Huntley Community Radio has taken a step closer toward becoming a reality.
Thursday night, the Huntley Village Board approved a zoning change for the Deicke Park Building that lets the yet-to be-broadcasting station create a studio there.
The property was previously zoned for single family residence, but the village allowed the organization to submit a special use permit for broadcasting, which the board approved Thursday.
"It was a legal hurdle we had to make," said Allen Pollack, executive director of Huntley Community Radio.
The next step is for the Huntley Park District to vote on allowing Huntley Community Radio broadcast on its property. That vote is scheduled for May, Pollack said.
The plan is to start broadcasting on the Internet and then on a low-powered radio station at the same time.
Huntley Community Radio is still working on the programming, but organizers anticipate hosting shows that involve Huntley High School students and spread the word about available resources and civic organizations in the village.
"One thing that this station is attempting to do is to keep the community informed and fully connected," Pollack said. "We essentially want to unite this community and unite them through knowledge about what's happening in our community."
The hope is to start the Internet show by the end of the summer and apply for a construction permit with the Federal Communications Commission.
If it's granted, Huntley Community Radio would start making moves to broadcast across a low-powered FM radio station by 2013.
Huntley Community Radio Station is raising money to fund its future operations. If you'd like to help or learn more about the station, visit http://www.facebook.com/#!/HuntleyRadio
