Bolingbrook Quarry Project Vote Delayed By Will County Board

BOLINGBROOK, IL — On Thursday, the Will County Board voted to delay discussion and a vote on a quarry project in Bolingbrook until March, county spokesperson Mike Theodore told Patch.

The project calls for a rezoning, and several special use permits for mining/quarrying with blasting or other use of explosives, concrete and asphalt mixing, and clean construction or demolition debris fill operations. The project has been under discussion at various county committees since October.

The property is located in Wheatland Township, at the southeast corner of Essington Road and 127th Street. It has a Bolingbrook address, although it is not in the Village of Bolingbrook.

In September, the Village filed an objection to the project. At the time, Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta said the project could "severely impact the welfare, safety and the quality of life in the surrounding Village."

The property is also close to District 202's Liberty Elementary School.

The Village of Plainfield has also filed an objection to the project. Because of the objections, the County Board will need a 3/4 super-majority to approve the zoning map amendment instead of a simple majority vote. District 202 has also submitted a letter of objection.

The votes for the special use permits could still pass in a simple majority vote.

In October, the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission denied the project. The matter then went to the Will County Land Use and Development Committee, and the committee decided to delay discussion until Jan. 2 on the matter.

According to discussion at the land and development meeting, the project does call for surface mining and underground mining under Lily Cache Creek.

"They are proposing to blast, because that's how you mine limestone...it would be, at most, twice a week," Zoning Administrator Margie Kenny said.

The site would be filled with clean construction fill, which is regulated at the state and county level, Kenny added.

The applicant has proposed a berm to the north and west of the property, as well as the northeast corner of the project to address some concerns, according to discussion at the meeting.

The committee approved the zoning map change, in a 3-2 vote; the committee approved the special use permits for mining, for concrete and asphalt mixing and for the clean construction or demolition debris, in 3-2 votes.

Over 1,500 people have signed a Change.org petition against the quarry project. The petition cites concerns about the business owner, RE Land IL IV, Inc.; the risk to public health and safety, erosion, possible contamination of Lily Cache Creek, among other complaints.

The County Board will discuss the matter again in March.