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 (Article previously posted Tuesday
afternoon)
[May 04, 2011]
Building permit requests for wind
towers for Windfarm Sugar Creek One have landed in Logan County's
zoning office. The much-anticipated building permit requests launch
the last in a series of processes required before the company can
begin construction of 110 towers to the west of Lincoln.
The 16,000-acre farm would be located along Route 10.
Now entering the local government level, Sugar Creek will present
its plans to the county's planning and zoning committee and regional
planning commission, which will review the requests, including
changes in zoning. With approval by those entities, the requests
move to the zoning board of appeals, which 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 state's attorney's
office for review early last fall. Those plans are now in the hands
of the wind farm 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
increase efficiency for agencies and the general public.
Enterprise zone updates
This past year, while facing future financial difficulties,
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 choose how much of the tax would go to the schools -- 0.25 to 1
percent -- it would approve the rate at 1 percent.
In light of the new tax that will help all the schools in their
financial outlook and the fact 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 enterprise zone, the school
district or other taxing body can authorize an abatement of taxes."
He questioned: "If a taxing district such as a school district is
no longer participating in the enterprise zone, by what statutory
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 contradicted the admittance of
some of the newest businesses. Most of the businesses were in
Lincoln's new west-side 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
website,
http://www.co.logan.il.us/. Click "GIS" on the navigation bar at
the side, and then under "Welcome," click on the words "Internet
Mapping." Or go direct from this link:
http://www.centralilmaps.com/LoganGIS/.
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Spring county road maintenance and construction
The highway department most recently has been focused on sign
repair and road patching. Several areas where winter heaved roads
have still not settled down, Aukamp said.
Guardrails are being repaired throughout the county, and a number
of culverts are being addressed, with a Mount Pulaski project next
on the list.
Another improvement under way has been to road edges and
shoulders that had deteriorated. These are being addressed by
disking or adding new rock.
Also, tons of rock have been added to slow an erosion problem
created by Salt Springs along South Primm Road.
Aukamp said 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.
On County Highway 25 north of Atlanta, surface milling was
rain-delayed but has been tentatively rescheduled for May 11. Aukamp
said he would send out an announcement through the media when that
project is ready to move forward.
Aukamp said he has a proposed intergovernmental agreement with
the city of Lincoln ready to renew. In it, the city would continue
maintenance of the county's segment of Fifth Street Road. The county
is responsible for the segment of roadway from Picture This
Photography to Connolley Road, 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 Lincoln Parkway to Middletown blacktop.
Aukamp had some slightly positive news. Oil prices did not
increase as much for the last two years. Overall, oil products have
tripled in price the last 10 years, but revenues have not, Aukamp
said.
Aukamp explained at Monday night's road and bridge committee
meeting 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 Adams
School and going north through Union to Atlanta.
The board agreed to join the city of Lincoln in supporting that
request. (See map of proposed bike trail.)
[By
JAN YOUNGQUIST]
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