Elwood residents who have vehemently opposed plans for a warehouse project were claiming a victory Tuesday after Mayor Doug Jenco canceled the village board’s April 23 public hearing on the annexation of land for NorthPoint development’s proposed project, saying “there is not sufficient support for approval.”
The announcement shocked members of the Just Say No to NorthPoint group, who planned to celebrate at Jack’s Tap Tuesday night, said Stephanie Irvine, one of the group’s leaders.
In a news release issued Tuesday morning, Jenco said he discussed the annexation agreement individually with “many of the village trustees,” which led him to conclude there are not enough votes to support it.
The Kansas-City-based NorthPoint was seeking to annex 675 acres of 851 acres in Elwood for its proposed Compass Business Park, a 2,200-acre warehouse development east of Route 53 in unincorporated Jackson Township. The remaining 176 acres is within the village limits.
Most of the 2,200 acres was to be in Manhattan, according to a boundary agreement between the two villages.
“It is my intention that the public hearing will not be rescheduled unless I am instructed to do so at a public meeting of the President and Board of Trustees where such a request is on the board agenda,” he said in his release.
Jenco and NorthPoint representatives could not be reached for comment.
Elwood Trustee Don LaPaglia declined to discuss how he would have voted on the proposal.
“I don’t wish to explain that,” LaPaglia said.
He noted that Jenco spoke with each of the trustees individually about the annexation agreement and then informed trustees that there was not enough support on the board.
“I said, ‘if that’s the way it’s got to be, that’s the way it’s got to be,'” LaPaglia said.
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Elwood Trustee Darryl Lab said the last several months have been a “painful process,” but noted it was necessary to reach this point.
“The village (residents) did a great job in voicing their non-support,” Lab said, adding that he is “glad” most trustees chose to support the residents.
He said he has been opposed to this from the get-go — though he tried to keep an open mind and hear all sides.
Lab also opposed the board when it rejected a boundary agreement extension with the village of Manhattan, according to minutes of that meeting.
Irvine, of the Just Say No grassroots campaign to stop the project, said her initial reaction to the news was “disbelief.”
“I am really shocked. This has been such a roller coaster ride. This is a huge victory for us, but the war may not be over,” she said.
Irvine did not know which trustees supported the project, saying “they gave us no indication whatsoever.”
But she said all trustees were invited to celebrate with them at Jack’s Tap.
At the same time, Irvine said they will “stay vigilant” and continue to attend village board meetings.
The project also was formally opposed by officials in Jackson and Manhattan Townships, Elwood School District 203, Manhattan School District 114, and environmental groups, including Openlands and the Sierra Club.
It prompted two lawsuits, proposed legislation by state Rep. Larry Walsh Jr., D-Elwood, and the resignation of Mayor Todd Matichak, in December.
The board has been short one member since then, but is expected to appoint a new trustee in a special meeting Wednesday night.
The farming community held a parade in January, demonstrating its opposition, just before the plan commission voted in February to approve rezoning the land for an industrial use. Nearly 75 farmers, some from as far as Lockport and Homer Glen, turned out to show their unity in opposing the development.
Hundreds of residents spoke out against the project during those public hearings, prompting the Elwood School District 203 officials to call for an early dismissal for the now canceled April 23 hearing, citing safety concerns.
Superintendent Cathie Pezanoski said she will not change the calendar again, saying it would be “too confusing” for families.
Last fall, the school board passed a resolution opposing the development, saying it was not in the best interest of the school district, Pezanoski said.
She said Jenco’s announcement canceling Monday’s session “is in the best interest of the community, our families and students.”
Just last week, Manhattan School District 114 officials also passed a resolution opposing the warehouse project.
Superintendent Rusty Ragon said the school district typically works with developers to make sure a new project benefits “everyone in the area we live in” but “unfortunately,” there has not been a cooperative effort with Elwood and NorthPoint, and “it does not appear there will be.”
“We stand together and we work together. We believe it is all about community. All of us – Jackson Township, Elwood, Manhattan and the surrounding area — will be significantly affected, not only by NorthPoint, but by any development that comes,” he said.
School officials also oppose the project being placed in a Tax Increment Financing district, Ragon said.
According to the proposed annexation agreement, “it would not be possible to develop the park without financial assistance” through a TIF.
In the first lawsuit, filed in December, the Coldwater family claimed that they did not agree to annex a portion of their land, which Elwood shows as being within the village limits. The land is key to NorthPoint’s annexation request because it has to be next to the property needed to annex 675 acres of the 851 acres it proposed to develop in Elwood.
After Elwood officials voted 4 to 1 not to extend its boundary agreement with Manhattan, which expires in 2026, Manhattan filed a lawsuit in March. It claimed that Elwood violated its boundary agreement by negotiating with NorthPoint for development that would impact Manhattan. Manhattan officials asked that the court put a stop to any further action by Elwood officials on NorthPoint’s proposed Compass Business Park.
Village Attorney David Silverman said the plan commission recommendation to approve industrial zoning for the proposed business park will expire if no action is taken by the village board.
“If it is not approved, then it is automatically denied,” Silverman said.
He said the village board will discuss if any additional action needs to be taken.
