Sugar Grove board sets open house
The Sugar Grove village board will have an open house the morning of June 7 to coincide with the opening of the farmers market.
Village staff suggested the date in view of declining attendance at past events, such as last year in May when the open house was held at the Sugar Grove Community House on Main Street.
It is hoped that by holding the two events together, advertising will reach more residents.
Plus, shoppers at the farmers market will be able to easily drop in at the board's open house. The market will be held in the parking lot of the municipal center at 10 Municipal Drive, and the village will use the board room inside for the open house.
Discussion took place when the board met recently as a committee of the whole, and several trustees said they liked the idea.
The June 7 date is particularly special this year. It marks not only the opening of the 2008 farmers market season, but the inauguration of the market's new locale and the sale of a new product.
The market is moving from the parking lot of John Shields Elementary School in order to sell wines from local vineyards. There will also be wine tasting at the farmers market this season.
At the open house, the village board will be displaying information on the comprehensive land use plan, the water system improvements and plans to extend Municipal Drive, to name a few topics.
Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce members, as well as other taxing bodies, will be invited to participate in the open house.
Village President Sean Michels suggested at the meeting that the Kaneland school district be invited in order to share information about plans to build the new middle school.
For details, call (630) 466-4507 or visit www.sugar-grove.il.us.
Environmental award
The Settlers Ridge subdivision in Sugar Grove, developed by Kimball Hill, has won an award for exemplary natural landscaping and conservation development. The award was presented by the Chicago Wilderness Corporation Council and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Nominees for the award came from a six-state region.
The 1,300 acres of Settlers Ridge includes more than 40 percent open space and is filled with native plants.
The development's storm water facilities are designed to be naturalized lakes and greenway swales, with native plants doubling as a storm water management.
"Native plants provide a beautiful, hardy, low maintenance landscape which also benefits the environment," Village President Sean Michels said in a prepared statement.
"The design of the water works system is unique and a showpiece of the village. Having appealing facilities and environmentally friendly amenities in all developments, such as the landscaping, storm water management, waterworks facility and trail system in Settlers Ridge, is a goal of the village. We are extremely proud of this development."