Comments (...)CHANNAHON — The Channahon village board last week unanimously approved, with Trustee Jerry Papesh absent, several ordinances relating to the petrochemical industry on U.S. 6 — Aux Sable Liquid Products.
Some of the ordinances had to do with the recent out-of-court agreement between several governmental bodies – such as Minooka Community High School District, Minooka Fire District, Three Rivers Library District, Joliet Junior College District, and Channahon Park District – and Aux Sable Liquid Products.
The legal matter pertained to a disagreement regarding the valuation of the industry. According to Channahon Village President Joe Cook, the village acted as a kind of “mediator” in the process of negotiations, and the final agreement reached between the governmental bodies and the plant is a satisfactory settlement for all concerned.
“This is a good agreement that I can certainly support,” Cook said at the meeting. “In the long run, it will enable us to continue with the growth of Aux Sable and all the benefits that come with that, such as jobs and security for the labor force. . . They are a good corporate neighbor, and I think this is an agreement that is a win-win for all of us.”
The Channahon village board also approved an annexation agreement with Aux Sable for the land the company purchased in 2012. The property was formerly the Sapa Group aluminum manufacturing plant, located at the southeast corner of U.S. 6 and Tabler Road, just west of Aux Sable’s plant.
In 2011, according to Channahon Director of Community Development Mike McMahon, the Sapa plant was disassembled and the equipment sold off. What remains today is the shell of the old plant, a 10,000-square-foot office building, and a 3,000-square-foot office building formerly owned by Navastone.
The current zoning of the 126 acres is Grundy County M-2 manufacturing district, which will be changed to I-2 intensive industrial.
According to a memo from attorneys Canna and Canna, presented at Monday’s village board meeting, Aux Sable has projected $30 million to $50 million in improvements over the next few years, with some projects already begun in 2012.
Also in the agreement, Channahon will abate its portion of Aux Sable’s property taxes on the newly-acquired land until the site is improved with new facilities or five years, whichever comes first.
The village board also approved placing no parking signs at Riverside Industrial Park and Channahon Industrial Park on both sides of Municipal Drive, both sides of Northern Illinois Drive, and both sides of Riverside Drive. Those roads weren’t meant for parking, staff said.
