McHenry County Blog

A press release from the Crystal Lake Police Department

Crystal Lake Traffic Crash June 29th, 2011

On Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at approximately 4:52 PM, emergency crews from the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue and Crystal Lake Police Departments responded to a report of a traffic crash on Illinois Route 176 near Mt. Thabor Road.

Route 176 and Mt. Thabor Road. Halligus Road is the one south of Route 176.

Upon arrival crews located a two vehicle crash, in which one vehicle had left the roadway and came to rest in approximately three feet of water in the ditch on the south side of the road.

Fire Rescue personnel evaluated the occupants of the vehicles, determining none had sustained injury.

Upon further investigation, it was determined that both vehicles had been traveling eastbound on Rt. 176 at the intersection.

Jessica Hill (20) of Marengo, IL, while operating her 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer, had slowed and came to a stop, intending to turn left (north) onto Mt. Thabor Road. Travelling behind Hill’s vehicle was Roberta Luebbers, (68), also from Marengo, IL, in her 2006 Hyundai.

Luebbers failed to sufficiently reduce the speed of her vehicle before taking evasive action, and swerving off the road in an attempt to avoid striking Hill’s vehicle. Luebbers’ vehicle sideswiped the passenger side of Hill’s before leaving the roadway entirely, coming to rest in the water-filled ditch.

Roberta Luebbers was cited for Failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident (Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 625, 5.0/11-601(a)) and was released from the scene pending her appearance in court August 18th, 2011 at the McHenry County Courthouse.

Traffic was diverted from the immediate area for approximately 40 minutes as crews investigated the crash, removed Luebbers’ vehicle from the water, and cleaned up the debris.

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This is an intersection that clearly needs to be realigned in preparation for a traffic signal as the area grows.

A motorcyclist got hit by a motorist at Briarwood and Rt. 176 Saturday.

My preferred route to Woodstock takes me across Route 176 on Briarwood.

I nominate it as the most dangerous corner in Crystal Lake. It most certainly needs a traffic light and I can’t understand why Crystal Lake and state officials don’t install one.

Today a motorcyclist without a helmet got hit by a motorist who said he didn’t see the smaller vehicle.

Below is the Crystal Lake Police Department’s press release about the accident.

Crystal Lake Traffic Crash June 25th, 2011

On Saturday, June 25th, 2011, at approximately 1:00pm, emergency crews from the Crystal Lake Fire/Rescue and Police Departments responded to a report of a traffic crash on Route 176 at the intersection with Briarwood Road involving a motorcyclist.
Upon arrival crews determined a motorcyclist, operating a 2007 Yamaha, was struck by a motorist, operating a 2007 Honda Odyssey, in the intersection.

The motorcyclist, identified as Kevin Franzen (41) of Channahon, IL, was treated by Crystal Lake Fire/Rescue for head and shoulder injuries sustained as a result of the collision. Franzen, who was not wearing a helmet, was transported to Memorial Hospital in Woodstock for further treatment. His injuries are not life-threatening.

The subsequent traffic crash investigation revealed James Golnik (71), a resident of McHenry, IL, was traveling westbound on Route 176 while operating the Honda Odyssey.

Franzen was traveling eastbound on Route 176.

Both men entered the intersection with Briarwood Road in opposing directions.

Franzen intended on proceeding through the intersection. Golnik turned left toward southbound Briarwood Road and struck Franzen’s motorcycle.

Golnik reported he did not see the motorcycle and believed he was struck from behind by another vehicle.

However, witnesses on scene reported Golnik turned into the motorcycle and he was not struck by any other vehicle.

Golnik was cited with Improper Left Turn at an Intersection and Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle, Illinois Complied Statutes 625ILCS 5.0/11-902 and 5.0/3-707. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 21st, 2011 at the McHenry County Courthouse.

Traffic on Route 176 between Briarwood Road and Route 14 was closed for approximately 25 minutes.

Originally, the McHenry County SportsPlex was announced as being north of Pleasant Valley Road facing Route 47. No more. As you can see, it is now south of the current Pleasant Valley Road with that road relocated to face Route 176 before it joins Route 47 and jogs north. Click to enlarge.

