Will County Board Public Works & Transportation Committee met July 5.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Mr. Ronaldson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
III. ROLL CALL
Chair Joe VanDuyne called the meeting to order at 9:00 AM
| Attendee Name | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Joe VanDuyne | Chair | Present | |
| Jim Richmond | Vice-Chair | Present | |
| Elnalyn Costa | Member | Present | |
| Vince Logan | Member | Absent | |
| Sherry Williams | Member | Present |
Also Present: Chair Ogalla, Mr. Balich, and Ms. Fladhammer
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. WC Public Works & Transportation Committee - Regular Meeting - Jun 6, 2023 9:00 AM
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jim Richmond, Vice-Chair SECONDER: Elnalyn Costa, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
V. OLD BUSINESS
VI. NEW BUSINESS
1. Confirming Award of Contract to P.T. Ferro Construction Co. ($1,699,969.10), Let on June 21, 2023, Plainfield-Naperville Road (CH 14) Resurfacing from 0.50 Miles South of 119Th Street to 87Th Street, County Board Districts #8, #9, and #10 (Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 7/19/2023 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Jim Richmond, Vice-Chair SECONDER: Elnalyn Costa, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
2. Improvement by County Under the IL Highway Code for the Plainfield-Naperville Road (CH 14) Resurfacing from 0.50 Miles South of 119Th Street to 87Th Street, Using MFT Funds ($1,875,000.00), County Board Districts #8, #9, and #10 (Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 7/19/2023 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Elnalyn Costa, Member SECONDER: Jim Richmond, Vice-Chair AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
3. Confirming Award of Contract to Grosso Construction Co. ($161,198.35), Let on June 21, 2023, Florence Road District Seal Coat, County Board District #1 (Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 7/19/2023 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Sherry Williams, Member SECONDER: Elnalyn Costa, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
4. Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement Between the Village of Romeoville and the County of Will for Maintenance and Energy of the Traffic Signal at the Intersection of Weber Road (Ch 88), Grand Haven Circle, and Gaskin Drive, in the County of Will, County Board District #9
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 7/19/2023 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Jim Richmond, Vice-Chair SECONDER: Sherry Williams, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
5. Authorizing an Agreement Between the State of Illinois Acting by and through the Illinois Commerce Commission, BNSF Railway Company, the State of Illinois, Department of Transportation, and the County of Will for Improvements to the Highway-Rail Grade Crossing at Brandon Road (Ch 42), County Board District # 6
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 7/19/2023 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Sherry Williams, Member SECONDER: Elnalyn Costa, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
6. Authorizing Approval of the Will County 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) with Civiltech Engineering, Inc., Section 23-00200-30-ES, County Board Districts #1 through #11
(Jeff Ronaldson)
Mr. Ronaldson stated this is going to replace our Long Range 2040 plan, it will be about a two-year process. We did receive a $333,000 grant from CMAP to assist in funding this project. There will be plenty of opportunity for all stakeholders, County Board members, and Municipalities to comment on this to chart a new path for 2050.
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 7/19/2023 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Jim Richmond, Vice-Chair SECONDER: Sherry Williams, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
7. Resolution for Engineering Services Under the IL Highway Code for the Will County 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Using MFT Funds ($1,749,540.00), County Board Districts #1 through #11
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 7/19/2023 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Sherry Williams, Member SECONDER: Jim Richmond, Vice-Chair AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
8. Authorizing Approval of the Establishment of Altered Speed Zone 673 Along Renwick Road Within Plainfield Township Road District, County Board District #8 (Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Elnalyn Costa, Member SECONDER: Jim Richmond, Vice-Chair AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
VII. OTHER NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Van Duyne stated I do have one issue, Mr. Ronaldson is aware of this, but I would like to bring it to the attention of the committee. I had a resident from the southern part of Will County, I will summarize the best I can and if miss state anything Mr. Ronaldson please correct me. This resident is building a house on his property, he lives on the corner of a township road and a county road. He wants his driveway to be on the county road which by law you must pick the slower of the two speed limits to enter your property, which in this case is the township road. However, he wants to enter his property from the county highway which is the higher of the speed limit. To do that he must take it to the Director of Transportation for permission, either the Director can accept it or deny it. If he accepts that would trigger a permit process, that permit process requires the property owner to donate his property to the County up to sixty feet from center line. In this case, this gentleman has 900 feet of frontage property. I believe this law was implemented in 1986.
