The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About13-198 Resolution No. 13-198 RESOLUTION DECLARING OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED ROUTING AND DESIGN OF THE COMED GRAND PRAIRIE GATEWAY PROJECT WHEREAS, ComEd's proposed Grand Prairie Gateway Project relates to a proposed new 345kV electric transmission line to be constructed between ComEd's existing substations near the communities of Byron and Wayne (the "Project"); and WHEREAS, the new electric transmission line for the Project will travel across the counties of Ogle, DeKalb, Kane and DuPage; and WHEREAS, the proposed transmission line for the Project will include steel pole aboveground structures approximately 150 to 160 feet high; and WHEREAS, the proposed route of the Project runs through a southerly portion of the City of Elgin along and adjacent to the right-of-way for the Canadian National Railroad; and WHEREAS, such proposed route through the City of Elgin is immediately adjacent to several existing residential developments in the City of Elgin including the Mulberry Grove development on Umbdenstock Road, the Bowes Creek development on Bowes Road and the Cedar Grove development on Bowes Road; and WHEREAS, the Mulberry Grove development is a completed residential development of 84 townhomes and 169 detached single-family homes; and WHEREAS, the Bowes Creek development is a residential development which is still in the process of being developed and consists of 277 approved townhomes of which 190 have been or are being constructed, and 688 approved detached single-family homes of which 198 have been or are being constructed; and WHEREAS, the Cedar Grove development is a residential development which is still in the process of being developed and consists of 87 approved townhomes of which 17 have been or are being constructed, and 52 approved detached single-family homes of which 33 have been or are being constructed; and WHEREAS, the proposed route through the City of Elgin for the Project is also immediately adjacent to the Otter Creek Elementary School at 2701 Hopps Road in Elgin; and WHEREAS, the consideration of the proposed route for such a Project must include not only the financial tally for manpower and equipment, but also the impact on local residents and resources and past and future land uses; and WHEREAS, the current proposed route of the Project through the City of Elgin fails to satisfy criteria for the Project relating to social and land use impacts, number of affected landowners and other stakeholders, proximity to homes and other structures, proximity to existing and planned development, community acceptance and visual impact; and WHEREAS, Section 18.28.040 of the City of Elgin Subdivision Code provides that all electric utilities "shall be installed underground in all developments and subdivisions" and Chapter 13.15 of the Elgin Municipal Code sets forth regulations concerning the construction of utility facilities in the public right-of-way and Section 13.15.150F.2 thereof provides that aboveground facilities may be installed in the public right-of-way only if "new underground installation is not technically feasible"; and WHEREAS, the aboveground tower design currently proposed by ComEd for the Project will adversely affect the City of Elgin, its residents and landowners including having adverse environmental impacts, adverse social and land use impacts, adverse impacts on numerous landowners and other stakeholders, adverse impacts on homes and other structures, adverse impacts on nearby existing and planned developments and an adverse visual impact on the community; and WHEREAS, the installation of the power lines underground for the Project within the City of Elgin is technically feasible and would substantially mitigate the adverse impacts and effects of the Project on the City of Elgin, its residents and landowners as compared to the currently proposed aboveground tower design for the Project; and WHEREAS, the City of Elgin has received numerous objections from Elgin residents regarding the proposed routing and design of the ComEd Grand Prairie Gateway Project and the Project does not have community acceptance within the City of Elgin. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS: 1. That the foregoing recitals are hereby incorporated into this resolution in their entirety. 2. That the proposed routing of the Grand Prairie Gateway Project through the City of Elgin along and adjacent to the Canadian National Railroad right-of-way should not be approved and ComEd should be required to consider alternative routes for the Project away from developed residential areas and other sensitive sites such as schools. 3. That in the event a route for the Project is ultimately approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission which runs through the corporate limits of the City of Elgin, ComEd should be required to install the power lines in the corporate limits of the City of Elgin underground rather than using the proposed aboveground tower design. - 2 - BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk is hereby directed to forward this resolution to the Illinois Commerce Commission and to ComEd. s/David J. Kaptain David J. Kaptain, Mayor Presented: December 4, 2013 Adopted: December 4, 2013 Vote: Yeas: 9 Nays: 0 Attest: s/Kimberly Dewis Kimberly Dewis, City Clerk - 3 - Mayor David J.Kaptain City Council Richard Dunne ELGIN Terry L.Gavin Anna C.Moeller Tish S.Powell THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS- John Prigge Carol J.Rauschenberger Toby Shaw F.John Steffen VIA E-MAIL City Manager senator(a�karenmcconnaughay.com Sean R.Stegall December 9, 2013 Hon. Karen McConnaughay State Senator 33`d District 81 S. McLean Boulevard Suite E South Elgin, Illinois 60177 Re: ComEd Grand Prairie Gateway Project Dear Senator McConnaughay: Attached please find city council resolution number 13-198 declaring the City of Elgin's opposition to the proposed routing and design of the ComEd Grand Prairie Gateway Project. Also attached is a letter