Approval of Lakewood SportsPlex Planned for Tuesday Night at 6

Originally, the McHenry County SportsPlex was announced as being north of Pleasant Valley Road facing Route 47. No more. As you can see, it is now south of the current Pleasant Valley Road with that road relocated to face Route 176 before it joins Route 47 and jogs north. Click to enlarge.

The unveiling of the the McHenry County SportsPlex details will start at Lakewood’s Red Tail Golf Course Club House at six Tuesday night.

The entrance to the SportsPlex.

Before the night is over, I’d give odds the deal, complete with so far unrevealed “development incentives,” will be approved, will be approved.

That’s when the following will occur:

Public Hearing: Consideration and Recommendation for Map Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance of the Village of Lakewood to have the premises described hereafter zoned as AG Agricultural and B-2 General Business, respectively, consistent with the above-referenced Special Use Permit and Development Plan.”

Maybe you can figure out what that means, but I can’t.

You can see where the SportsPlex will be located in relationship to Pleasant Valley Road in this illustration. Most is south; a little on the western edge is north. Click to enlage this or any other image.

Then, at 7 PM, what appears to be the most momentous village board meeting since Turnberry was annexed in order to allow the developer to avoid school and park district impact fees, the village board appears poised to annex more land and provide economic incentives to developers of the proposed McHenry County SportsPlex.

There will be a public hearing first on the

“Proposed Annexation and Development Incentive Agreement,”

as the agenda puts it.

I couldn’t find the “incentives” being offered the SportsPlex promoters on the the village web site.  Village officials sent this explanation in mid-July.  It mentions a flyer that many residents received earlier.

Here’s what seems relevant from Tuesday night’s agenda:

Public Hearing:

Here's the western part of the proposed SportsPlex. Click to enlarge.

Proposed Annexation and Development Incentive Agreement with the Village of Lakewood,

  • Patricia M. LeClair as Trustee under provisions of a Trustee Agreement dated July 9, 2008 and known as Patricia LeClair Revocable Trust,
  • Napier Partners, L.P., and
  • Donald A. Swanson, Owners, and
  • McHenry County Sportplex, LLC, Petitioner

The eastern part of the SportPlex can be seen here. Click to enlarge.

The Public Hearing includes hearings on and will include the following
matters:

  • The Approval of the above Annexation and Development Incentive
  • Agreement (“Agreement”),
  • the Approval of the Annexation of the Parcels Subject to the Agreement,
  • the Re-Zoning of the parcels subject to the Agreement,
  • the Approval of a Special Use Permit for Planned Development of parcels subject to the Agreement,
  • the Approval of a Preliminary Plat for the parcels subject to the Agreements and
  • the Approval of an Agreement to the Comprehensive Plan for the Village of Lakewood concerning the parcels Subject to the Agreement

There will be a playground and splash pads, plus a comfort station.

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(64) – An Ordinance Approving an Amendment to the Village of Lakewood Comprehensive Plan

A "Miracle Field," which I believe it designed to allow special needs children to play ball is one of the features. There are also extreme sports venues, e.g., a BMX track and an obstacle course.

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(65) – An Ordinance Authorizing Execution of an Annexation and Development Incentive Agreement Between the Village of Lakewood,

  • Napier Partners, LP;
  • Patricia M. LeClair Revocable Trust;
  • Donald Swanson; and
  • McHenry County Sportplex, LLC

Here's a better view of four baseball fields that will back up to each other.

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(66) – An Ordinance Annexing the Napier and LeClair Properties Commonly Known as 12317 and 12512 Pleasant Valley Road to the Village of Lakewood

A gas station is planned for the new southwest corner of Pleasant Valley Road and Route 47. Retail is seen on the northside.