Mr. Ronaldson said when the ordinance was instituted in 1986 this was the requirement, prior to any dedicated access permit being sought along any county highway.
Mr. Van Duyne stated my concern is that I am uncomfortable with the County taking property from somebody. Whether they thought it was a good idea in 1986 or not, I would like the committee to consider doing something different. I don’t think the government should take property from somebody. If we need it, we need it, but we should pay for it.
Ms. Costa asked so there would be no payment to the resident for the County acquiring that.
Mr. Van Duyne replied no there is not.
Mr. Balich stated this gentleman has also called me four times, and the driveway that he wants to use is an existing gravel road already and has been there forever. I also spoke to Chair Ogalla, and she agrees that the County shouldn’t be forcing them to give up property to build a driveway. We as a Board should be saying this resident should put his driveway wherever he wants it, and he shouldn’t have to pay for a permit either.
Mr. Van Duyne asked Mr. Ronaldson to comment on the subject.
Mr. Ronaldson stated we are talking about an eleven-acre parcel. He went to Land Use for a building permit, as the Chairman said our ordinance does require if you are on a corner lot to come off the lesser volume street which would be the township road. He said that would be a hardship because he wants the house built on the north end of the parcel where the county highway is, because to come off the side street, he would have to build a longer drive to get to the parcel. With the lay of the land, it is the best place for the house, I wouldn’t argue that it would be a Land Use issue. I then recognized that as a hardship, he asked for a variance, and I am granting that variance to put an entrance on our highway. In doing so it enacts all the other requirements of our permit ordinance. One is the dedication to right-of-way, which every individual property owner, farm, home, and industrial property that you have. As part of the permit process, you must dedicate right-of-way, it is not uncommon, and many other counties do it the same way. It is a very important aspect of our ordinance because it sets the setback for future improvements, if we don’t take care of the right-of-way up front this house will be too close to the road someday. Yes, it is a donation that is also part of the ordinance, I would say that if you grant one instance of not doing this it will open the door for a lot of others, including industrial, warehousing, commercial, and large subdivisions. This is a very important tool for the County to set aside our right-of-way for future-proofing our roadways. I do call it a tool because without it then we will have to go back and purchase it, which we do on many of our projects. With this in place, in the future, we don’t have to worry about the house being too close to the road. From my position, it is a very dangerous precedent to entertain, but obviously, it is the County Board that sets the rules. If you make this one exception it might make it difficult to not do it for all. You should really vet this out if you are interested in moving it forward in some form or fashion. I did not grant this variance because there was no hardship. The ordinance says if you want a variance, you must have the hardship to justify that, with eleven acres there is no hardship. The resident even said he would move back the parcel another twenty feet to accommodate this. It is not an issue of moving where they build the house, so again it is not a hardship, which is why I am not granting the variance for this right-of-way.
Ms. Williams said my comment is, this is our ordinance, the reason for it is just what you stated. I am on the Ad-Hoc Ordinance Committee; if there are changes to be made, it is our ordinance and we made it. But I agree with Mr. Ronaldson, we must look to the future, and this may become a problem then, this is the reason that the ordinance exists. I understand what you are saying about eminent domain. However, if in the future we had to move the roadway we would have to do it.
Mr. Balich said right now he has a gravel driveway. If the County had to build a road there in the future, then he would have to sell it, or we would take it by eminent domain. Land Use told him that he was fine and there would be no problems. Also, the area where he wants to build his house is on high ground, if he had to put it on the low ground, he may have an issue with flooding. So, it is a hardship, and nobody should have to give up their land to the government, I am against him donating his land, or even paying a permit fee or variance.
Chair Ogalla asked Mr. Van Duyne if he had a chance to go out there, if not I would like to set up a time when we could go together. My understanding is there is an existing driveway now to the area of his property that he wants to use. Is that correct?
