There were over 100 people at the Normal Planning Commission meeting and two issues were hot.
According to Normal resident and Cities 92.9 show host Steve Suess, there was much discussion about the new Wintergreen Subdivision Phase three development. The meeting was about four hours.
Planning Commission heard testimony about high-density and medium-density housing right next to expensive housing in Wintergreen Subdivision. Currently the houses there are valued at $500,000- $800,00 and the houses that would be going up in this new development would be valued at about $300,000. Testimony indicated that some in the Wintergreen Subdivision are concerned about property value.
Fairlawn Capital is behind this development. Jason Barickman, a state senator, is a partner in Fairlawn Capital. In attendance at the Normal Planning Commission meeting were representatives from the Economic Development Council and the Chamber of Commerce.
“State Senator Barickman is involved,” said Suess. “I know a lot of folks feel like they have been lied to by somebody in the process.”
It’s still unclear if the original seller of the lot was the one who made different promises other than Wintergreen Phase Three or the town of Normal…
The Town of Normal presented their original plan from 2001 and then the changes. There weren’t too many differences. Now the folks living in the surrounding communities in Wintergreen Phase 1 and 2 were given a totally different plan when they had purchased their homes.
The problem that is of most concern…the residents were originally told a different development would happen before purchasing their homes there. By who? That’s still developing. But it is a broken promise and that’s what is frustrating most residents opposed to the new development.
Also at the meeting, temporary signs were discussed. About a quarter of the people who attended the meeting were residents concerned about the new changes to the municipal code that places provisions on temporary signs.
Talks about possibly switching the language in the code to a percentage basis rather than a limit to one sign per street front for non-residential temporary signs. That “Grand Opening” sign, the “Now Hiring” sign outside your business or even the big “Darren Bailey” sign in your yard may go obsolete… but after last night the decision was held off. The next meeting the code changes will be presented to the Planning Commission.
RC McBride, the General Manager of WGLT, is the Planning Commission chair. All of these commissioners were hand-picked by mayor Chris Koos.
McBride made a comment that he would like to see the restriction on residential sign size stay in the draft written by Town staff despite no one in public comment advocating for that.
“A recommendation from this body does not necessarily ensure like-action from the council,” said McBride. “I want to be clear, we have guard rails as a Planning Commission and honestly public opinion is not necessarily one of those. We hear it and it’s on record.”
