Auto business petitions for annexation

Traffic light to be added at Arthur Park subdivision entry on Route 10-Woodlawn Road         

[MARCH 2, 2005]  A lawyer representing all parties involved with the Arthur Park subdivision addressed the Lincoln City Council. Ted Mills is handling the agreements for the property owners, landlord and lessees.

Insurance Auto Auction, which recently built in the new subdivision, has petitioned to annex the 20 acres the business sits on into city limits.

The city will need to modify its ordinance to accommodate the electric fence the business needs to protect its merchandise that is kept outside.

City attorney Bill Bates has copies of all legal work. His only concern was to modify the agreement to take care of the storage parking area in such a way that dust is not a problem in the future. No dust is expected, as the area is composed of asphalt millings from the downtown street project. Streets Superintendent Tracy Jackson said that if a problem did occur with that material, a layer of seal coat would eliminate any dust.

The subdivision property owners are turning the entry drive over to the city for ownership and future maintenance.

Insurance Auto Action and Coy's Car Corner are the principal businesses located in the subdivision. Coy's has already been annexed in. That business anticipates opening in late July or August.

Insurance Auto Auction sits farther back on the property and has been in operation for several months. It is a private business that sells damaged, repossessed, confiscated and the like vehicles to registered buyers only. The sales are done mostly online through an auction process. The entire vehicle is dealt with -- no parts are sold -- the owner wished to emphasize. It is not a junkyard or anything like that, Mr. Madigan said.

A public hearing on the property annexation will be on March 21 at 7 p.m. in city council chambers.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has determined that a new traffic signal is warranted at the entry to the subdivision at the intersection of Route 10. Funds for the light were budgeted when the Goody's and Dollar Tree went in across the way. A total of $19,000 will cover engineering fees. The cost of the light and installation will be added to that amount.

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