Mr. Ronaldson replied that is correct, it is a gravel entrance used for a field previously. Chair Ogalla asked why we wouldn’t allow him to continue to use that entrance.
Mr. Ronaldson replied the location is going to remain the same, we will just have to upgrade it, it doesn’t meet the standards for a home. It is a change in use which is why he must get a permit per the ordinance. The permit is for minimum-use access not for agricultural use so it must be brought up to the current standards.
Mr. Balich said my issue is he was told to proceed by the Land Use Department, and then he was told of this change. I just don’t see why he must donate his land.
Chair Ogalla said we need to look at the Land Use processes, some of the things we do in Will County are more piecemeal. But you always must get a permit for a driveway from the Highway Department, it is a gravel drive so it must be upgraded and make it a paved drive and put in asphalt, it must be within specks, that is the requirement from the Highway Department. The reason being when you are building roads, they must be safe all along. We need to get together with David Dubois from Land Use, he came to a meeting and said we should look at changing the way that we do things so that the person knows up front every different step that we must go through. I’m not sure the landowner knows or understands that once they are at different points in the process the Highway Department and the Health Department must sign off when certain projects are complete, and I don’t always think they understand the requirements. That is where we do have to make a change, I also do want to go out there and look, my understanding was different from the conversation here today. My understanding was that he was asked to put in a different driveway.
Mr. Ronaldson stated I think where the confusion comes from as we were saying put a different driveway on the side street for the ordinance, maybe that is what he was referring to. That is why I granted the variance so he didn’t have to do that, you could come out on our road, to keep that entrance, so you didn’t have to have access on the side street. To clarify the permit process with Land Use, apparently, in February they approached Land Use. There was little communication because they put the applications on the Land Use website, that way we can check it regularly and we saw that an application was made. The comment was on February 16th, it states a Will County DOT access permit is required for the driveway to (inaudible) road please contact DOT at this number for more details or at our website. I can’t comment on the comment that was made about the access is okay. Nobody reached out to us until a week ago. Whether the property owner knew about this comment or not I cannot say. But a statement was made by Land Use back in February, I don’t know what happened after that.
Ms. Costa said I think the internal-departmental nature to help residents get through what seems like it could be an easy process, but the difficulties within our own bureaucracy, so if there is a note from Land Use, I would like to see that they reach out to the Highway Department and take that proactive step, is something as far as the service that we could give our residents in the future. I am trying to wrap my mind around this. There is a gravel driveway there, it is not moving, and it needs to be upgraded to meet specs to upgrade, and to meet specs, he must donate his land.
Mr. Ronaldson said yes, because it is called a change in use, anytime you change the use of the property you must get a permit for access, whether it is there or not.
Ms. Costa asked if it was agricultural and now it’s residential.
Mr. Ronaldson responded correct, I don’t know what he is doing with the rest of the eleven acres once he puts his house on there.
Mr. Van Duyne said the purpose today is just to discuss the driveway and the donation of the right-of-way from center line to 60 feet onto the property.
Mr. Richmond stated I have sat here quietly and listened, I agree with Mr. Balich about taking people’s property, I know we have a process and procedure but when you read that comment from February that there was some communication. This guy is probably not in the business of building houses, and he is not in the business of dealing with the
County and not in the business of dealing with the government with the process and permits and all of that. I think it comes down to communication, we must figure out a way that we can communicate with our citizens, our residents, and our customers and tell them all the things that need to be done, and all the things that need to be considered. That may have changed whether he would have purchased the property and what he put on the property and how he was going to act. Somebody said changing the rules of the game, we changed the dialogue in the communication. The rules have been there since 1986, but that guy doesn’t know that he is just trying to get his house built. However, we can figure out how to adjust our processes to make it easier for the residents, that’s what we must do. Maybe we could do it with the website and put together all the documents and all the things you need to work on. Maybe in some cases assign him someone they can talk to.
Mr. Ronaldson said I’m also told that this portal to review information is available for the property owners to view online.
Mr. Richmond said I don’t like taking people’s property and I don’t know maybe in 2070 that road may have to be four lanes. Is there some way to accommodate him without donating the property or having rights to the easement? Is sixty feet absolutely what we need, that seems like a lot of property.
