Stop the Quarry in Cary

Meyer is given 6 extra months to study for the test...

2012-01-03T22:08:00.000-06:00

So, this is not much of a surprise: Meyer was granted a 6 month extension in order to make their case before the Village Board. That's right: 6 extra months. And you know when that meeting will most likely be?

July 3.

Yes, there is a board meeting on July 3 and Meyer now has to that meeting to plan for their presentation to the Village. And what better time to ask the board to give them the ability to forgo paying fees to the village and mine an additional four years than the day before a national holiday when many residents will not even be in town?

Here's how the meeting went down:

First of all, the Village Administrator apologized for the "oversight" in not posting the agenda online. Of course, I explained in the public comment section that this was not just an "oversight," but a pattern. After all, the minutes from the December 6th meeting are still not available. The Mayor later blamed this on the "archaic" website and not the people running it. (For this website, I simply use "Google Docs" and can have things online---in any format---in a matter of seconds. And its free. Apparently, the Village of Cary hasn't heard of a thing called "google.")

Then, the mayor brought up for a vote the proposal to grant Meyer an additional 6 months extension. Even though the Zoning Board made their recommendation, not all of the trustees were at that meeting and apparently hadn't read the report. And it was clear that many did not know that they had 60 days to act on Meyer's proposal.

Sixty days would be January 10. And, the mayor explained, with the "holidays and everything" there just wasn't enough time to plan that meeting. Especially since they would have to get information out to the residents and post the meeting in the newpaper.

It was like the holidays snuck up on them.

And then Mike Coppedge, this so-called lawyer our tax dollars pay for, decided to amp things up a bit by scaring the trustees to vote in a particular way. He said that Meyer as the "petitioner" has a right to a fair hearing in front of the board. He said that if they failed to grant Meyer the extension, then they would have to vote on Meyer's plan that night. And that would not have been "fair" to "Meyer or the residents," he said.

So the vote was taken. Chisholm voted yes. So did Kaplan and Kraus.

Lukasik, Bragg and Dudek voted no.

Mayor Tom Kierna, Meyer Super Fan

It was a tie.

And here is the best part: Coppedge then made a dramatic gesture to the Mayor, waving his arms in the air to attract the attention of the person taking roll, apparently intent on making sure that everyone knew the mayor had the tie-breaking vote.

Calmly and with a slight smile, Kierna voted "yes." Done and done. On to the next order of business.

Once again the residents got screwed.

Happy New Year, everyone. See you on July 3rd for the next round.

Village Board Meeting Tonight (January 3, 2012)

2012-01-03T06:15:00.001-06:00

So the Village of Cary finally made the agenda for tonight's meeting available. Only 24 hours too late. Cary's reluctance in making agendas and minutes available is in violation of the Open Meetings Act (they still don't have the minutes available for the December 6 meeting. According to the law, they need to have those available within 7 days of their approval).

Last month, the zoning board voted "no" on Meyer's request to extend mining in the Village until 2022. This was only a recommendation and Meyer will be going before the village board to make their case sometime in the future. However, they have asked for more time to do that. No doubt to gather more information and make a better case for their new plan.

Meyer Material is asking for a 6 month continuance. At tonight's board meeting, trustees will vote on whether or not to grant Meyer that time.

Here's the thing: the vote is contained in the Mayor's report along with four other items. As the mayor hopes to give Meyer this continuance, it is included in his report so that the trustees will vote on all of the measures at once.

Hopefully, the trustees will see this ploy and recommend a separate vote and discussion on the Meyer issue.

Hopefully, they will vote no on the continuance.

How about some asphalt recycling?

2011-12-03T18:47:00.000-06:00

Don’t get me wrong: I thoroughly believe that recycling is a good thing. However, I have problems with certain types of recycling being so close to residential neighborhoods.

