Will County Board Approves Bolingbrook Quarry Project

BOLINGBROOK, IL — A proposed rezoning and associated special use permits for a quarry operation in Wheatland Township was narrowly approved at Thursday's Will County Board meeting.

The Board had previously voted back in January to delay discussion and a vote on the quarry project, and pushed the matter to March. The Board approved the proposal 12-10 on Thursday.

The land is currently zoned A-1 (agricultural) and needed to be rezoned to I-3 (industrial). 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.

The applicant, AZ Hardrock, already owns a nearby quarry, and wants to expand operations to the adjacent property.

In September 2024, 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."

After the project was approved, Alexander-Basta told Patch she was "deeply disappointed" by the decision "to approve the quarry despite overwhelming opposition from our residents as well as the residents of Plainfield and the Plainfield School District."

"This decision disregards the voices of the community and raises serious concerns about environmental impact, public health, safety and the quality of life in our neighborhoods. We will continue to explore every possible avenue to protect our residents and ensure their concerns are not ignored," she said.

The property is also close to District 202's Liberty Elementary School. The Village of Plainfield also filed an objection to the project.

Some of the plans for the quarry were changed after concerns from neighbors and discussion at previous levels of the county. The new plans eliminated the underground mining and asphalt portion of the project.

However, the project still calls for blasting of limestone. During discussion at the county's land and development meeting in January, officials said that blasting of limestone would happen up to twice a week.

Over 1,900 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, and possible contamination of Lily Cache Creek, among other complaints.