The unveiling of the the McHenry County SportsPlex details will start at Lakewood’s Red Tail Golf Course Club House at six Tuesday night.

The entrance to the SportsPlex.

Before the night is over, I’d give odds the deal, complete with so far unrevealed “development incentives,” will be approved, will be approved.

That’s when the following will occur:

“Public Hearing: Consideration and Recommendation for Map Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance of the Village of Lakewood to have the premises described hereafter zoned as AG Agricultural and B-2 General Business, respectively, consistent with the above-referenced Special Use Permit and Development Plan.”

Maybe you can figure out what that means, but I can’t.

You can see where the SportsPlex will be located in relationship to Pleasant Valley Road in this illustration. Most is south; a little on the western edge is north. Click to enlage this or any other image.

Then, at 7 PM, what appears to be the most momentous village board meeting since Turnberry was annexed in order to allow the developer to avoid school and park district impact fees, the village board appears poised to annex more land and provide economic incentives to developers of the proposed McHenry County SportsPlex.

There will be a public hearing first on the

“Proposed Annexation and Development Incentive Agreement,”

as the agenda puts it.

I couldn’t find the “incentives” being offered the SportsPlex promoters on the the village web site.  Village officials sent this explanation in mid-July.  It mentions a flyer that many residents received earlier.

Here’s what seems relevant from Tuesday night’s agenda:

Public Hearing:

Here's the western part of the proposed SportsPlex. Click to enlarge.

Proposed Annexation and Development Incentive Agreement with the Village of Lakewood,

• Patricia M. LeClair as Trustee under provisions of a Trustee Agreement dated July 9, 2008 and known as Patricia LeClair Revocable Trust,
• Napier Partners, L.P., and
• Donald A. Swanson, Owners, and
• McHenry County Sportplex, LLC, Petitioner

The eastern part of the SportPlex can be seen here. Click to enlarge.

The Public Hearing includes hearings on and will include the following
matters:

• The Approval of the above Annexation and Development Incentive
• Agreement (“Agreement”),
• the Approval of the Annexation of the Parcels Subject to the Agreement,
• the Re-Zoning of the parcels subject to the Agreement,
• the Approval of a Special Use Permit for Planned Development of parcels subject to the Agreement,
• the Approval of a Preliminary Plat for the parcels subject to the Agreements and
• the Approval of an Agreement to the Comprehensive Plan for the Village of Lakewood concerning the parcels Subject to the Agreement

There will be a playground and splash pads, plus a comfort station.

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(64) – An Ordinance Approving an Amendment to the Village of Lakewood Comprehensive Plan

A "Miracle Field," which I believe it designed to allow special needs children to play ball is one of the features. There are also extreme sports venues, e.g., a BMX track and an obstacle course.

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(65) – An Ordinance Authorizing Execution of an Annexation and Development Incentive Agreement Between the Village of Lakewood,

• Napier Partners, LP;
• Patricia M. LeClair Revocable Trust;
• Donald Swanson; and
• McHenry County Sportplex, LLC

Here's a better view of four baseball fields that will back up to each other.

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(66) – An Ordinance Annexing the Napier and LeClair Properties Commonly Known as 12317 and 12512 Pleasant Valley Road to the Village of Lakewood

A gas station is planned for the new southwest corner of Pleasant Valley Road and Route 47. Retail is seen on the northside.

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(67) -An Ordinance Zoning 12317 and 12512 Pleasant Valley Road as AG Agriculture District and 11717 Pleasant Valley Road as B-2 General Business District (Napier Partners, LP; Patricia M. LeClair Revocable Trust; and Donald Swanson Properties)

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(68) – An Ordinance Issuing a Special Use Permit for Planned Unit Development for Property Commonly known as 12317, 12512, and 11717 Pleasant Valley Road (Napier Partners, LP; Patricia M. LeClair Revocable Trust and Donald Swanson Properties)

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(69) – An Ordinance Approving the Preliminary Plan for the Napier Partners, LP; Patricia M. LeClair Revocable Trust; and Donald Swanson Properties

With everything scheduled to happen in one night and no documents on the village web site, there does not appear to be a desire to have reasoned discussion by the public on this biggest “deal” in Lakewood history.