Earlier in the year, the Village of Cary de-annexed some land on Route 31 to Lake in the Hills. Now, Bluff City Materials is petitioning the Village of Lake in the Hills to install an asphalt recycling plant on the property. Bluff City is petitioning Lake in the Hills for the following:

Rezoning of the land from “agricultural” (AI) use to “manufacturing” (M1) use
Reduction in the “perimeter landscaping requirements, screening requirements, parking lot landscaping, and tree preservation requirements"
variance to include parking lot and vehicle storage
Variance to hold materials without being covered

The problem with asphalt recycling is the fact that it can have a negative impact on the surrounding environment. Smell is always an issue with asphalt recycling, that is for sure. Since asphalt shingles are made from petroleum, the recycling of such materials can also release dangerous substances into the air. According to the Ohio EPA, the seven most dangerous substances associated with asphalt recycling are hydrogen sulfide, benzene, chromium, formaldehyde, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, cadmium and arsenic. These can be released into the air or leached into the groundwater. The biggest concern is asbestos. Even a study done by the asphalt recycling industry in 2007 acknowledged that that there are

“potential harmful environmental emissions of asbestos minerals that could possibly be contained in the shingles during asphalt shingle processing. Historically, asbestos minerals have been used in a number of roofing products, and thus may be present to some degree in roofing debris. A secondary concern is the release of PAH compounds, a group of organic chemicals that naturally occur in petroleum, many of which are known to have detrimental human health impacts at elevated levels of exposure. (Environmental Issues Associated With Asphalt Shingle Recycling, Construction Materials Recycling Association, p. 11)

Asbestos is a major potential problem with asphalt recycling. The problem is that much of the shingles brought in for recycling may have asbestos, especially if they come from older sites. And there is no way to tell beforehand.

Bluff City Materials is located in Bartlett and has locations throughout the area. Their main business is gravel, but they have branched out into other ventures. Earlier this year they were cited by the Illinois EPA for the illegal storage of salt in one of their facilities that was leaching into local water sources. Currently, McHenry County is conducting an investigation for illegal construction on the site and for the dumping of materials. Recently, the owners put up a chain-link fence around the property.

Residents of Fox Trails are already being adversely affected by the Meyer gravel pit. This could further impact the subdivision. However, this proposed asphalt recycling plant will also affect other residents of Cary, most notably those closer to the site. That would include the Cambria and Greenfields subdivisions. Depending on the wind, even more of Cary can be affected. Crystal Lake, too.

Particulates and odor are not the only concerns. In a study done by the Blue RidgeDefense Fund in 2002, it was reported that property values of homes near asphalt plants suffered losses up to 57%.

Why didn’t you hear about this? Lake in the Hills only requires that residents within 250 feet of the site be notified. That means no one in the subdivisions of southern western Cary ever received the notice (View it here).

Here is the proposed site:

(More pictures can be viewed here, including the tiny "Public Notice" sign at the site)

What can you do?

On Monday, December 12, Bluff City will make their case to the Zoning Board of Lake in the Hills. The meeting is at 7:30 p.m. in the Lake in the Hills Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate, Lake in the Hills.

Although Cary residents are not taxpayers in Lake in the Hills, we do shop there. And we deserve to be heard.

Please consider attending this important meeting.

You can send your concerns to Tom Stock, the Zoning Commission Chairman via the Lake in the Hills “Speak Out” form:

http://www.lith.org/Contact.php#Lake_in_the_Hills_Speak_Out

More to come.

----------------------------------------

Links cited:

Asphalt Plants Contaminants of Concern. Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League.

Pineola Property Study Shows Adverse Impacts from Asphalt Plants. Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League. 2002.
Environmental Issues Associated With Asphalt Shingle Recycling. Construction Materials Recycling Association. 2007.
Property owner moves forward with asphalt-shingle recycling. Northwest Herald, June 1, 2011.
Illinois EPA refers Bluff City Materials to Attorney General for enforcement;
Agency alleges illegal discharge from salt storage pile into nature preserve. Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, February, 2011.

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Meyer's Operations Hurting Local Business

2011-11-21T07:54:00.000-06:00

Darren Rivchin owns Trinity Auto Center on Route 31 just across from Meyer's current operations. Having cars clean and presentable are a major part of his business. However, with Meyer digging just across the street, this is an impossibility. He can no longer display convertibles and is forced to wash the cars now several times a week just remove the dust. Before Meyer won approval to extend the pit, dust and dirt were not a problem. Now it is. Big time.

