a pretty good manual, but it’s not a watershed plan.

“Where are the plans for the greenways?

“Where are the open space organizations who should have been called in?

“This whole process has been very strange for a city as sophisticated as Crystal Lake.

“If we use this to open the flood gates, we will be dealing with this (for many years to come.)”

Jane Collins spoke, representing the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water—A-LAW for short.

“Where is your organization based,” Shepley interrupted.

“We have a post office box in Woodstock,” Collins replied before she pointed out, “People don’t function well this late at night.”

She asked if the Bauer Report was accurate in saying that Crystal Lake “renews itself every 2½ years.”

Schaefer thought it might be “a little less than that.”

Collins wanted to know whether there was a recharge map.

Schaefer said the topographical map was similar, that a recharge map would be “very expensive.”

Collins pointed out that the State Water Survey and the State Geological Survey could be of assistance and were willing to be involved, as was the McHenry County Soil and Water District.

Schaefer said that the late 1990’s water table map from one of the state survey organization was included in the manual and had been found to be accurate to about a foot.

And, after the public had had its say, that was echoed again and again by member of the city council.

More on that tomorrow.

I’ve got to tell you, when I went into the Crystal Lake City Council chambers Tuesday night, I felt that the watershed manual would be approved before the meeting was over.

It wasn’t.

The consensus of the council sometime between midnight and one was that maintenance, enforcement and how to finance them had to be a part of any ordinance that would be enacted.

Score one for the McHenry County Defenders and others who were activated by recent flooding, which Mayor Aaron Shepley said was a “136 year rain event, based on the mosquito people’s data.”

This is just my opinion, but I think the Defender’s analysis of that manual and McHenry County College’s “Hush, Hush, Hush; Rush, Rush, Rush” zoning petition for a baseball stadium are the reasons that the manual was not approved and probably won’t be until October.

City officials withheld the manual itself from environmentalists and, when released after the filing of a Freedom of Information request, it wasn’t even the manual being considered by the city’s Technical Advisory Committee.

That is but one indication in the city’s and MCC’s lack of transparency that led more than me to believe that a lot is happening that is not on the table.

The Defenders marshaled experts who made technical suggestions, many of which were incorporated in the latest version of the manual that Gary Schaefer’s company, Hey and Associates, has presented.

(As an aside, I think that an essential role that the Defenders have played since spinning off from the Fox Valley Defenders is providing technical advice to folks throughout McHenry County when growth issues have threatened to completely overwhelm common sense. That, plus the all-important lobbying of public officials by members of the Defenders.)

The talking of knowledgeable members of the Defenders with city councilmen and women was certainly evident last night.

In addition to what was said at the public comment section of the city council meeting last night at previous meeting after previous public meeting, Defenders pointed out what became the all-important sticking point:

How would the manual to be enforced?

George Boulet, not a member of the Defenders as far as I know, but a member of the city’s own watershed Technical Advisory Committee, probably put it most succinctly:

“I have no fundamental issues with the technical issues in this manual.

“My problem is how do you get it enforced?”

This most important part of the meeting did not start until 10 PM, 2½ hours after the scheduled staring time of 7:30.

Excuse me if I think its placement on the agenda was to minimize public participation.

I got home at 1 AM. Not many people who are working can afford to lose that much sleep.

First, Schaefer made what is the third presentation I have heard on his two years of work.

I don’t think I will be doing a disservice to summarize that Schaefer said the proposed rules would keep the quality of water in Crystal Lake constant (and it has not deteriorated over the last 30 years), but increase the flow into the lake.

Then there were public comments.

First was Timothy O’Neill, president of a North Shore property owners association with 160-165 homes. He was concerned about flooding, pointing out the city had allowed houses to be built that it should not have. One has cattails 5 feet high in its back yard.

“We really never had that problem until we cut down all the willows and ask that soaked up a lot of water, even in the winter,” he added.

“The more we build in the watershed, it’s going to come down there near the lake. It always has and always will.”

