Kane Co. close to deal with Wayne on Route 25 development
It's taken about a decade to get it done, but with the opening of the Stearns Road Bridge Corridor about two years away, Kane County is just weeks away from inking an agreement with the Village of Wayne on what the commercial development on Route 25 near the bridge will look like.
The two governmental bodies had been at loggerheads for a long time because of conflicting desires. The county generally wants to see more commercial development to help its sales tax base and smaller lot sizes to usher in more affordable residential housing in the area between Wayne and South Elgin. Wayne would rather see the area retain a rural feel and keep the larger lot sizes that are similar to what the village's residents currently live on.
The result is the county will get what it wants west of Route 25. Wayne will get what it wants east of Route 25.
The agreement also clarifies the future of a few well-known parcels. The former Valley View Correctional Facility, also known as the Illinois Boys Home, will remain public open space. And the Midwest Groundcovers site would best be converted into single family housing should redevelopment occur on that parcel. There is potential for that as the agreement also paves the way for Wayne to annex that land and about 1,500 acres into its boundaries.
As far as commercial development of the corridor, the county has agreed that nightclubs and other adult-only uses need not apply. Only businesses with limited hours of operation that cause minimal traffic will be welcome.
The Kane County Development Committee approved the agreement Tuesday.
The committee also approved an agreement to bring some flood relief to the Red Gate Subdivision in St. Charles. The neighborhood was one of many in the county that saw pools of standing water for weeks after major rain caused flooding throughout the area a couple months ago. In this case, freeing up some drain routes clogged by willow roots will help fix much of the problem, sending the excess water to Otter Creek in the future. The county is paying about $11,000 of the $40,000 project. Homeowners and the subdivision's homeowners' association will cover the rest.