Kane County panel backs bigger Elburn planning area

A Kane County Board committee on Tuesday backed Elburn's proposal to expand its planning area, a move that will allow the growing village to increase its wastewater treatment plant capacity.

The board's development committee signed off on the plan, which must be approved by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, or CMAP. CMAP's wastewater committee is scheduled to consider the measure Dec. 11.

The expansion is needed to accommodate future residential development. Two developers -- Kirk Homes and Sho-Deen -- have proposed two separate projects that could double the village's population in the next decade.

Elburn officials are seeking to expand the village's planning area from 2,500 acres to 3,640 acres. They want to double its existing wastewater treatment plant capacity.

Kirk and Sho-Deen helped fund a treatment plant expansion study undertaken by the village. Village President James Willey said he doesn't want current taxpayers to foot the estimated $14.2 million bill for the plant expansion, but an agreement ironing out developer contributions has yet to be finalized.

"The future growth should pay for the expansion -- not the people who are already living in Elburn," Willey said.

Kirk Homes has proposed a 358-acre mixed-use development on the north and south sides of Route 38, just west of Route 47. It would include 800 residential units, a 300-acre commercial area and 130 acres of open space.

Sho-Deen owns 439 acres, most of which surrounds Elburn's Metra station. The so-called transit-oriented development will include high-density housing surrounding the station. The total number of residential units has not yet been determined.