Wheeling trustees kill asphalt plan

Four Wheeling trustees killed a deal to build a controversial asphalt plant on the site of the old Wheeling Public Works garage.

With a 4-3 vote on Monday, the Wheeling village board voted not to extend the time period for the village and the asphalt company to complete their due diligence. Since the board already approved the contract on Sept. 29, it was a routine motion originally on the board's consent agenda. However, not approving the amendment stopped the entire approval process, which already included several heated plan commission hearings.

"A 'no vote' would kill the deal," said Village Attorney James Ferolo on Monday. "Remember you are not making a decision on the site's use. A 'yes vote' would only allow the plan commission to complete their proceedings. It's a 60-day extension. "

Trustees Dean Argiris, Dave Vogel, Robert Heer and Pat Horcher voted against the contract extension. Village President Judy Abruscato, Ray Lang and Ken Brady voted in favor of it.

Ferolo expected the plan commission hearings to continue in January and for the village board to finally vote on the rezoning in February. However, those steps won't happen now, Ferolo said,

"The contract will not occur," he said on Tuesday. "In all likelihood, the board will probably approve a short termination agreement soon."

While Lang said he "hadn't heard both sides of the story," Argiris said he had and didn't see the point in waiting out plan commission hearings.

"Things have changed and now they're talking about bringing in a rock crusher and dump trucks at 4 a. m.? Residents have a real gripe with that and it upsets me too," Argiris said. "It would affect residents and businesses out there. I'm not going to bring in one business and lose four because of it."

The village agreed to a contract months ago to sell the former public works site at 165-233 W. Hintz Road to PAL Group Inc. and to purchase an existing asphalt plant on Wheeling Road just south of Dundee Road. The sale of the village land is contingent on the property's being rezoned for a heavier type of industry than is now allowed. PAL is also seeking variances, including one that would allow buildings 100 feet tall.

PAL is associated with Orange Crush, highway contractor and asphalt manufacturer, which is owned by the Palumbo family. Company representatives didn't return phone calls on Tuesday.

The new plant was expected to be larger than the existing one and involve a stone crusher, which is not used in the current plant.

The village initially was pushing the land swap because it would like the current property, which is about four acres, to be redeveloped as part of its proposed Town Center, while it needs to dispose of the old public works building after the department moved earlier this year into a new building.

After the board vote, the asphalt project was removed from Thursday's plan commission agenda, according to village officials. A group of area industries that oppose the plant had been scheduled to present expert witnesses such as attorneys, appraisers, engineers and environmental experts at that meeting.