NorthPoint Wins Unanimous Approval From Joliet Plan Commission

JOLIET, IL — The city of Joliet Planning Commission voted unanimously Monday evening to support the annexation of roughly 1,300 acres, which will likely become the future Compass Business Park proposed by NorthPoint.

The 4 p.m. meeting was attended by more than 100 people. At least 30 people in the crowd were members of local skilled labor unions and trades.

The Joliet Plan Commission consists of: Chairman John Dillon, Jim Capparelli, Jason Cox, Jeff Crompton, Brigette Fiday, Mark Micetich, Fredrick "Rick" Moore and Marc Rousonelos.

Afterward, Joliet City Councilman Larry Hug, who attended the plan commission, told Joliet Patch, "I think it was smart for the planning commission to vote to recommend that the city take control of this land through annexation."

The special meeting began at 4 p.m. and lasted past 7 p.m.

At least 34 audience members took to the podium to address the plan commission, which is an advisory panel. Only two audience members talked about the positive benefits of bringing NorthPoint to Joliet.

Audience members were allotted four minutes to make their arguments for or against the NorthPoint project.

Most people in the crowd who implored Joliet to reject NorthPoint were residents and property owners who live near Manhattan and Elwood.

One of the speakers opposing NorthPoint said she taught biology at Joliet Central High School. Besides the science teacher, a handful of Joliet Central students identified themselves as being part of the high school environmental activism club. They, too, addressed the plan commission, urging Joliet to reject NorthPoint.

One of the Joliet Central students wanted Joliet to reject NorthPoint, saying the city needs to be courting businesses that make solar panels, not "destructive business parks" that are harmful to wild animals and to the environment.

There were others in the crowd who didn't address the plan commission, but occupied several rows of chairs.

They brought along large signs with bold letters that declared, "YES TO NORTHPOINT" and "YES TO 1600 UNION JOBS."

Some of the arguments being made by the opponents of NorthPoint did not resonate with plan commission members.

For instance, at least one of the opponents who spoke during the meeting speculated that the construction of the NorthPoint business park would lead to COPD, which is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as other lung diseases.

One man who lived in Frankfort said he wanted the land to remain as pristine farmland, and he feared the development by NorthPoint would bring an end to the days of multi-generational farming families in the Manhattan area.

Will County Board member Rachel Ventura, who is challenging U.S. Congressman Bill Foster in the March 17 Democratic primary, urged Joliet to reject NorthPoint.

Ventura said "this project is not wanted by the people."

She also suggested the creation of the Compass Business Park near Route 53 would only lead to more low-paying warehouse jobs for Joliet.

Alicia Morales, who serves on the Joliet Junior College board of trustees, opposed NorthPoint, saying the city should instead by trying to build more schools and hospitals for Joliet. She pointed out that Plainfield has way more public high schools than Joliet currently has.

One of the Jackson Township trustees urged Joliet officials to be a good neighbor and reject NorthPoint. "Would you want this in your backyard?" he asked.

Earlier in the meeting, representatives for NorthPoint suggested that when the Compass Business Park is fully built, it would result in the creation of 10,000 new jobs. There would be 2,650 truck trips into the business park and 2,650 truck trips out "in a full business day," NorthPoint representatives told the plan commission.

Monday's recommendation now goes to the Joliet City Council, which has final say on the matter. This year, NorthPoint wants to begin construction on the many necessary infrastructure improvements such as water lines, sewer lines, road grading and a new bridge.

The construction of the bridge, which is intended to keep semi-truck traffic off of Route 53, would likely take two full years, officials indicated at Monday meeting.

Construction of the actual business park would most likely start in 2021, not this year.

Joliet's Mayor: City Receptive To Learning More About NorthPoint