It costs him an extra $3000 a year to keep his cars presentable. The cars need to be washed every few days whereas they could go weeks between washings before Meyer extended the pit.

During the extension debate back in 2007-08, Meyer publicly claimed that they would do good to their neighbors, that they would be "ethical." They even offered to compensate Darren and other small businesses for any negative impact the pit would have on their businesses.

So far, that hasn't happened. After numerous letters and even three meetings with Meyer officials, Meyer has refused to live up to what they promised. They even claim that the dust is not from them, even though Darren and others have seen the billows of dust blowing across Route 31.

Darren recently spoke at the Zoning Board meeting and had this letter published in the Northwest Herald:

Re: Meyer Material’s request for a mining extension:

As all are aware, the Cary Zoning, Planning and Appeals Board rose to the occasion for its residents. It rightfully voted against Meyer’s requested extension. I attended the meeting, as I own The Trinity Auto Center facility across the street from the mining site.

Back in 2008, there were several meetings about concerns about the damage caused by Meyer’s mining in this area. People at the meeting last night complained of mud being created from large amounts of dust from the site, forming mud in their pools and clogged furnace filters.

My facility is much closer than these homes are to the site, and the repercussions of Meyer mining here has cost me many thousands of dollars. I expressed my concerns two years ago to Tom Kierna and the village, and wrote several letters. They had promised that the village and Meyer would be good neighbors, and small businesses and neighbors would be compensated for damage.

The old regime failed to do so. Meyer has been to my site several times only to prolong and dance around the subject. With the new Cary trustees in place and new team members who seem sincere and dedicated, perhaps we can duplicate the efforts made at the meeting.

Let’s get Meyer to step up and pay for their long overdue responsibilities. Meyer is two years behind on what they owe for compensation to my facility. Please correct this situation in a timely manner.

Darren Rivchin
Lake in the Hills

The point here is that Meyer's operations are not just impacting home owners. This is not something we should forget. Meyer claims to be "a good neighbor," yet fails to live up to obligations promised when they wined and dined the village into getting them the right to mine within Village boundaries.

Now, they want to mine longer and avoid paying the fine. They certainly don't want to pay the $6000 they owe Trinity Auto Center for the extra detail work on their cars. And their refusal to do so should be an indication as to how sincere they are in regard to their "ethical" responsibilities.

They need to live up to their promises to businesses like Trinity Auto Center. We need to remain vigilant. Even though they received a unanimous "no" from the Zoning Board, that vote was merely a "recommendation." The Village Trustees will soon be holding public hearings on this and you can bet Meyer will double down on their efforts to extend their time without paying the fine.
And homeowners in Fox Trails, remember this: they haven't even started mining yet near the subdivision. They are currently extracting from cells close to Route 31. Consider Darren's words a warning as to what will come when they move closer to Fox Trails.

Stay tuned. This is not over.

Not over yet......

2011-11-11T20:57:00.000-06:00

Last night's unanimous "NO" vote for the Meyer time extension is good news to be sure. Dozens of concerned Cary citizens spoke out against the extension. In fact, other than the completely irrational and inappropriate outburst by Joe Tournier, it was a calm meeting. People were determined and spoke forcefully. They knew that they had the moral upperhand: Meyer had signed a contract. End of story.

But it is not the end of the story. This vote was just a recommendation, that is all.

Meyer can (and most likely will) bring the petition to the Village Board in the coming weeks. The Trustees of Cary will have to make a decision.

Last time, Mayor Lamal worked out a deal with Meyer that resulted in the pit. I have a feeling the same thing will happen. Mayor Tom Kierna sees Meyer as a "good neighbor." After all, Meyer was awarded the 2009 Community Relations Award. And the mayor was there to pose with them.

Tom Kierna (Left) poses with representatives from Meyer Material after being awarded the 2009 Community Relations Award.

Stay tuned. This is not yet over.

This is what Meyer does.