Barbara Day, President of the Defenders, then read a letter that is worth reproducing here, even though it is quite long:

Crystal Lake City Council members should:

1) adopt a moratorium on all development petitions in the Crystal Lake watershed
2) NOT adopt the Crystal Lake Watershed Stormwater Design Manual in its current form

Reasons:
1) the latest draft of the Crystal Lake Watershed Stormwater Design Manual was made public on Friday, Aug. 24. It was discussed at the Technical Advisory Committee on Tues. Aug. 28. While improvements have been made since the Defenders first got a draft at the end of June, the manual is still not adequate as a guide for all future development in the Crystal Lake watershed. It is lacking in the following areas:

—no guidance given for how developments should be designed to limit their footprints
—no requirement that developments provide a complete plan for how the quality of groundwater will be maintained before a variance to allow a greater footprint is granted.
—no requirements that developers demonstrate upfront the effectiveness of planned water quality practices using computer models
—no requirements included on pollutant source control for new developments (control of polluting roadsalts, fertilizers and pesticides are needed.)
—no requirement for stormwater volume reduction for all development categories
—no requirements for monitoring of the quality of stormwater before it is infiltrated into the ground or for groundwater monitoring to detect failures of water quality practices
You can find the manual at www.crystallake

2) The City of Crystal Lake is well aware that the Crystal Lake Park District has requested a moratorium to allow them time to hire and have an independent consultant review the Stormwater Design Manual. If the city council acts now, they will have limited the park district’s input into a decision that affects their responsibilities as steward of Lippold Pond and Crystal Lake.

3) for a document as important to the future of Crystal Lake as the Stormwater Design Manual is, the city should hold a special meeting to receive public input.

4) the recent storms should give everyone pause. The City should take a step back and reassess the assumptions that have gone into the Stormwater Design Manual, namely that more impervious surface in the watershed is fine because combined with engineered stormwater management practices, the city will be able to get more water into the ground, into to the tiles and to the lake. While this seemed like a good idea while the main concern was low lake levels, the recent flooding problems raise serious concerns about what will happen in the future if extensive pavement and rooftops cover the Crystal Lake watershed. Where will that water go?

Linda Gaska, who lives on Nash Road, warned,

“Repair costs once the watershed is compromised probably will be more costly than any revenue that will be obtained from that development.”

She citied how New York City’s drinking water had been contaminated by overdevelopment of its watershed.

Gaska added that she had heard that Lippold Park was at 100% capacity, making it impossible to filter water from the drain tile system the way it should be.

Nancy Williamson, a member of the McHenry County Conservation District board and Crystal Lake resident since 1974 delivered this observation:

”In my years with the city, I don’t think I’ve ever been so disappointed with the opaqueness of this process.

“The college’s plans were first mentioned with no mention of the watershed footprint.

“In the June meeting (6-26) we found out there was a draft manual,” she said, pointing out that when she finally got it—after an additional 7-day delay—it was the October, 2005, draft. She then discovered that the Technical Advisory Committee members were “looking at a completely different manual.”

“Suddenly, in less than a month and a half, we are going to deal with this engineered manual,” Williamson said.

“We are not addressing the lake issues, the watershed issues.

“What is your hurry?

“Who is benefiting?

“Is this going to benefit the citizens of Crystal Lake (or somebody else)?

“This is a pretty good manual, but it’s not a watershed plan.

“Where are the plans for the greenways?

“Where are the open space organizations who should have been called in?

“This whole process has been very strange for a city as sophisticated as Crystal Lake.

“If we use this to open the flood gates, we will be dealing with this (for many years to come.)”

Jane Collins spoke, representing the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water—A-LAW for short.

“Where is your organization based,” Shepley interrupted.

“We have a post office box in Woodstock,” Collins replied before she pointed out, “People don’t function well this late at night.”

She asked if the Bauer Report was accurate in saying that Crystal Lake “renews itself every 2½ years.”

Schaefer thought it might be “a little less than that.”

Collins wanted to know whether there was a recharge map.

Schaefer said the topographical map was similar, that a recharge map would be “very expensive.”

Collins pointed out that the State Water Survey and the State Geological Survey could be of assistance and were willing to be involved, as was the McHenry County Soil and Water District.

Schaefer said that the late 1990’s water table map from one of the state survey organization was included in the manual and had been found to be accurate to about a foot.

And, after the public had had its say, that was echoed again and again by member of the city council.

More on that tomorrow.