This reminds me too much of the Jimmy Carter “Trust me” approach to his presidential election.

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Previous articles that might be of interest:

$18 Million Federal Stimulus Request for $40 Million Route 47 & 176 Lakewood Recreational Complex on County Board Finance Committee’s Agenda Tuesday

Concept Drawings of the Proposed McHenry County Sportsplex in Lakewood

May Letter Outlines $5 Million in Direct and Indirect Lakewood Financial Assistance to Sportsplex Developer Lou Tenore

So, You Want to Know More about the Lakewood SportsPlex?

Lakewood Village President Erin Smith Endorses Ken Koehler for County Board

First Electric Newspaper Finds Potential Snag in Lakewood SportsPlex

Chicagoland Foreign Investment Group Sends SportsPlex Investment Letter

Investment Bank Announces Commitment to SportsPlex, If

Thoughts on “Money in the Bank”

Lakewood SportsPlex Proposal Getting Curiouser and Curiouser

Lakewood Gains New Economic Development Tool

Lakewood Seeks to Annex 540 Acres, including Route 176 & 47 Golf Courses & SportsPlex Site

Judge Michael Caldwell Gives Lakewood Green Light to Grow to Route 176

Former Village President, Republican Activist Win Lakewood Trustee Spots

Big Zoning Doings in Lakewood Tuesday Night

Lakewood Annexes Past Route 47 Up to Route 176

Village of Lakewood Summer Newsletter, Anti-SportsPlex Flyer Arrive

The 540 acres that the Village of Lakewood plans to annex. (Click to enlarge.)

The Village of Lakewood asked permission to annex 540 acres running up to Dean Street Road and Route 176, where mail boxes have a Woodstock address.

This southwest intersection of Route 176 and Route 47 will be in Lakewood once annexation is completed.

They got permission to proceed from McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Michael Caldwell.

Kolze's Corner Gardens on the southeast corner of Route 176 and Dean Street Road will be the northwest corner of Lakewood once the proposed annexation is complete.

The area includes the proposed SportsPlex, plus two sales tax generating nurseries.

McHenry County Sheriff's Squad Car was the second one I saw heading toward the Route 47 accident.

As I was heading to the McHenry County Courthouse complex for the Republican Party-sponsored Chicago Food Pantry food giveaway, a Woodstock Police car came screaming down Business 14 and turned onto Route 47.

It was easy to tell that this was not a routine call and, given the time of night, something before six P.M., I guessed it was an auto accident.

The traffic light override was engaged at Judd Street and Route 47.

Stopping for gas at the Citgo to avoid Mayor Aaron Shepley’s 75% sales tax increase, a Sheriff’s squad car was accelerating down 47.

Woodstock Fire Engine Number 01 headed south on Route 47.

We got to the light at Judd Street, on which the main Fire Station is located. I noticed the little light next to the traffic light was white.

Sure enough, what has to be one of Woodstock’s biggest engine, number “01,” rolled around the corner onto Route 47 going south.

While at the courthouse parking lot another engine, siren blasting, came down Ware Road, turning south on Route 47.

Woodstock Fire Truck E35 also responded to the accident. The back of the sign you see says "McHenry County Republican Headquaters." The local GOP were sponsoring a Northern Illinois Food Bank free food pick-up in the Courthouse parking lot.

I decided to take Route 47 home. Before reaching Bypass 14, I noticed a helicopter heading in a northerly direction. I thought it might be a Flight for Life, but I couldn’t figure out what hospital it might be heading for. Rockford is west and the helicopter seemed to be heading more northwest.

Continuing down 47, we reached a roadblock at Lucas Road.

Route 47 was blocked at Lucas Road by a Woodstock Police car.

East or west were our choices.  I went west  a bit and parked.

It appears to be a head-on crash between two cars. It is unclear if the truck with the blue trailer was involved or is just blocking the road to prevent others from piling into the wreck. (Click to enlarge this or any other image.)