LIVE BLOG--The ZONING BOARD MEETING

2011-11-10T18:11:00.001-06:00

Meyer Material Zoning Meeting

Typical Village of Cary.....

2011-11-10T15:43:00.000-06:00

Big Zoning Board meeting tonight to discuss the request by Meyer Material Company to extend the time they want to rip gravel from the ground next to the Fox Trails subdivision. The meeting is being held at the Holiday Inn, Crystal Lake at 7 pm.

Or, at least I think so.

The problem: there is no information at all on the Village website in regard to this meeting.

Not only that, there is no information regarding the Zoning Committee. No agendas. No list of those who are even on the committee.

Nothing.

This has been a problem with the Village Board in the past. And not much has changed. In fact, it appears to have gotten worse. At least back in 2008, there was a page on the site dedicated to the Zoning Board committee.

Not anymore.

So I called the Village and was transferred to Jacob Rife. He was very nice and gave me the members of the committee. It's basically the same people who were there in 2007-08. Joe Tournier is still the chairperson. And the committee still includes Jim Graziano, Frank O’Laughlin, Patrick Jasper and Patrick Khoury. There are two new members, Holly Kelps and Alyssa Pelican.

Due to his association with Meyer, Frank O'Laughlin has recused himself.

The Village has to do a better job with its website and access to information. I thought that was what much of the last election was about?

See you tonight. Don't forget, we'll be live-blogging the event here.

Meyer Material Zoning Meeting

2011-11-07T14:46:00.002-06:00

On Thursday, November 10, the Village of Cary Zoning Committee will hear the new petition from Meyer Material asking for an extension of their mining privileges within the borders of the Village. The meeting will begin at 7 pm in one of the large rooms at the Holiday Inn, Crystal Lake. Hopefully, you can make the meeting. The more people the harder it will be for Meyer to get the board to roll over this time.

Hope you can make it.

If you can't make the meeting, but would like to know what's going on, I'll be "live-blogging" the meeting. I'll be posting comments in real-time, which you can view below.

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Here comes the Meyer Material sob story.....Get your Kleenex.

2011-11-02T18:12:00.001-06:00

In June, Meyer Material went to the Village Board and presented the company’s annual status report regarding their operations in the Village of Cary. Spokesperson Randi Wille set up the entire argument that Meyer will be making to the zoning board on November 10: he said that this past year has been a “challenge” for Meyer Material because of the “weak economy.”

There it is: Meyer Material is experiencing some problems in this economy, therefore they need more time to extract the gravel from the land adjacent to Fox Trails.

Here is what he is not going to tell you:

1. Meyer Material is owned by Aggregate Industries, which is owned by Holcim, LTD. This is the second largest producer of concrete in the world. They employ over 80,000 people worldwide and operate in more than 2,500 locations in 70 countries.

2. This is a foreign corporation, headquartered in Switzerland.

Holcim LTD is not hurting, despite what will be stated at the meeting. Let’s look at their profit over the last couple of years:

Net Income for Holcim, LTD (taken from the 2010 annual report):

2009 1.958 billion CHF ($2.27 billion US)

2010 1.621 billion CHF ($1.88 billion US)

Yes, they lost money from 2009 to 2010. But, so far in 2011, Holcim has seen a 29.7% increase in profit for the first half of the year and they are set to surpass their 2009 performance. (Source)

How many of us can say that?

The CEO of Holcim is Markus Akermann. In 2010 he made 8,713,996 CHF (source). That is equal to over $10 million US.

And they want to continue mining in Cary for another 6 years?

That’s another six years of low property values.

That’s another six years of dust and noise.

That’s another six years before they come to the village again with another request to extend mining operations.

You can see that coming, right? When will it stop?

Meyer Material wants to change the agreement they made with Cary in 2008. Yet how many of us can change the terms of our mortgages so that we don’t have to pay a penalty? How many of us would like more time to pay off loans? Try calling your credit card company and asking to be free from the penalty that you will be receiving because of a late payment. How sympathetic would they be?

