Kielian told Joliet Patch on Wednesday that the lawsuit is more than just allegations that Joliet violated the Open Meeting Law. NorthPoint, a Missouri-based industrial developer, has been eyeing the property, which consists of two parcels including about 175 acres at 4101 Arthur Kill Road, The Real Deal reported in. While Joliet officials allowed NorthPoint officials to utilize a PowerPoint display from their remote location as part of its presentation, "public commenters calling in by telephone were abruptly cut off and disconnected four minutes into their presentations," court documents state. In June of this year, NorthPoint began building the 3-million square foot logistics facility west of Route 53 north of Noel Road. In the past 10 years, NorthPoint has developed more than 70 million square feet of industrial space across the U.S., including California, Kansas and Pennsylvania. Through strong relationships and keen real estate instincts Alex is able to identify and assemble valuable land deals and provide expertise to his clients throughout the development cycle. As with the public hearing before the Plan Commission, the City Council did not place any time restrictions upon representatives of East Gate. The next Village of Manhattan board meeting is Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 6:30pm. We have worked with business, civic, and community members on regional transportation and land use plans that allow for additional industrial development while working to minimize the negative impacts of truck traffic and diesel pollution on already overburdened communities., Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights. Public Welcome. Administrator Friebeles presentation was abruptly cut-off as she was attempting to read a letter from Steve Jones into the public record," the lawsuit stated. Jackson Township resident Stephanie Irvine, who is one of the founding members, said that while NorthPoint may make it seem simple to get a stamp of approval, there are still other roadblocks and approvals besides the city of Joliets that are needed. O'Dekirk was joined in support of the project by fellow council members Pat Mudron, Jan Quillman, Terry Morris, Sherri Reardon and Larry Hug. The complaint alleges that NorthPoint failed to comply with multiple terms of the Pre-Annexation Agreement because it failed to provide proof of ownership of the majority of the property, lacks required contiguity, and does not have the necessary approvals for the bridge over Walter Strawn Drive (which is currently in litigation with the Village of Elwood). NL VFW Friday Fish Fry. Last week, Stop NorthPoint requested that the Will County States Attorney and the Attorney General initiate a Quo Warranto action against the City of Joliet, challenging the citys authority to annex the property. Friday Raffle $66,230 and Fish Fry Special, NL VFW Top List Karaoke With Cheryl in the Bar Friday. He has helped acquire strategic tracts of land and get them entitled and rezoned for large scale industrial warehousing and distribution centers. Building an industrial park at this location would be catastrophicadding pollution and noise from thousands of cars and trucks, and ultimately making an already deadly highway area even more dangerous, said, Matthew Ruhter, Conservation Attorney at Openlands, . She worked closely with local officials to pull permits, organize inspections, and acquire final certificates of occupancy. The Will County civil suit asks a judge to declare void Joliet's pre-annexation agreement with NorthPoint. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETuesday, December 20, 2022, Contacts: Hannah Flath, hannahlee.flath@sierraclub.org, 860-634-0225Emily Reusswig, ereusswig@openlands.org, 312-925-5700Yamys Urbano Valencia, yurbano@openlands.org, 312-863-6287 or 415-712-5427. Mrs. Coldwater specifically stated the interest that she had in the public hearing due to the proximity of the development to her residence. The highly contentious project garnered media attention with the Herald News, Chicago Tribune, and Farmers Weekly Review picking up the story. Just weeks after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot praised NorthPoint Development at a groundbreaking in Hegewisch, a well-organized grassroots group called Stop NorthPoint LLC, along with numerous decorated veterans and area residents filed an expansive lawsuit Wednesday against the City of Joliet and NorthPoint Development. The lawsuit was given an Oct. 5 court date. Please email. He is a member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Urban Land Institute, and the Board of Realtors. The complaint further alleges that Councilman Larry Hugs largest campaign donor was Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC in the amount of $22,763.75, following a donation from NorthPoint Development to the same Chicagoland Operators PAC in the amount of $23,200. She joins the North Point team after working with a prominent custom home builder where she oversaw all of sales and marketing activity as well as design. The fight against the proposed NorthPoint Development industrial park in Will County has won an important victory. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Sit down dining, or available carryout, Year around. A week later, the City Council voted 7-1 against the CenterPoint's proposal for continued development along Brandon Road. NorthPoints 103 Acres: Everything & Nothing. NorthPoint, a Missouri-based industrial developer, has been eyeing the property, which consists of two parcels including about 175 acres at 4101 Arthur Kill Road, The Real Deal reported in August. Your email address will not be published. NorthPoint did open a case . At the time that we spoke, he did not have a map of the property NorthPoint intended to annex, nor did he have any other supporting documents. Openlands and Sierra Club have long advocated for strong regional and local planning that considers the environment, quality of life, and community input regarding the zoning of industrial developments, said Ann Baskerville, Conservation Organizer with Sierra Club Illinois. The lawsuit accuses of Joliet officials of violating the Open Meetings Act in the way they conducted the public hearing for the NorthPoint project. After exploring other fields including health care management with a national firm in Nashville, Bennett decided to return to her roots in Mobile. The complaint alleges that NorthPoint failed to comply with multiple terms of the Pre-Annexation Agreement because it failed to provide proof of ownership of the majority of the property, lacks required contiguity, and does not have the necessary approvals for the bridge over Walter Strawn Drive (which is currently in litigation with the Village of Elwood). Erin Gallagher & Associates, LLC ", The mayor responded by saying, "OK and I think your recommendation would be if we make an exception for one, we're going to have to make it for everybody. I would argue that it does not matter. ", According to Mahoney, Silverman & Cross, "This procedure discussed between Mayor ODekirk and Mr. Shanahan is contrary to the procedures the City of Joliet published before the public hearing. . Krista lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. Cate graduated with a dual major from the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware before moving to Savannah. SAVANNAH NorthPoint's damage would extend to the globally threatened landscapes of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, which Openlands and Sierra Club have worked to protect for more than 25 years. The complaint also alleges that NorthPoint failed to submit all the required petitions for annexation, and the ones that were submitted had forged notary signatures and inconsistent dates. Hwy 53 needs 3 lanes either way. 815-641-7760, Your email address will not be published. The bridge lawsuit is still in litigation; NorthPoint and the Village of Elwood are due in court later this month. And even after that, they would have to gain approval through the Illinois Commerce Commission, the entity that permanently closed that very same crossing in 2017. As such, we offer those who partner with us an intelligence, an intellectual capital, that adds immeasurable value to every project. The Kansas-City-based NorthPoint was seeking to annex 675 acres of 851 acres in Elwood for its proposed Compass Business Park, a 2,200-acre warehouse development east of Route 53 in unincorporated . We have been resolute in our fight, and the judges decision to deny NorthPoint and Joliets dismissal request gives all of us a voice and an opportunity to truly be heard.. But the suit that East Gate Logistics Park as the defendant in the case hopes to do just that. On this project Elcan served as the owners representative for the architects, engineers, interior designers, subcontractors, and lenders. Mark is land developer based in Georgia. We have worked with business, civic, and community members on regional transportation and land use plans that allow for additional industrial development while working to minimize the negative impacts of truck traffic and diesel pollution on already overburdened communities.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Join us in the fight to save our community from destruction. As with the public hearing before the Plan Commission, the City Council did not place any time restrictions upon representatives of East Gate. On April 17, the Joliet City Council, by a 6-3 vote, approved the pre-annexation proposal for NorthPoint. NorthPoint Development is a Kansas City-based commercial real estate operating company committed to supporting the communities where we develop, lease, and manage Class A industrial space and multi-family communities. This experience allowed her to leverage her knowledge of land development and attention to detail to respond to RFPs across multiple disciplines. The lawsuit to stop Northpoint began in 2020 highlights the previous failed attempts by East Gate-Logistics Park, the company that seeks to build NorthPoint, to gain approval to build the. After three hours of public comment at the city council meeting, Patrick Robinson, vice president of development for NorthPoint Development, stressed the potential economic impact for the. Environmental Organizations Attempting To Stop NorthPoint. Opponents of NorthPoint say the project approved by the Joliet City Council in a 6-3 vote in April 2020 will bring irreversible harm to the southern border of Joliet as well as to Elwood, Manhattan and Jackson Township. Site Design by Msndrstd Creative. "The City Council did not entertain Mrs. Coldwater's request for more time pursuant to the procedures the City of Joliet posted. 