You can see what my long lens caught of this major accident. Two cars seemed to have been involved. There is a red truck with a blue trailer which might have been part of the accident, too. Maybe it is just blocking the road to prevent other cars from hitting the wrecked ones. Another white semi probably stopped to help.

The fire engines had left, but two Sheriff’s Department squad cars were there. The deputies were examining the car on the road, which appeared to have been hit head-on.

Below you can see a close-up of the demolished car in the middle of the road.

Here's a close-up of the demolished car sitting astride Route 47.

The white car which ended up in the western ditch is seen next.

Route 47's western ditch is where the white car ended up.

We drove west on Lucas and down Dean Street Road to Route 176. It took a long time to get out onto the main road.

Route 47 was blocked at its northern intersection with Route 176. This is at the northern edge of the over 400 acres the Village of Lakewood seeks to annex.

At the intersection of Routes 176 and 47, a Sheriff’s Deputy told northbound cars to head west to Dean Street and it would take them to Woodstock.

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Gus Philpott’s Woodstock Advocate has a story on the crash here. Included is an earlier photo.

Pete Gonigam’s First Electric Newspaper reported it first, but he didn’t have the map you see below.

What you see in orange is the new area within McHenry County designated by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development as “Targeted Employment Area under the Alien Entrepreneur Visa Program.”

Part of McHenry County eligible for EB-5 "Buy a Visa" investment program.

The yellow sections on the map are already so designated.

So, what does it mean?

Under the irreverently coined “buy a visa” program, foreigners with $1 million to invest in an approved job creation enterprise may obtain entry to the United States of America.

However, if the economic development occurs within a “Targeted Employment Area,” the required investment decreases to $500,000.

As you can see two townships—Riley and Chemung—previously were eligible for the smaller “entry fee.”

With the expansion of the Woodstock Greenwood Township section, whose northern edge is Ware Road (the street between the McHenry County Jail and the Administrative Building), to include the rural part of Dorr Township, Lakewood gains a potential source of investment for its part of the intersection of Routes 47 and 176. So does Woodstock as it expands southward toward Route 176.

The rural Dorr Township area was eligible because the census tract had an unemployment rate of 14.2% is 153% of the national average of 9.3%. (An area must be at least at the 150% level.)

Note that the connection is at a point. Only the edges of the census tracts touch. (See black mark on map.)

A January 6th letter from Lakewood Village President to Warren Ribley, Executive Director of the DCCA, states that “the proposed project” will employee “800 temporary and 400 permanent individuals.”

It references a January 7th letter to Village Manager Catherine Peterson from New York City attorney Stephen Yale-Loehr.

He delivers an affirmative answer as to whether the census tract can be designated a “Targeted Employment Area for EB-5 (the name of the “buy a visa” program) purposes.”

He points out his co-authorship of “Immigration Law and Procedure, the leading 20-volume immigration law treatise,” plus his teaching immigration law at Cornell Law School.

He has been a member or in a leadership position in the American Immigration Lawyers Association EB-5 Investors Committee since 1996.

And he says why this particular census tract, which contains the area proposed for the SportsPlex is eligible for a Targeted Employment Area designation.

DCCA apparently agreed with Yale-Loehr’s logic. That’s what DCCA Research Manager Edwin R. Taft’s February 16th letter indicates.

The end of January Northwest Herald Editor Dan McCaleb got Lakewood Village President Erin Smith to say that “in the future” Lakewood might be willing to discuss returning its fire protection to the Crystal Lake Fire Department. (The link provided is is not a link to the story; it’s a link to a page that will allow you buy the story for $2.95, if you so desire.)

For as long as I can remember (back to 1958 in McHenry County), Lakewood’s fire protection was provided by Crystal Lake.

But a couple of years ago Crystal Lake proposed a pricing structure that would have eventually eaten up Lakewood’s entire budget,.

While fire protection is important, Lakewood residents also value snow removal, road repair and police protection. Some even want a bicycle path and algae removal.

