Geneva OKs warehouse annexation amid heated debate, split votes

The Geneva City Council Monday approved an annexation agreement with Midwest Industrial Funds — now renamed MWI Property Group — after more than two hours of debate and more than five split votes.

The company proposes eight-12 buildings for warehouses or manufacturing on 211.83 acres, a total of 2.5 million square feet of buildings, $250 million investment in the project, an additional $20 million in infrastructure for roads, lighting, electric utility, storm and sanitary sewers. The property is located between Route 38 and Kautz Road, south of Fabyan Parkway.

“For more than a decade past and current city councils have endeavored to expand the city’s tax base by advancing the South East Master Plan,” Mayor Kevin Burns said. “The council affirmed this long-standing goal by voting positively on five separate items that drives this vital economic engine to fruition.”

The five ordinances were for:

• The 211.83-acre annexation agreement with MWI.

• A 225.83-acre annexation that is the South East Master Plan, which adds acreage to the MWI property.

• Rezoning of the MWI acreage to light industrial from rural single family

• A special use permit for a planned unit development and preliminary infrastructure plan

• A resolution granting preliminary and final subdivision for MIF Geneva Park

MWI also proposes 1,653-1,867 car parking stalls, 154-448 trailer parking stalls, stormwater improvements, a 28-acre wetland conservation area and one outlot for an electrical substation.

“The subject property … would establish the city of Geneva’s southern-eastern corporate limit,” City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins said. “The project would include an extension of Kautz Road from Illinois (Route) 38 to Fabyan Parkway.”

The city planning and zoning commission unanimously recommended approval at its April 11 meeting.

Five votes were split 8-3 — with Burns voting yes twice — and the other three were 7-3 with the same three voting no: Third Ward Alderwoman Becky Hruby and Alderman Dean Kilburg and Fifth Ward Alderman Robert Swanson.

‘A developer win’

Hruby acknowledged the development of that site has been part of the city’s planning for 20 years.

“Are warehouses really what we want,” Hruby said. “We are grasping at the first opportunity we are offered and we are settling.”

Hruby cited warehouse vacancies all over the area, the impact of increased traffic and warehouse jobs paying $16 to $17 an hour.

“No one making $17 an hour can afford to live in Geneva,” Hruby said. “I understand and appreciate the work that has gone into this plan to get us here today. … Annexing this land to bring warehouses to our home is solely a developer win.”

Fourth Ward Alderwoman Amy Mayer countered the area in question is “perfectly suited for an industrial park and I hope that there’s manufacturing.”

“We have General Mills, we have Pillsbury nearby, we have FONA, the food depository,” Mayer said. “We act like these buildings are absolutely going to be a plague on our city. Yet we have all these users who are really, really good contributors to our city.”

Swanson and Second Ward Alderman Bradley Kosirog want the wetland conservation area available for the public.

Scott Brejcha, a wetland specialist with D3 Companies, said public access would defeat the purpose of a conservation area plan that has been approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Brejcha said eventually a third-party conservation organization will take over the wetland and natural area — 40 acres in total — in perpetuity.

First Ward Alderwoman Anias Bowring said it was not a priority to make an industrial site accessible to the public because a conservation area is located within it.

Instead, Bowring said the public can access existing natural areas such as at Fermilab, forest preserves and along the Fox River.

East side, west side

Hruby tried to ask MWI officials why they didn’t respond to public and media inquires about the 300-year-old oak trees that were cut down on the property last year.

Burns said he understood people were angry that the trees were cut down, but it was not relevant for the meeting.

Hruby’s comments about division in the city between its east-side and west-side residents sparked a rebuke from Burns.

“We are one community,” Burns said. “I struggle with that ‘us vs. them’ (attitude) in a 10-square-mile radius.”