Here is what needs to happen:

Meyer needs to finish mining by June 1, 2016. If they can’t do it, then they need to pay the $100,000 penalty per month beyond that date.

End of story. They signed an agreement.

If they don’t want to do that, here’s a novel idea: hire more workers and get it done in time. Then, if they can’t sell the material at the moment, store it for a later date. After all, gravel doesn’t go bad.

See how easy that was. And I don't make $10 million a year.

Just in Time for Halloween: The Return of Meyer Material!

2011-10-27T07:06:00.001-06:00

We all knew this was going to happen--it was only a matter of time. Over the last couple of days, Cary residents near the Meyer Material gravel pit have been receiving letters via certified mail. The content: Meyer Material wishes to extend their mining operation in the village of Cary until the year 2022.

Yes. You read right: 2022.

Back in 2008, the Village of Cary voted unanimously to grant Meyer Material Company a "conditional use permit" to extend their current operations by making their gravel pit even bigger. There was much opposition, as many of you remember. However, greed won out and our mayor, Tom Kierna, commented on how he was "looking forward to a prosperous relationship with Meyer." Here is what I wrote three years ago in regard to this issue:

I wonder what this "long-term" relationship includes? Perhaps further extension of the pit into Hoffman Park? All that has to happen is the Cary Park District sells that land to Meyer and we are going through this all again. Only this time there will be less opposition, because people will know that the concerns and well-being of the community are secondary to the whims and wishes of a faceless corporation.

Meyer Material is owned by Aggregate Industries, one of the largest mining companies in the world headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.

And now they want to continue mining until 2020 with the "recreation area" being completed by 2022.

Here's the thing: back in 2008, they signed a deal with the village that would allow mining on the property for only until June 1, 2016. Then, if they fail to meet that deadline, they will be charged a fee of $100,000 a month for every month they extend beyond that deadline.

Meyer Material should be forced to live up to the original agreement. Currently, Fox Trails residents near the pit cannot open their windows during the summer months due to the amount of dust. Now Meyer wants to continue this for another 4 years? What happens in 2020? Will Meyer come to the board again with another extension request?

There has been talk that Meyer wants to install a concrete mixing facility on the property as well.

What will Cary do? We know what they should do: say "no" and collect the fees. That was the original agreement. Stick to it.

But will they? We know how the mayor feels. Here's a nice cozy picture of him with the Meyer people and their 2009 "Community Relations" Award. What a joke.

There will be a public hearing on this November 10, 2011. As usual, the meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake.

Hope you can make it. In the meantime, let the village board know that Meyer needs to stick to their original deal.

Tom Kierna villagehall@caryillinois.com
Duane (Rick) Dudek rdudek@caryillinois.com
Robert Bragg rbragg@caryillinois.com
Raymond Chisholm rchisholm@caryillinois.com
Bruce Kaplan bkaplan@caryillinois.com
Jeffrey Kraus jkraus@caryillinois.com
Karen Lukasik klukasik@caryillinois.com

More to come.

O'LAUGHLIN: "I GREW UP IN GRAVEL PITS"

2009-04-02T20:42:00.002-06:00

Franklin O'Laughlin is running for a position on the Village Board of Cary. He seems like a likeable enough guy. He is roughly my age and has two kids who are roughly the age of my kids. He wants to work to keep businesses in Cary and help certain strip malls and businesses get much needed "face-lifts." He wants to "fix roads" and "get the economy moving for Cary" again.

However, he is also employed by Meyer Material Company and has worked there all his life.

At the candidate forum on Thursday evening hosted by the Cary-Grove Chamber of Commerce, I had the opportunity to ask Mr. O'Laughlin a question:

"I am a little concerned about your employer," I said. "Now that Meyer has a deep relationship with the Village of Cary, as a trustee, how would you deal with issues that may come up between Meyer Material and the Village and do you see a possible conflict of interest here?"

"Absolutely not," he exclaimed. Then he went one to point out a few details:

He mentioned that he is a "third generation miner."
He pointed out that "gravel pits built McHenry County."
And he expressed a love for gravel pits in general: "I grew up in gravel pits," he exclaimed proudly. "I would live near one."