So the village staff and board did some hard-nosed cost-benefit analysis and concluded that it could start its own fire department, run by a private firm, American Emergency Service Corporation, and save money after the second year.

Lakewood now has begun the fourth year of a five-year contract for privatized service. Twenty-two months are left.

The Lakewood Village Board before it went into Executive Session Tuesday night. From left to right, you see Village Trustees Carl Davis, John Pfeuffer and Gene Furey,Village Clerk Janice Hansen and Village President Erin Smith.

But “the future” mentioned in McCaleb’s column is now.

The rest of the Lakewood Village Board before closing doors on the public to discuss litigation and personnel. From left to right are Village Manager Catherine Peterson, Village Attorney Richard Flood and Village Trustees Kenneth Santowsk, Dorothy Pfeuffer and John Burton.

At the Tuesday before last’s closed session to discuss litigation, the Lakewood Village Board talked about settling the suit with Crystal Lake over disputed non-payment for fire protection service and returning to the fire protection umbrella of Crystal Lake.

Crystal Lake has lost about $750,000 in revenue each year because of Lakewood’s pull-out.

On a 6-1 vote (Jeff Thorsen voting “No”), it has raised its city sales tax rate by 75% at Mayor Aaron Shepley’s behest.

Crystal Lake First Station nearest to Lakewood

Empty stores are everywhere.

Clearly Crystal Lake would love to have Lakewood return to its fire protection foal.

But, unlike the headline on McCaleb’s column, it’s more about the money than the good government goal of shared services.

Bryn Mawr subdivision sign on Route 176 near Route 47

(Logic would say that the Lakewood fire station should serve the subdivision in Crystal Lake that is closer to Route 47 than Route 14.

(Likewise, the Crystal Lake Fire station on Bard Road should be protecting Country Club Additions, Turnberry and other nearby Lakewood subdivisions.

(But, logic doesn’t always work in local governmental relations.)

Lakewood Fire Department on Haligus Road near Route 176

Before Crystal Lake wanted to charge Lakewood residents the same tax rate that Crystal Lake residents and businesses paid. Just as Lakewood residents would pay for Crystal Lake library services.

The city would not recognize that the mix of buildings in Lakewood is markedly different from that in Crystal Lake.

Lakewood does not have much business property. No high rise hotels.

Lakewood does not need all of the equipment that Crystal Lake needs to protect its large corporate structures.

In the past, Crystal Lake officials have failed to understand the concepts of marginal costs and marginal revenue.

The marginal cost of providing fire protection to Lakewood is low.

Any extra revenue is almost pure gravy.

Now, it may not seem fair to some city council folks that homeowners in Lakewood would pay less than those in Crystal Lake.

I can tell you it doesn’t seem fair to me that Crystal Lake gets to keep all my sales tax.

So, where one lives has advantages and disadvantages.

But getting “less” than one wants for something may be worth thinking about.

And maybe Crystal Lake is having such thoughts now that it thinks it has a stretched thin budget.

Main Crystal Lake Fire Station

Right not the city budget is getting less than “less,” that is, nothing.

That resulted from a misconception of its bargaining position, of thinking Crystal Lake thought it had all the fire protection marbles in town.

Obviously, Lakewood came up with a satisfactory solution.

But, now the two sides are back at the bargaining table again.

And, it appears serious discussions are taking place.

I can’t imagine more isn’t on the table that fire protection. After all, what Lakewood has in place seems to be working well.

There has to be a third leg to the negotiations. Maybe even a fourth leg.

From left to right, Council members Ellen Brady Mueller, Ralph Dawson, Cathy Ferguson, Attorney John Cowlin, City Manager Gary Mayerhofer, Mayor Aaron Shepley, City Clerk Nick Kachiroubas, and Council members Brett Hopkins, Carolyn Schofield and Jeff Thorsen.

I would observe that if Crystal Lake wants to settle the suit, maybe Crystal Lake is not so sure it can win its collection case against Lakewood.

Likewise, if Lakewood wants to settle the suit, maybe Lakewood is not so sure it can emerge victorious.

It’s been my experience when one side of a lawsuit wants to settle, they are nervous about the outcome of their case.