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(67) -An Ordinance Zoning 12317 and 12512 Pleasant Valley Road as AG Agriculture District and 11717 Pleasant Valley Road as B-2 General Business District (Napier Partners, LP; Patricia M. LeClair Revocable Trust; and Donald Swanson Properties)

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(68) – An Ordinance Issuing a Special Use Permit for Planned Unit Development for Property Commonly known as 12317, 12512, and 11717 Pleasant Valley Road (Napier Partners, LP; Patricia M. LeClair Revocable Trust and Donald Swanson Properties)

Motion to Approve Ordinance 2010-(69) – An Ordinance Approving the Preliminary Plan for the Napier Partners, LP; Patricia M. LeClair Revocable Trust; and Donald Swanson Properties

With everything scheduled to happen in one night and no documents on the village web site, there does not appear to be a desire to have reasoned discussion by the public on this biggest “deal” in Lakewood history.

This reminds me too much of the Jimmy Carter “Trust me” approach to his presidential election.

= = = = =

Previous articles that might be of interest:

$18 Million Federal Stimulus Request for $40 Million Route 47 & 176 Lakewood Recreational Complex on County Board Finance Committee’s Agenda Tuesday

Concept Drawings of the Proposed McHenry County Sportsplex in Lakewood

May Letter Outlines $5 Million in Direct and Indirect Lakewood Financial Assistance to Sportsplex Developer Lou Tenore

So, You Want to Know More about the Lakewood SportsPlex?

Lakewood Village President Erin Smith Endorses Ken Koehler for County Board

First Electric Newspaper Finds Potential Snag in Lakewood SportsPlex

Chicagoland Foreign Investment Group Sends SportsPlex Investment Letter

Investment Bank Announces Commitment to SportsPlex, If

Thoughts on “Money in the Bank”

Lakewood SportsPlex Proposal Getting Curiouser and Curiouser

Lakewood Gains New Economic Development Tool

Lakewood Seeks to Annex 540 Acres, including Route 176 & 47 Golf Courses & SportsPlex Site

Judge Michael Caldwell Gives Lakewood Green Light to Grow to Route 176

Former Village President, Republican Activist Win Lakewood Trustee Spots

Big Zoning Doings in Lakewood Tuesday Night

Lakewood Annexes Past Route 47 Up to Route 176

Village of Lakewood Summer Newsletter, Anti-SportsPlex Flyer Arrive



Comments

Approval of Lakewood SportsPlex Planned for Tuesday Night at 6 — 5 Comments

  1. Megalomaniac idea! And Where on Earth will you find so many people to visit this white elephant? Bear in mind that nearby east on Rte 176 there exists a sports complex (Lippold Park, CL). Is someone planning busing people from very distant communities (i.e. Chicago, Northern Indiana etc)?????
    Once upon a time, not that long ago, something like that was happening at the Pleasant Valley Farm Center (not any more existing, thanks Heavens) with very un-pleasant occurrences along the Pleasant Valley Road.
    Our county’s crime rate is increasing enough as it is, do we need another potential source of possible crime? And who is going to make sure that this monstrous complex is crime proof 24/7. Who will pay for it????

  2. I believe the sports complex will be a valuable asset to the area and surrounding economy along Route 47. I don’t understand why Lakewood residents would oppose the complex because the nearest housing is at least over a 1/2 mile away an dthe rest is tucked in well east of Rte 47.

    I suppose if it were a private club complete with country club, swimming pool, tennis courts, bike trails, parks, walking trails, indoor gym facilities, etc and only accessible to Lakewood residents then it would be receiving high praise from all of the nay-sayers….hmmmm?

    McHenry County serves more residents than just Lakewood.

  3. a 50 meter swimming pool needs to be considered here since this sport is competitive, growing in this area between the local high school team, fall and summer swim clubs. Use it as recreational, hold swimming invites on the weekends, meets through the week, brings revenues into the towns and owners of this complex. Offer up water polo teams and events, USA Swimming can help in many ways to create programs, this would be a huge asset to the area. This would come back in groves of revenues if its
    done correctly. call it the aquatic center revenue producing machine

  4. If there is any interest in an indoor swimming pool, you might have some strong interest from the Huntley High School and maybe the Huntley Park District in renting it out. There maybe others in the area as well.

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