of December 2, 2013 received from ComEd advising that on December 2, 2013, it filed its petition seeking approval of the Project from the Illinois Commerce Commission. Thank you for your interest in this Project. Very truly yours, W ',w William A. Cogley Corporation Couns WAC:bf cc: Christopher M. Kichka/Chief of Staff(via e-mail w/attachments: CMKichka33(c�gmail.com) 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, IL 60120 847-931-6100 www.cityofelgin.org ®Printed on recycled paper Mayor David J.Kaptain 1 City Council Richard Dunne Terry L.Gavin ELGIN Anna C.Moeller Tish S.Powell THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS- John Prigge Carol J.Rauschenberger Toby Shaw F.John Steffen VIA E-MAIL City Manager Dou Tlas.TargettnComEd.com Sean R.Stegall December 9, 2013 Douglas Targett, Manager Real Estate, ComEd Three Lincoln Centre Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181 Re: Proposed 345kV Transmission Line and Related Facilities in Ogle, DeKalb, Kane and DuPage Counties(ComEd Grand Prairie Gateway Project) Dear Mr. Targett: Attached find a copy of city council resolution number 13-198 declaring the City of Elgin's opposition to the proposed routing and design of the ComEd Grand Prairie Gateway Project. It is the City of Elgin's position that ComEd should be required to consider alternative routes for the Project away from developed residential areas and other sensitive sites such as schools. It is also the City of Elgin's position that in the event a route for the Project is ultimately approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission which runs through the corporate limits of the City of Elgin that ComEd should be required to install the power lines in the corporate limits of the City of Elgin underground rather than using the proposed aboveground tower design. Very truly yours, W W kl//L William A. Cogley Corporation Counse WAC:bf Attachment cc: Sylvia Rogowski (via e-mail w/attachment: sylvia.rogowsk ncomed.com) Sean R. Stegall (via e-mail w/attachment) Richard G. Kozal (via e-mail w/attachment) Marc Mylott(via e-mail w/attachment) 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, IL 60120 847-931-6100 www.cityofelgin.org ®Printed on recycled paper Mayor David J.Kaptain City Council Richard Dunne ELGIN Terry L.Gavin Anna C.Moeller Tish S.Powell THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS- John Prigge Carol J.Rauschenberger Toby Shaw F.John Steffen City Manager Sean R.Stegall December 9, 2013 Office of the Chief Clerk Illinois Commerce Commission 527 E. Capitol Avenue Springfield, IL 62701 Re: Proposed 345kV Transmission Line and Related Facilities in Ogle, DeKalb, Kane and DuPage Counties (ComEd Grand Prairie Gateway Project) Dear Sir/Madam: Enclosed find a copy of city council resolution number 13-198 declaring the City of Elgin's opposition to the proposed routing and design of the ComEd Grand Prairie Gateway Project. Please include this resolution in the ICC record for the Project. Please contact me if you have any questions or require any additional information. Very truly yours, V( 1/�-k William A. Cog Corporation Counsel WAC:bf Enclosure cc: Sean R. Stegall (via e-mail w/enclosure) Richard G. Kozal (via e-mail w/enclosure) Marc Mylott(via e-mail w/enclosure) 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, IL 60120 847-931-6100 www.cityofelgin.org ®Printed on recycled paper ComEd, An Exelon Compam CERTIFIED MAIL RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED December 2, 2013 Mr. Marc Mylott City Of Elgin 150 Dexter Court Elgin, IL 60120 Re: Proposed 345 kV Transmission Line and Related Facilities in Ogle, DeKalb, Kane,and DuPage Counties. Dear Mr. Marc Mylott, Commonwealth Edison Company ("ComEd") is proposing to construct a new 345 kilovolt ("kV") electric transmission line and related facilities that is approximately 60 miles long. This proposed line and related work is referred to as the Grand Prairie Gateway Transmission Line Project ("Grand Prairie Gateway Project" or "Project"). The line will be situated in portions of Ogle, DeKalb, Kane, and DuPage counties, and will be routed from ComEd's existing substation in Byron, Illinois to ComEd's existing substation in Wayne, Illinois. As a representative of ComEd, I am writing to you because under the Illinois Public Utilities Act, your agency or organization is entitled to notice of the proposed route which may be within your jurisdiction. On December 2, 2013, ComEd filed its Petition seeking approval of the Project from the Illinois Commerce Commission pursuant to Section 8-406.1 of the Illinois Public Utilities Act. ComEd has proposed Primary and Alternate routes for the Project. Enclosed for your reference is a map depicting the Primary and Alternate routes, labeled as Attachment A. ComEd has conducted a comprehensive study to help identify the appropriate routes for the line. If you have any questions and would like to contact ComEd, please call or write me, Three Lincoln Centre, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, 60181, 630-576-7141. Yours truly, Manager Real Estate, ComEd Enclosure 2—1 IF ComEd Grand Prairie Gateway Project Legend ,adna ;.LA A A Proposed Primary Route 174) Proposed Alternate Route N- 684a Ily Existing Substation Location -------- Project Study Area T-1 I-L TOW County Boundary IF I-link nship Boundary 01 Municipal Boundary yraR Railroad —T— Existing Transmission Line 74 345kV d 1 .119 138kV C Na L Roads Interstate US Highway Ilk State Highway k.- P40 so AA v I in=8 miles 2-N r 0 1.75 3.5 7 10.5 Ilk F - W..-- 30 ons ivws in li- ltm It IT— A uE t W. ttE W.Il I m I 1111hols LJ .—kip. -4 _.Indiana SOUR. D—by A)PHELPS Nen tIw F I'll —-—-—-—-—- T". -D,.W 11r2WO13 i CERTIFIED MAIL. gpl ContEd Commonwealth Edison Company ✓i''c Attn:Grand Prairie Gateway Project y'. Three Lincoln Oakbrook Terrace,Illinois 60181-4260 ?� s o 7012 3050 0001 3808 0493 y "doo^ Marc Mylott City Of Elgin ` 150 Dexter Court Elgin, IL 60120 r".:0 1:2 CIS 5!'7S,S S I)IJ11111,IIi1,II is I111 1111111 11111 oil I)11iIn1111111111111111'1