Sherrie Blackburn

The meeting agenda involved several key items, including the approval of minutes and a request to reschedule agenda items Z6 18 and A418. Under old business, a request was withdrawn to annex property at 1311 Gnu/Linux Road and classify it as R1 single-family residential zoning, with plans to resubmit later as part of a larger annexation. New business focused primarily on the vacation of obsolete public utility easements at the Water's Edge Housing Authority of Joliet PUD, where utilities and associated structures no longer exist. Additionally, a significant discussion concerned the reclassification of 40 acres at the southeast corner of Green Road and Route 53 from B3 General Business and R1B Single-Family Residential zoning to I1 Light Industrial zoning to maximize property value, which prompted public commentary regarding increased truck traffic, infrastructure capacity, and concerns about preserving farmland and controlling development in the area.

The pre-council meeting included a presentation by Joliet Junior College regarding updates on their City Center Campus, which is a six-story, 96,000 square foot building designed for culinary arts, workforce development, GED, and ESL training, featuring LEED certification design elements. The council agenda items discussed included awarding a contract for the replacement of an approximately 123-year-old sewer main on Chicago Street to serve the new college building, approval for a $500,000 line of credit for the Joliet Public Library to cover revenue shortfalls, and the request to fill three police officer vacancies due to upcoming retirements. Further items involved authorizing the start of the process for five Special Service Area road reconstruction projects totaling about $850,000 in public works improvements, declaring specific properties as public nuisances requiring demolition, accepting utility and drainage easements for the Interstate Warehouse property expansion, approving an intergovernmental agreement related to grants for closing the Woodruff Road at-grade railroad crossing, and authorizing an application for a capital assistance grant for the Transportation Center/Gateway Center project, which involves substantial upgrades to the bus facility funded in part by a $1.7 million grant from PACE. Financial matters included reviewing regular payroll and disbursements for December 2012.

The meeting addressed multiple new business items related to the Centrepointe Intermodal Center development. Key discussions included the ordinance approving a zoning reclassification of 107 acres along Brandon Road from various Intermodal Terminal Transportation Equipment/Industrial Park zones to Intermodal Terminal Zoning. Further considerations involved the preliminary and final plats for the Centrepointe Intermodal Center at Joliet subdivision, Phase 17, seeking to create nine industrial lots for future development and to accommodate a new Union Pacific rail tract alignment. Another major agenda item was the revised preliminary plat for Claria Spark Juliet Subdivision (PS-4-17 and V-3-17) and the vacation of portions of a water main easement at 3851 Youngs Road to allow for continued industrial park development, including future distribution buildings. Additionally, a request was heard for the vacation of a water main easement at 4050 Rock Creek Boulevard to permit the construction of a new 300,000 square foot warehouse distribution building within the Rock Run Business Park. Staff recommendations for all items were conditioned upon minor plan revisions being addressed prior to City Council action.

The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting focused on two main petitions. The first petition involved requests for variations to allow the construction of a new two-story single-family residence on a vacant lot, requesting reductions to required front yard and side yard setbacks. The board's vote resulted in a tie, leading to no recommendation being forwarded. The second petition sought a special use permit for an automobile storage lot to house inventory for an existing used car sales business located off-site. Staff presented findings supporting the issuance of the permit with several conditions, including that no sales or repair occur on the storage lot and that infrastructure improvements be made. Testimony was presented both in favor, emphasizing business expansion and continued responsible use of a lot previously used for commercial purposes, and in opposition, citing prior denial, potential for illegal use, logistical concerns for adjacent properties, and conflicts of interest.

The meeting featured two main presentations. The first detailed the Forest Park Initiative, which involves collaboration between the Police Department, the Forest Park Community Center, the City Council, the Park District, business groups, and the State's Attorney's office to improve the neighborhood and reduce violence, including plans for a mentorship camp for youth aged 12 and older. The second presentation covered the revitalization efforts for Downtown Joliet by the City Center Partnership, focusing on updating the downtown master plan with a $125,000 commitment ($50,000 from the partnership and a requested $75,000 from TIF funds). Key elements for the master plan update included the Chicago Street Corridor, an economic development plan, a GIS study, and exploring the extension of the TIF District.