13-198 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
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Attn:Grand Prairie Gateway Project y'.
Three Lincoln Oakbrook Terrace,Illinois 60181-4260 ?�
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Marc Mylott
City Of Elgin `
150 Dexter Court
Elgin, IL 60120
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