Manhattan Sues Elwood Over NorthPoint Development Plans

MANHATTAN, IL – The village of Manhattan has sued its neighbor, the village of Elwood, over a controversial planned business park that Manhattan officials say would occupy a portion of land within their village limits. The dispute is over Compass Business Park, an industrial area proposed by NorthPoint Development that would take up more than 2,300 acres of land in the undeveloped areas of southern Will County if current plans follow through.

Manhattan Village Administrator Kevin Sing said that while Manhattan has not taken an official on NorthPoint, officials haven't been included in talks on the matter. The village is asking the court to halt any further action from Elwood on the matter.

"We favor responsible growth, more employment opportunities, and a broader local tax base, but unless we’re at the negotiating table to get all the facts, we cannot determine if the development is in the best interest of Manhattan residents,” he said.

The suit alleges that Elwood has broken its boundary agreement, in place until 2026, with Manhattan.

Elwood has operated with the developer "in the shadows," Manhattan Mayor James Doyle said.

“When we first heard of the NorthPoint project months after the discussions began, we in the Village of Manhattan took numerous steps to be good neighbors and attempt to join the discussions," Doyle said. "Unfortunately, our numerous requests to be actively involved were ignored, so we have no choice but to ask the court to step in and protect the village’s rights.”

The Village of Manhattan asks the court to find the following points, verbatim, according to a news release from Spesia & Taylor, the law firm representing Manhattan in the suit.

1. Elwood’s actions associated with the planning of the NorthPoint development – without including
Manhattan -- violate the boundary agreement and related joint resolution between the Villages of
Manhattan and Elwood;

2. Elwood’s involvement with specific infrastructure planning for the project on Manhattan’s side of the
boundary line is a breach of the boundary agreement and joint resolution;

3. Elwood should be prohibited from taking further action on the NorthPoint project due to its past and
ongoing violations of the border agreement and joint resolution.

Compass Business Park has been the source of controversy in southern Will County, particularly in the areas around where the park is planned. Residents cite what they say are numerous problems with the project, including concerns related to additional truck traffic in the area.

The "Just Say No To Northpoint" group that formed against the developers' plans released a statement after Manhattan announced its decision to sue.

"The Village of Elwood has been complicit in their deceitful practices by going out of their way to lack transparency," it read, in part. "Only through the Freedom of Information Act with the support of the Illinois Attorney General were we able to get any understanding of their backroom antics. We are thankful that the Village of Manhattan recognizes this abhorrent behavior and has chosen to stand up to NorthPoint's underhanded tactics."

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