He then went on to explain that he has been on the Zoning and Planning board for the last several years and when the Meyer petition came up, he simply recused himself. And he would do it again as a trustee, he claimed. But he assured the crowd that the Meyer deal was a done deal and that all of the "Ts" have been crossed, implying that we need not worry about Meyer Material anymore.

But, I am a little worried.

What if Meyer wants to get the agreement amended in the near future? What if Meyer wants other lands within the Village? What if it is discovered that Meyer has broken some of conditions and issues are raised at Village Board meetings?

Even if O'Laughlin recuses himself, what will he say in executive sessions? Will he advocate on behalf of Meyer to the other trustees "off the record?" Will he be expected by Meyer to be the eyes and ears for the company when it comes to business with the board? As an elected official, will his first inclination be with the Village and the people who elected him, or with the company that pays his salary?

These are important questions.

And, although Mr. O'Laughlin seems like a nice guy and I have nothing against him personally, his association with Meyer material is a liability for the Village of Cary. Perhaps this is an overreaction, but, in the end, is it worth the risk?

Please remember this when you vote on April 7.

TIME TO COMPLAIN

2008-10-03T10:31:00.003-06:00

It has been quite loud as of late in the Fox Trails subdivision. they are currently working on the berm and the noise is exceedingly loud. We are to expect noise, that is for sure. However, the noise that now pounds the subdivision every day is beyond acceptable.

Click here to sample what it sounds like.

The machinery that Meyer is using is too loud. It squeaks. It clangs. And the overall hum of the engines is enough to drown out all the other ambiance of a once-quiet neighborhood.

Perhaps Meyer should get new machinery.

Or, even better: maybe Meyer should hire more workers and build the berm in the old fashion way---by hand.

The state has standards for noise pollution and those standards are enforced by local law enforcement. If you feel that the noise is too loud, call the following people to make a complaint:

Bob Nowack: (847) 639-1100

Cary Police Department (non-emergency): (847) 639-2341

The Chief of police is Ed Fetzer. he can be emailed at efetzer@caryillinois.com

Cary Loses to Greed and Money

2008-02-20T06:56:00.011-06:00

I am a high school history and civics teacher. In this world, it is very difficult to get young people excited about government. Even at such a young age, high school students are cynical about their voice and their influence in the very affairs that can affect their lives. "My vote doesn't count," they say. "No one listens."

And the Village of Cary last night proved them right in a vote that was for greed and against the well-being of many Cary residents---residents who have, over the last several months, expressed concern and outrage over the proposed extension of a gravel pit within the borders of the village.

Despite the petitions, despite the letters, emails and phone calls, the village of Cary decided to side with Meyer in a unanimous vote in favor of the corporation's plans. So much for Cameron Davis' proclamation that Cary is a "great quality of life community."

Tom Kierna admitted that some residents will feel "pain" during the mining of the pit. That's comforting to know that at least he acknowledges our pain. But then he also revealed the true nature of his vote: "It’s going to generate $2.5 million for the village of Cary, and that’s not small potatoes." He then went on to express admiration for the deal, "looking forward to a prosperous relationship with Meyer."

A prosperous relationship with Meyer? Wow. That's a big "screw-you" to the residents of Cary who put him into office. Apparently, his "relationship" to a corporation with headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, now outweighs his relationship to the very people in his own community.

I wonder what this "long-term" relationship includes? Perhaps further extension of the pit into Hoffman Park? All that has to happen is the Cary Park District sells that land to Meyer and we are going through this all again. Only this time there will be less opposition, because people will know that the concerns and well-being of the community are secondary to the whims and wishes of a faceless corporation.

I know what some people are going to say: "you don't understand the intricacies of the situation." "The village could be sued." "There were people in Cary who supported the pit." "You are a nimby." Yada Yada Yada.

The fact is, this vote came down to an issue of morality, plain and simple.

