[JAN. 5, 2006]
The Illini Bio-Energy board came before Logan
County Regional Planning Commission last evening to make request for
rezoning and enterprise zoning of property west of Hartsburg. The
company is closing in on a purchase of property and final permits to
build an ethanol plant.
Last night they made
formal requests for a zoning change and enterprise zone for 220
acres that lie within the triangle created by the Illinois Central
Railroad, Interstate 155 and 2300th Street, which runs east-west
through Hartsburg.
The acreage the company is intending to
purchase meets all of the primary factors the plant needs to bring
in coal and corn and make ethanol to ship out. They need roads and
railroad for transportation and water for processing.
Logan County highway engineer Bret Aukamp asked if they actually
needed the entire 220 acres rezoned. There had been talk about
potential ancillary industry that may develop with the plant. With
ethanol a new and upcoming industry, we don't really know what might
go in there, he said.
Dave Ramsey, Illini Bio-Energy director and vice-chairman,
answered the question from two views. Yes, the entire 220 acres was
needed for the plant operations. The company needs access to
railroad line, which runs around the plant the full area. They need
to be able to manage drainage in that area. A flowing stream is
indicated along the railroad. Drainage is critical to their
operation. Detention ponds are planned on the property to assist
with that.
As to the ancillary industry, the representative said, "There are
things on our radar that may not come to be for another 10 years."
There are things that are associated directly with this process that
could happen, he said. One of the surer developments would be for
the distillery grain protein product. A more far-off possibility for
the west side would be if a company would come in and capture the
160 tons of carbon dioxide that is produced each year. "A lot of
things are in the development stage right now, but they're probably
going to happen," Ramsey said. We didn't want to have to come back
and go through the process again, he said.
Rob Orr had several comments. He said that environmental zoning
that is decided ahead of time would avoid the need for "special use"
zoning. Once that ground is zoned industrial, it's not going to be
suitable for residential. Clearly this sets the area as industrial.
It's either suited or not suited for industrial development. Get
this done ahead of time and it allows target planning.
The site chosen by Illini Bio-Energy seems like a good choice
that allows for other "like" industry that might follow them. This
was a good time to rezone the whole property. This is what zoning is
for, he said. Let's get that out of the way. Zoning it all now,
gains you more ground in attracting other compatible businesses.
That is what the game is really all about, Orr concluded.
A commission member asked about the water source.
Initial plans call for two wells: one primary, close to the
plant, and one backup, a quarter-mile away. There will likely be two
more added later to the west end of the site, an Illini Bio-Energy
representative said.
He also showed maps and told about tests that have been
conducted. Many people do not realize it, but water is a real asset
to this county, he said. There are states where the company could
not build a plant because of inadequate water source.
There are five fingers of aquifers entering that end of the
county, and there is a sand layer 75 feet to 100 feet down. A test
site north of Emden demonstrated 15 million gallons per day.
The startup of the plant, while they are filling, will take 500
gallons per minute. Once the plant is up and running, that will drop
to 400 gallons per minute, or 750,000 gallons per day. It will draw
5 percent from a more-than-adequate water source and may pull the
water table in the area down as much as 1 or 2 inches, the
representative said.
Commission member Dick Logan pointed out that the request for
change in zoning from agricultural to general industrial is a change
of zoning on the property and any business can locate there after
that. The ethanol plant could fail, and then there's no controlling
what industry might locate there; even a nuclear power plant could
locate there next to the town of Hartsburg, he said.
There was a suggestion that a special use variance that would
give more control of what goes in there might be considered, rather
than a flat zoning change.
Logan County Board Chairman Bob Farmer said: "We're not worried
about you but who might come next. The zoning board of appeals
offers the townspeople an opportunity to decide [tonight, Thursday].
There's 10,000 people right there in Hartsburg. I'd like to hear
what they have to say first and put this vote off till next month."
The vote to rezone from agriculture to M-1 (general industrial)
was taken, with 11 members approving, five members voting present
and one absent. A vote "present" means neither for nor against.
Those who voted for rezoning were Bill Glaze, Tom Cash, Derrick
Crane, Vicki Hasprey, Gerald Lolling, Bill Martin, Patrick O'Neill,
Judi Graff, Steve Anderson, Carol Gustafson and Delmar Veech. Voting
present were Bret Aukamp, Rick Aylesworth, Bob Farmer, Dick Logan
and Dale Voyles. Beth Davis was absent.
The next request from Illini Bio-Energy was for enterprise
zoning. The Lincoln/Logan County Enterprise Zone offers a tax
incentive program that is regulated by the state. The company would
be able to purchase construction material from businesses in the
enterprise zone and get property tax relief during its first 10
years.
The Hartsburg-Emden School District would still receive taxes for
the property at the rate that they get now. They would excuse 100
percent of the new property value taxes for the first five years and
50 percent of the new property value taxes for the second five
years.
Approval was granted with 12 "yes" votes and four "present"
votes.
Phil Mahler said that it would take 6 1/2 square miles of the
remaining 15 square miles of enterprise zone. This includes the
corridor to get to the site, which keeps the properties contiguous.
It would be run up from New Holland along Route 121. With the
approval, 8 1/2 square miles of enterprise zone remain.
The enterprise zone will still need the approval of other
government entities that have enterprise zone, including the Lincoln
City Council, Elkhart Village Board and Sangamon County, as they all
have a part of the enterprise zone. Then it will be submitted to the
state of Illinois, which regulates the program, for final approval.
Illini Bio-Energy is in the process of filing federal EPA
permits. Those permits will be the defining guide for the start of
the plant construction. That typically takes 14 months, but it could
be less. They hope to be able to start construction in 12 to 14
months at the Hartsburg site.
The zoning board of appeals meets at 7 this evening (Thursday) at
Orville Township Maintenance Shed in Hartsburg. Anyone wishing to
address questions about the development is welcome to come to the
public meeting.
