Aurora Beacon-News
January 28, 2002
Series of meetings: Three public forums to be held this week
By Dave Parro
STAFF WRITER
The calendar is filled with outer belt-related meetings this week, but state transportation officials want to make sure they pay particular attention to the property owners directly affected by the proposed Prairie Parkway corridor.
Illinois Department of Transportation officials, at the request of the Kendall County Board, will meet face-to-face Thursday with residents who live directly in the highway's potential path. Instead of addressing concerns in a public hearing setting, IDOT representatives want to meet with property owners by appointment.
The purpose of the Yorkville meetings will be to make sure owners are given a more convenient location to view highway exhibits and to get their questions answered about their specific parcels.
Interested residents may call the IDOT Ottawa district at (815) 434-8456 to make an appointment.
Besides the private meetings IDOT officials will have with land owners, a series of public forums will give residents a chance to voice their opinions.
Sugar Grove will hold an informational session on the beltway at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Village Hall at 10 Municipal Drive. Village Board members want the views of residents before the board takes a formal position.
Kane County will hold a three-hour public hearing at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Kaneville Community Center, 2S101 Harter Road, in Kaneville.
Plans for the 33-mile highway connecting interstates 80 and 88 will also be on the agenda as a topic of discussion Thursday at a Yorkville town meeting at the Beecher Community Center, 980 Game Farm Road, where the original IDOT hearing was held in December.
The Yorkville City Council wants to hear comments on a proposed resolution of support before officially voting on it. The resolution could be passed at a special council session Feb. 5, so it would be included in IDOT's public comment period, which ends Feb. 10.
The Conservation Foundation will hold a meeting on the broader issue of urban sprawl and land use &emdash; including the effects of the beltway &emdash; at 7 p.m. Feb. 5 at Waubonsee Community College. Contact Dave Parro at (630) 801-5495 or dparro@scn1.com.