Mr. Van Duyne said I apologize, that is why I put this under new business. We just found out about this a week ago, I wanted to bring it up to the committee and it is something to think about. I would ask Chair Ogalla to help and figure out if it can be put onto the Executive Committee this month.
Chair Ogalla stated I would like to meet with you and take a look at the property and get a better understanding of it.
VIII. DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION DISCUSSION
1. Parker-Hadley Road from US Route 6 to County Line: Public Involvement Meeting on July 26, 2023 from 4PM to 7PM at the Parker Road Bible Church, 18512 Parker Road, Mokena, IL 60448
(Jeff Ronaldson)
Mr. Ronaldson said this is a notice which is already in your packet about our initial Public Involvement meeting for the reconstruction of Parker Rd. I would invite the County Board members to come out to the meeting on July 26th between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. The staff and the consultant will be available to answer any questions about what the project is intended for, and what options are available. It is to get initial feedback from the public and what they see out there that is a concern, and what flooding issues they may have. The website will be up a week ahead of time for their viewing. After the meeting information will be posted on that website as well.
2. Francis Road and Marley Road Project in New Lenox Township for Consideration
(Jeff Ronaldson)
Mr. Ronaldson said I have Francis Rd. and Marley Rd. project, and there is also a memo in your packet. It is a T intersection in unincorporated Will County, it is very similar to the project we did on Francis and Parker Rd.; Parker Rd. is on the left side, and we improved that a couple of years ago, we added a left turn lane and a traffic signal, there was a lot of accident history there. We are now aware of accident issues at Marley Rd.; it is not a big road but does connect to Route 30 and is used as a cut-through quite extensively. We conducted a traffic count, and it shows that a signal is also warranted there. We are looking to do an identical project to what we did on the west side of the tracks. It will be left turn lanes and a traffic signal. I reached out to the Township Road District Commissioner, they are willing to participate in 1/3 of the project. Which again is identical to what was done at Parker Rd. This township has been a very good partner for us in the past, he is ready to sign for it right now, this is not in our multi-year plan. It is only about $1.6 million for the project, and it can be relatively easily incorporated into the next TIP, I would recommend that we go ahead with it now, the initial costs are not big, so doing the engineering is not an issue, it is the construction, but we can work that in. My question is this a project we can move forward with, and if that is yes, we do have an IGA drawn up and ready to go. We can move it forward this month, or if you prefer, we can wait until next month.
Mr. Van Duyne stated to Mr. Ronaldson, if you recommend this and the township is willing to pitch in, anytime we can prevent any accidents I am willing to go forward with it.
Mr. Richmond said I am very familiar with that intersection, and it does get a little dicey, I think it is a wise decision.
Mr. Balich stated I use that road a lot and agree they do need a light there.
Ms. Costa asked as far as the projects that you have in line, does the department feel that this can get squeezed in if approved?
Mr. Ronaldson replied yes it can.
Ms. Costa said I will support it then.
Mr. Ronaldson said I understand that you are in favor of the project, the question is do we have time to bring the IGA forward to bring it forward to the County Board this month?
Ms. Cooke said yes, just put the IGA in.
IX. STATE'S ATTORNEY DISCUSSION
X. MONTHLY WORK REPORTS
1. Maintenance Status Report
(Jeff Ronaldson)
2. Construction Status Report
(Jeff Ronaldson)
3. Phase II Summary Report
(Jeff Ronaldson)
XI. REPORTS BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Chair Ogalla stated I just wanted to mention that the work getting done on Will/Center Rd. that the crew that is out there is doing an excellent job with safety, as far as the flaggers are concerned. I am happy compared to some other projects as well, they do a great job making sure that people who are driving while they are repairing this road are very safe. I am very thrilled with this crew and would like you to pass the information along to them.
XII. PUBLIC COMMENT
XIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS/REPORTS BY CHAIR
XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION
XV. ADJOURNMENT
1. Motion to Adjourn @ 9:37 AM
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jim Richmond, Vice-Chair SECONDER: Sherry Williams, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Richmond, Costa, Williams |
XVI. NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 1, 2023
https://willcountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=12&ID=4564&Inline=True
Alerts Sign-up