Transparency – Following the Money

The Chicago Sun-Times ran an article yesterday that took three years to write. It was about how UNO, the charter school outfit backed by House Speaker Mike Madigan, spent money provided by governments. Since UNO doesn’t operate in our back … Continue reading

Strip Joint Regulation

There aren’t any strip joints in McHenry County right now, but note was made during the Unified Development Ordinance debate by Wonder Lake’s John Hammerand that it language was not good enough. Deputy County Administrator Scott Hartman brought up the … Continue reading

Second Message from Fire Chiefs Supports New Zoning Ordinance

The following letter was sent to the McHenry County Board: October 21, 2014 TO: James Heisler Peter Austin FROM: Chief Rich Tobiasz RE: UDO The McHenry County Fire Chief’s Association created a committee to review issues and questions, posed to us, … Continue reading

Nick Chirikos Votes Against Allowing Public Comment Before Zoning Votes

The agenda for last Tuesday’s McHenry County Board meeting is below: The room was pretty full for the fourth straight meeting. Here’s how County Board member John Hammerand saw the meeting: The County Board Meeting Room was packed with citizens … Continue reading

Another County Board Meeting, Another Crowded Room

The Unified Development Ordinance–proposed future zoning rules–was again a big draw at Tuesday’s McHenry  County Board meeting. At the last meeting, the room was packed with recreational vehicle owners. From the number of snowmobilers, one might conclude that they are … Continue reading

Wonder Laker Takes Exception to County Board’s Zoning re Boat Storage

This popped in a comment to one of the articles on the restrictions included in one of the previous articles about restrictions proposed in the County’s Unified Development Ordinance: Why would the county decide what you can and can’t have … Continue reading

County Board Besieged by RV-Boat-Trailer Owners

Hasn’t been anything in the Northwest Herald about the McHenry County Board’s attempt to impose restrictions on recreational vehicles and boats, so I guess the efforts of McHenry County Board member John Hammerand of Wonder Lake’s District 4 can be … Continue reading

Mary McClellan Joins John Hammerand in Opposition to RV-Boat Storage Restrictions

Someone sent me a link to this house in Holiday Hills. The address matches where McHenry County Board member Mary McClellan lives. I thought she lives in the Village of Holiday Hills and would not be affected by the proposed … Continue reading

RV-Boat Restrictions Planned by County Board

If you store your recreational vehicle or boat in your driveway in the off season, you are in for some serious changes. The McHenry County Board is considering a Unified Development Ordinance. One of the significant differences between today’s rules … Continue reading

New County Zoning Threatens Home Recreational Vehicle Storage

McHenry County Board members are working their way through the proposed Unified Development Ordinance, known as “UDO” by anyone talking about it. Wonder Lake member John Hammerand found something he doesn’t like at all on page 242. The topic is … Continue reading

Proposed County Zoning Ordinance Makes It Harder to Site a Church Than Marijuana Facilities

I have not read the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) being considered by the McHenry County Board, but member John Hammerand has. He turned up an anomaly that caught my interest. Looking at summary pages, he discovered that it is harder … Continue reading

ALAW Comments on Unified Development Ordinance

To: Tina Hill, Chair, McHenry County Board, County Board Members and Representatives of the People of McHenry County, Illinois From: The Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water (ALAW) Re: Comments on Final Draft of Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) currently on … Continue reading