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Vote on UDO delayed again Proposed changes postpone approval By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com
Photos by Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
Residents protest the proposed Oakwood Hills power plant during Thursday’s Oakwood Hills Village Board meeting at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake. This was the first Village Board meeting since officials shut down Village Hall in August.
Unrest in Oakwood Hills Power plant negotiated by officials since 2013 By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com OAKWOOD HILLS – Village officials have been discussing and negotiating a proposed power plant that residents learned about a few months ago since at least July 2013, according to executive session minutes obtained by a resident group’s lawyer. Steven Cuda, attorney for a group of residents opposed to a proposed Oakwood Hills power plant, also said village officials violated the Open Meetings Act by meeting about the matters behind closed doors. Cuda filed an Open Meetings Act violation complaint with the McHenry County state’s attorney Thursday morning, hours before residents and village officials were set to interact at a village meeting for the first time since heated public hearings on the project in late July. In his complaint, Cuda states the Village Board went into executive session at 8:24 p.m. July 11, 2013, to discuss pending litigation but went on to talk about the power plant proposal and the revenue it would bring to the village.
“This discussion behind closed doors was a disservice to the residents of Oakwood Hills and a gross violation of the public trust the elected officials of Oakwood Hills vowed to uphold.” Steven Cuda Attorney for a group of residents opposed to a proposed power plant
Meeting minutes show that at the time of July 2013, village officials already had rejected an initial offer from Enventure – the power plant developers – and negotiated a higher amount that would help pay for the Rawson Bridge Road project. Board members further discussed the money it would receive from the natural gas power plant on an annual basis. The minutes also state there would be no environmental impact because the plant runs on clean energy.
See NEGOTIATIONS, page A7
Jesse Davis of Oakwood Hills shouts “resign” to Village President Melanie Funk during Thursday’s Oakwood Hills Village Board meeting.
Crowd turns out at first public meeting since village shutdown By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – After nearly two months of waiting to address their Village Board, Oakwood Hills residents and opponents of a proposed $450 million power plant showed up Thursday at a Village Board meeting to express their disappointment in village leadership. The meeting, which had to be held at McHenry County College to accommodate the roughly 200-person crowd, did not include the proposed $450 million power
plant on the agenda, but that it did not stop people from voicing their opposition during the public forum. Much like the new security measures that were put in place at Oakwood Hills Village Hall after it reopened Tuesday, attendees were wanded at the entrance and had their bags searched before entering. Village President Melanie Funk shut down public access to village hall in August citing threats toward board members and officials.
See MEETING, page A7
WOODSTOCK – Sixty-four amendments proposed to the Unified Development Ordinance by McHenry County Board members have forced another postponement of its ratification. The Planning and Development Committee agreed Thursday to ask for What it a s p e c i a l C o u n t y means Board meeting later this month dedicated A McHenry solely to acting on the County Board amendments, comvote on mittee Chairman Joe Gottemoller, R-Crys- the Unified Development tal Lake, said. The special meet- Ordinance i n g h a d n o t b e e n has been s c h e d u l e d a s o f pushed back Thursday afternoon. from Sept. 16, But the UDO will not and a special be voted on at the meeting will board’s Sept. 16 eve- be scheduled ning meeting. to vote on T h e o r d i n a n c e , a number which has been under of proposed development for more amendments. than three years, updates the county’s On the development-related ordinances, such as Web those governing zonYou can ing, signs and subdivisions, and com- read the text bines them into one to of the promake the rules easier posed UDO to read and follow. It at http:// only applies to unin- shawurl. corporated areas and com/10wo. does not supersede municipalities with their own development and landuse ordinances. Board members came up with the proposed amendments after four Committee of the Whole meetings through July and August to review the 300-page, 20-chapter ordinance. Several proposed changes come from recent resident outcry. Amendments requested by six County Board members would lessen or outright eliminate proposed restrictions on outdoor storage of boats and other recreational vehicles after opponents, many of whom live near major waterways, came out in force to oppose the idea. The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office is in the process of reviewing further restrictions on adult entertainment submitted by citizens concerned that the county’s
See ORDINANCE, page A7
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