Residents living near a proposed asphalt processing plant in Des Plaines finally got a chance to weigh in on the topic, and weigh in they did.
More than 100 nearby neighbors, mostly from the Touhy Mobile Home Park directly west of the property, testified for hours in a somewhat boisterous hearing in Des Plaines about their fears of health hazards from living next to the asphalt facility.
Plote Construction Inc. officials want to build an asphalt processing plant at 320 W. Touhy Ave. in Des Plaines. The property is zoned for manufacturing use but sits right next to the mobile home park that is in unincorporated Elk Grove Township.
In the end, members of the city's zoning board of appeals gave a mixed recommendation on two variation requests. They noted that Plote could build the plant with or without the zoning variations.
Plote officials want to build a 74-foot silo and a 90-foot conveyer, higher than what's normally allowed. They also want the city to relax the 25-foot setback requirement from the eastern edge of the property. Plote officials say that would allow them to move it as far away from the mobile home park as possible.
Zoning board members denied their request to lift the height restrictions but granted their request to relax the setback requirements. The city council will have a final say on the height issue.
Zoning board member Rodney Yourist said if the plant is built, he'd like to see it as far away from the mobile homes as possible.
Ronald Cope, an attorney representing the mobile home park, said he'll try to line up expert witnesses for the city council.
The height issue will be before the city council in October, possibly as soon as Oct. 6.
Testimony from the neighbors went well into the evening and included testimonials from people already affected by asthma and other respiratory disorders who are worried about how living near the plant will affect them.
"Not one of you would want this asphalt plant next to your house," Cope said.
Zoning board members approved Plote's plans in July, but when it came before the city council in August, mobile home residents complained that they'd never heard about the meeting. City council members agreed to send it back to the zoning board for another hearing.
Plote officials say they will comply with all of the environmental guidelines and be a good neighbor.
The company operates a plant on Old Higgins Road but the property is being purchased by the city of Chicago for expansion of O'Hare International Airport. Daily Herald