What will the resolution be?

It certainly will be discussed in public if the contract with American Emergency Service Corporation (Lakewood’s fire protection firm) is to be amended.  I am not aware that contract changes can be kept out of an open meeting.

And, any lawsuit settlement will have to be at least voted upon in public, while it may be discussed in private by both ruling bodies.

It was probably Don Manzullo’s 1992 campaign that started the tradition of politicians’ using the public right-of-way for political signs.

That was when he was running against former State Senator Jack Schaffer, McHenry County’s favorite.

Schaffer had plenty of sign sites; Manzullo didn’t.

So, Manzullo’s volunteers had all sorts of signs and nowhere to put them.

So, they put them on publicly-owned property.

Mid-week I was on Route 176 in Crystal Lake and saw an illegally posted sign for McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren.

December 31st, the sign was gone.

I wonder if the sheriff’s supporters took it down or someone else put his campaign in conformity with the law.

Headed by Lake in the Hills’ Louis Tenore, Jr., a group of investors is seeking permission to obtain $18 million in Federally-subsidized stimulus money, according to a document posted on the McHenry County Board’s web site.

The proposed McHenry County Sportsplex will be mainly on the west side of Route 47 where it joins with Route 176. That area is within the planning jurisdiction of the Village of Lakewood. Background on the project can be found here.

While discussions have been going on for a considerable length of time, the application says that the Village of Lakewood will not act on annexation and approval of the project until next March.

Issuance of the $18 million in bonds, if approved by the county board, is scheduled for April 15^th. Construction would begin January 1, 2010, with completion six months later.

If approved, unless more Federal stimulus money is found, the current $27.5 million allocation of Federal Stimulus Bonds would not seem to have enough remaining to also provide the $15 million in financing that the Woodstock minor league baseball stadium promoters are seeking.

Concept Plan for the McHenry County Sportplex on Routes 47 and 176.

SportsThe time table listed seems a bit optimistic, given the stated March approval by the Lakewood Village Board.

The name of the limited liability corporation which will own 30% of the project is MCSMG LLC. It was formed on May 12, 2009.

The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office lists it as “McHenry County Sportsplex, LLC.”

McHenry Sportsplex E-5 Fund LLC, established August 21^st of this year and located at 111 E. Wacker Drive in Chicago, will own the other 70%. According to the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, it is related to McHenry Real Estate and Property Investments, LLC. The fund proposes to invest $27 million in the project.

The application says that $13 million in equity will be put up by the investors.

This is how the document says the $40 million will be spent:

• $6 million – land acquisition
• $6 million – site development
• $24,100,000 – new construction
• $500,000 – furniture and fixtures
• $2.9 million – professional fees

Getting the project off the ground will produce 524 temporary jobs, the application says. 420 permanent jobs will be created. Annual payroll after the first year is estimated to be $14.1 million or almost $36,000 per person per year.

The investment banking firm is identified as Stern Brothers. The bonds will be privately placed.

Kitak, Rock, LLC, will be the bond counsel.

Legal counsel is Mike Moody of O’Rouke and Moody at 55 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago.

The application is dated December 16^th.

An attachment showing local labor, supplies and materials to be used is not posted on the county’s web site. Another attachment explaining the project is also not attached.

As I was driving back from the McHenry County Government Center the back way, I came upon an accident at the dangerous intersection of Briarwood and Route 176.

Briarwood is the first major intersection west of Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

As I approached from the north I saw two fire vehicles. I drove across 176 and took this photo.

Driving past I saw a pickup truck had collided with the back of a car.

Here’s what the pickup looked like. Looks like a light on top of the cab.

The car’s rear end was bashed in.

Eventually, the Crystal Lake Police arrived.

This is a very dangerous intersection crying for a traffic light.

This is the corner that the traffic study conducted for Pete Heitman’s and Mark Houser’s baseball stadium at McHenry County College completely ignored.

Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen pointed that out during the zoning debate prior to the “No” votes by him and Councilman Ralph Dawson doomed the project.

It’s time for a traffic light.

Click to enlarge any image.