Eighteenth century moralist Emmanuel Kant tackled the issue of morality and law during the Enlightenment. He believed that morality was something one was born with; it was not something learned. With his "Categorical Imperative," Kant outlined a way in which one can "test" the morality of an action or a law: if you can will that action as a "universal law" to be followed the world over, then that law is "moral."

In other words, if you can imagine a world in which it is followed that, in exchange for large sums of money, gravel pits are dug near residential homes over the protests of the residents, then you believe that that Village of Cary's actions last night were moral. If you can envision this as the rule rather than the exception, then the vote taken by the Village of Cary was the right thing to do.

Greed over people. That is what this vote comes down to. It doesn't matter that there may be a lake or a park there sometime in the future. The fact is, those residents who live nearest the pit overwhelmingly were against it. They are the ones who should have figured most into the decision. Apparently, they were not.

I am not too surprised by the fact that Meyer will be extending their pit. I am surprised, however, by the unanimous nature of the vote. Even Deb McNamee, a Fox Trails resident, voted for it. However, after a long period of time in executive session, she admitted that her vote was based upon the "advice" of Cary's attorney, Mike Coppedge.

It's a shame that my tax money is helping to pay for his salary and who knows how much he has billed the village for his "advice." I guess we are stuck with his mediocrity.

But at least we can vote the others out of office.

On the Brink

2008-02-17T14:37:00.002-06:00

When the village of Cary annexed some land on February 5 that once belonged in Lake in the Hills, Village Administrator Cameron Davis announced that the acquisition of this land will add "to the village's reputation as a great quality-of-life community."

However, many of us in Fox Trails are doubtful of Davis' assertion as we stand on the brink of having a gravel pit back up to our own back-yards, drastically reducing our quality of life.

Don't get me wrong, the addition of the 180 acres of Hoffman Park into the village is good news. However, that still leaves about 100 acres belonging in Lake in the Hills. Although the Cary Park District owns it, who can say that they won't sell that land to Meyer in the future and the proposed pit will get even bigger.

It can happen. Unless we stop it now.

We are standing on the brink of the final decision. Possibly the last meeting regarding Meyer Material's petition will be held on Tuesday, February 19 at 7 pm. This time, the meeting is being held at D'Andrea Banquets in Crystal Lake. D'Andrea is located on Route 14 and Route 31.

This has been a very long road. It's been monotonous. It's been difficult. It seems that many of us have grudgingly accepted the fact that we could have an eyesore next to our houses.

Some of us have apparently accepted the possibility that in this housing market our home values will fall even further and we will be forced to live next to a dusty, hazardous pit.

Some of us may have accepted the possibility that we will lose.

If we give in to defeat now, then we have given up on our homes, our neighbors and our community.

If we give into defeat now, we have let corporate greed highjack the democratic process.

If we give into defeat now, we will have allowed Cameron Davis to tout the Village's quality of life reputation for the papers while disregarding the truth.

We cannot let that happen. We can still win.

Please come to the meeting on Tuesday. Call the Village Hall at (847)639-0003 and tell them that we hope the village lives up to Cameron Davis' statement about Cary's quality of life reputation and insist that if the village believes that, they will vote no to Meyer's petition.

The only thing that stands between a "yes" or "no" vote is us.

And together, we can tip the scales in our favor.

Protect Our Standards

2008-02-16T14:02:00.000-06:00

The following is a recent letter that appeared in the Northwest Herald:

Dear Editor:

The Tuesday, Feb. 5, edition of the Northwest Herald shared a quote with readers from Cameron Davis, Cary’s village administrator, about the Hoffman Park proposed annexation agreement with the Cary Park District. He was quoted as saying that gaining the property “certainly adds to the village’s reputation as a great quality-of-life community.”

What about Fox Trails residents’ long standing pleas to the village to deny Meyer Material’s request for a conditional use mining permit? Please, Village of Cary Board of Trustees, reassure us that our quality of life is as equally important. Vote no and allow us to get on with our lives.

Residents, please attend the next board meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at D’Andrea Banquets at Routes 14 and 31 in Crystal Lake.

Our standards of living should not be compromised.

Cheryl Janu

A Holiday Wish

2007-12-16T19:56:00.001-06:00

Our homes are our most cherished investments.