210 E. Waldburg Street ), Herald News: www.theherald-news.com/2020/01/17/northpoint-wants-joliet-park/aj68v21/, NorthPoint wants Joliet park;Opponents not surprised, predicted scheme in November, Stephanie Irvine, a leader in the Say No to NorthPoint movement that was able to block the project in Elwood and tried to stop the annexation in Joliet, said opponents will look at details of the NorthPoint proposal. Mrs. Coldwater was abruptly cut off during her presentation. Will County, IL. That lawsuit, between the Village of Elwood and LB Andersen (one of the many NorthPoint Development entities) isn't due back in court until October 2020. ", According to Elwood's lawyers, Joliet's Corporation Counsel Marty Shanahan addressed Mayor Bob O'Dekirk after Julia Coldwater's call was disconnected, saying, "Mayor, as a reminder, if anybody wants if four minutes is not enough, if they send to public comment, I will make them a part of the record and send them out to council. She is a licensed real estate agent in North Carolina and Georgia. The complaint, brought by Openlands, the Sierra Club, and Say No To Northpoint, is scheduled to go to trial as opponents of the mega-building project attempt to stop construction near Noel Road and Route 53 after work began over the summer. No Cover, Public Welcome 21+, 35th Annual Arts, Crafts and Food Festival, Mark Skorusa Loan Originator powered by Rocket Mortgage NMLS #2347622, Turano Bread Truck Engulfed In Flames On I-55, Video Of Surrendering Man Killed By Will Co. Sniper Won't Be Released, Taste Of Joliet: Tyler Hubbard, Mitchell Tenpenny For Country Night, Multiple Bomb Threat For Joliet's Hollywood Casino, Angry Gunman Confronts Homeowner On Ingalls: Cops. ", According to the lawsuit, Coldwater requested more time to address the Joliet City Council regarding her concerns. However, the board has not made an official decision. NL VFW Friday Fish Fry. Something went wrong. "There were a number of factors where we feel the people did not get a fair shake or procedure," he said. The HRE lawsuit is against the city of Joliet. Ms. Baur is well versed in entitlement work and has managed the permitting process for land and individual home sales. He has extensive experience in the Savannah market over the last 30 years, which gives him a unique level of expertise and knowledge; he has also sought out and acquired land parcels with great potential for development in strategic locations throughout the Southeast United States. The project consists of roughly 1,260 acres on Joliet's southern boundaries near Route 53. The Company constructs, manages, and leases industrial, multi-family, logistics, and cold storage facilities. Just weeks after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot praised NorthPoint Development at a groundbreaking in Hegewisch, a well-organized grassroots group called Stop NorthPoint, LLC, along with numerous decorated veterans and area residents filed an expansive lawsuit Wednesday against the City of Joliet and NorthPoint Development. Despite these rejections from the community, the City of Joliet and NorthPoint Development have repeatedly attempted to block legal action by Openlands, Sierra Club, and individual members of Just Say No To NorthPoint to keep the case from going to trial. The complaint alleges multiple examples of NorthPoints false promises and nightmares in Kansas, which demonstrate what will happen in Will County. Just weeks after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot praised NorthPoint Development at a groundbreaking in Hegewisch, a well-organized grassroots group called Stop NorthPoint LLC, along with numerous decorated veterans and area residents filed an expansive lawsuit Wednesday against the City of Joliet and NorthPoint Development. Jackson Township resident Stephanie Irvine, who is one of the founding members, said that while NorthPoint may make it seem simple to get a stamp of approval, there are still other roadblocks and approvals besides the city of Joliets that are needed. East Gate Logistics, which is hoping to build the industrial park, had petitioned a judge to dismiss the complaint by the three groups. The discussion between Mayor ODekirk and Mr. Shanahan demonstrates that the City Council preemptively chose not to follow the guidelines it published before the public hearing.". The project consists of roughly 1,260 acres on Joliet's southern boundaries near Route 53. Erin Gallagher Adding lanes to highways only invites more traffic. The complaint also alleges that NorthPoint failed to submit all the required petitions for annexation, and the ones that were submitted had forged notary signatures and inconsistent dates. The village of Elwood is also currently in litigation against the city and recently stopped an annexation vote of 355 acres of land after a Will County Judge ruled that the city plan commission failed to follow proper protocol or procedures during their pre-annexation committee. We spoke with Village Administrator Kevin Sing who advised that he had first heard of NorthPoints intentions late Thursday. Joliet Drug Dealer Arrested On Briggs Street: Police, Walgreens Pharmacist Attacked After Man Visits Wrong Store: JPD. NorthPoint Development, LLC operates as a real estate owner and developer. "During the course of the hearing, Julia Baum Coldwater, called in to offer testimony on behalf of herself and her husband. Press Conference: Thursday (October 15th, 2020) at 10:30 am "As with the public hearing before the Plan Commission, no witnesses were sworn to testify under oath. "Pursuant to the rules, callers were limited to four minutes. Joliet Drug Dealer Arrested On Briggs Street: Police, Walgreens Pharmacist Attacked After Man Visits Wrong Store: JPD. Public Welcome. Its not as simple as they would like to make it out to be, Irvine said. All Rights Reserved. Ms. Baur is well versed in entitlement work and has managed the permitting process for land and individual home sales.