Seeking 3,000 signatures to save 90 acres of land

Residents of an Elgin neighborhood are amping up their opposition to a 90-acre industrial park slated for the southwest corner of State Street and Route 20.

Members of the South West Area Neighbors, or SWAN, hope to gather 3,000 signatures to bring the Elgin City Council leaders by early April.

They believe a plan to erect up to 10 industrial buildings totaling more than 900,000 square feet on wooded but vacant land north of the new Elgin Mental Hospital will create noise, exacerbate congestion with large trucks and hurt their overall quality of life.

Their petition asks the city not to approve any new industrial parks until existing ones are full.

It also wants the city to "consider utilizing this acreage for the greater good of all Elgin residents by creating a communitywide park that enhances the Elgin corridor while also preserving wildlife and the oak trees," according the petition.

Sarosh Saher, Elgin planning manager, told about 50 SWAN members Monday night that the developer still must complete detailed engineering plans along traffic and environmental studies for city officials to review.

He noted that the land is designated for office, research and industrial use now.

"It is not for (the city staff) to say whether we need another (industrial park) or not," Saher said. "This is privately owned property."

The land is owned by John B. Sanfilippio and Son Inc.

The firm bought the land about four years ago when it relocated but chose 1703 N. Randall Road in Elgin for the new Fisher Nuts headquarters instead.

Charlene Sligting, SWAN president, said residents might be better off asking the city to require more open space in the plan than demanding the city buy the land back from Sanfilippio.