|
Now entering the local
government level, Sugar Creek will present its plans to the county’s
Planning and Zoning Committee and Regional Planning Commission who
will review the requests that include zoning changes. With their
approval the requests move to the Zoning Board of Appeals, who would
schedule public hearings. And, the process ultimately culminates
with presentation before the county board for final approval.
Included in that process would
be road-use agreements, which the county engineer oversees. The
highway department would need to shore up roads to support heavy
equipment used for construction and for the transport of heavy
turbines. The roads also need to be kept in a usable condition for
use by the public. Roads would be temporarily closed at various
times as needed. And, a plan would need to be in place to repair
roads when the project has been completed.
Logan County highway
engineer Bret Aukamp drafted the county’s recommendations and
requests and sent them to the states attorney’s office for review
early last fall. Those plans are now in the hands of the windfarm
project managers.
Zoning Officer Will
D’Andrea would handle the wind farm building permits.
D’Andrea has been busy
through the winter updating zoning, enterprise zone and flood plain
maps and he’s also been working to get those maps put on the
county’s Geographic Information System as layers. The diverse
information would serve multiple uses and increased efficiency for
agencies and the general public.
Enterprise zone updates
This past year while facing
future financial difficulties, the Lincoln Community High School
requested to opt out of participation in the Lincoln and Logan
County Enterprise Zone.
This spring LCHS and other
schools in the county also mounted, and won a campaign to add a
sales tax that would help maintain or replace aging property.
The county discussed last
month that while it does have the right to chose how much of the tax
would go to the schools, one quarter to one percent, it would be
approving the rate at one percent.
In light of the new tax
that will help all the school’s in their financial outlook, and that
the enterprise zone is intended to attract businesses that would
also help strengthen the whole community; the county intends to ask
that the school reconsider staying in the enterprise zone.
For additional
consideration, D’Andrea has observed that some school districts have
been deciding what they would offer in property tax reduction to new
businesses on a case by case basis.
D’Andrea said, “The
authority, or the mechanism to abate property taxes was given to the
enterprise zone through state statute. Through participation in the
enterpise zone, the school district, or other taxing body can
authorize an abatement of taxes.”
He questioned, “If a taxing
district, such as a school disrtict is no longer participating in
the enterprise zone, by what statuatory authority does that district
have to abate property taxes on a single piece of property on a case
by case basis.”
On another enterprise zone
matter, earlier this year D’Andrea discovered that a change made in
2004 that contradicted the admittance of some of the newest
businesses. Most of the businesses were in Lincoln’s new westside
business district.
D’Andrea went to the city
and county to see what types of business they wanted to attract and
has been working on a revision of the enterprise zone agreement.
The revised document is expected to be presented to participating
entities soon.
Lots of new information
‘layers’ have been added to Logan County’s GIS in recent months
including the addition of an Enterprise Zone layer. You can find
the map by going to the county’s web site,
http://www.co.logan.il.us/
Click “GIS” on the side bar and under “Welcome” click on the words
“Internet mapping.”
Spring county road
maintenance and construction
The highway department most
recently has been focused on sign repair and road patching. Several
areas that winter heaved roads have still not settled down, Aukamp
said.
Guardrails are being
repaired through out the county and a number of culverts are being
addressed with a Mount Pulaski project next on the list.
[to top of second column] |
Another improvement underway
has been to road edges and shoulders that had deteriorated. These
are being addressed by disking or adding new rock.
Also, tons of rock has been
added to slow an erosion problem created by Salt Springs along S.
Primm Road.
Aukamp said that he has
started a box culvert monitor program. Several of the larger box
culverts are showing need for additional riprap. “I wish we had
more riprap available, or that it were closer or cheaper, as there
are plenty of places to put it,” he said.
County Hghway 25, north of
Atlanta surface milling was rain delayed, but has been tentatively
rescheduled for Wednesday, May 11. Aukamp said that he would send
out an announcement through the media when that project is ready to
move forward.
Aukamp said that he has a
proposed intergovernmental agreement with the city of Lincoln ready
to renew. In it, the city would continue maintenance of the the
county’s segment of Fifth Street Road. The county is responsible
for the segment of roadway from Picture This Photography to
Connelley Rd which is sandwiched between city segments of the
roadway.
The city would be paid for
$10,000 for annual and seasonal maintenance that includes two seal
coats.
The city and the county
together are seeking funds to renovate the full road from the
Lincoln Parkway to Middletown Blacktop.
Aukamp had some slightly
possitive news. Oil prices did not increase as much for the last
two years. Over-all, oil products have tripled in price the last 10
years, but revenues have not, Aukamp said.
Aukamp explained at last
night’s road and bridge committee that cuts to the budget meant a
reduction in this year’s road maintenance plans.
Bicycle trail
Lisa Kramer of Prairie
Engineers of Illinois came before the board last month to request
that a letter be sent to the Illinois Department of Transportation
to not remove railroad bridges that might be used for a bicycle
trail.
A grant is being sought
that would create a bicycle trail that would follow the old
interurban rail line beginning behind Adam School going north
through Union to Atlanta.
The board agreed to join
the city of Lincoln in supporting that request. [See map of
proposed bike trails]
Jan
[By
JAN YOUNGQUIST] |