When we began looking for a community in which to buy our first house and start a family, Cary figured predominately into our decision making. My wife grew up in Barrington and knew the area well. We toured the village, looked into the schools and immediately fell in love with Cary's charm and small town appeal.

We moved here in 2002. Since then, we have started a family and are busily raising two small boys.

And now the idyllic town that we fell in love with may no longer hold the same appeal that brought us here.

We may become neighbors to a large, noisy, dusty gravel pit. An eyesore, much like the one that exists to the south.

Our homes are our most cherished investments. In these troubling economic times our house value has plummeted as homes all over Cary sit vacant or at reduced prices.

A pit will only exacerbate the situation.

Anyone living near the pit will not be able to sell their homes. They can only sit and helplessly watch the value of their investment fall.

In the meantime, Meyer Material will add millions of dollars to their bottom line. Cary will get a kickback.

And the homeowners will suffer.

The suffering will continue when Meyer Material looks to expand further North into Hoffman Park. Greenfields and Cimarron will be next.

And what is the root of this? Plain and simple: greed.

Money talks. And Meyer has plenty of it and can get the best lawyers, bribe village officials with annual payments, produce flashy presentations that magically turn their eyesore into a beautiful park that will "benefit" Cary for years to come.

In the meantime, the citizens of Cary are held hostage. If this truly was a representative government where the will of the people was rooted in all decisions, it would not be the middle of December with this issue still on the table.

The issue would have been decided months ago with a resounding "no!"

As we get ready to celebrate this holiday season, the Village of Cary stands ready to approve a plan that will irrevokably change the entire nature of this village and threaten our most cherished investment.

This isn't Bedford Falls. There isn't a George Bailey to stand up to the sinister Mr. Potter here. This is not the the realm of Mr. Cratchit or Jacob Marley's ghost.

This is Cary, Illinois.

And all we hope in this holiday season is for the happy ending that we have seen over and over again in reruns of Chistmases past.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE VILLAGE OF CARY

2007-11-18T13:29:00.000-06:00

I am an American history teacher and have spent the last 17 years of my career trying to get kids to understand not only the values upon which this country was built but also understand the basic ideas behind what the founders called "a republic of virtue."

I am afraid that in the modern era, the founders would have difficulty recognizing this country as the values upon which they created the structure for this federal system have slowly eroded away over the last several decades.

And the current issue with Meyer Material Company regarding the building of a gravel pit echoes this erosion.

Although the founders established safeguards to prevent mob rule, the structure they created was to reflect, at all levels, the will of the people. This would be especially true at the local level. The local level was the level that Jefferson thought was most important because it was there where people would have the greatest voice in determining their political lives.

However, this does not seem to hold true anymore as those entities with more resources---money, legal representation, etc---have taken that voice away from where it truly belongs.

And that is a problem.

Meyer has far more resources than anyone in the village. They have money. They have a cadre of lawyers that we can never hope to match.

But they also lack the virtue upon which this country was built. They are not out to create something for the "general good," which is the cornerstone of republican virtue, but for their own profit.

In this never ending quest for profit, the will of the people is disregarded and bulldozed: the ultimate violation of the republic of virtue. Profit becomes the virtue over everything else. And profit then trumps quality of life, property values and basic self determination for the citizens. The decision making is taken from the voice of the people and replaced by the voice of profit. Corporations have hijacked the democratic voice of the people. And they do it through money, bribery and threats.

Meyer bought the land over ten years ago knowing the zoning laws in regard to that land. And those zoning laws and the Chally Farm Agreement reflected the will of the people--the idea that the Chally Farm land should never be used for mining purposes. Indeed, it is that very agreement which prohibited mining on the land that persuaded many of us in Fox Trails to purchase property near the land in question in the first place. Maybe that is because many of us believed that the law was supreme, that the village was in the business of not only protecting the residents but also adhering to the basic principle that the government represents us, the people.

And now Meyer wants the village to go against the will of the people and they will use whatever it takes to do so---because for them, the profit is more important than ethics. Profit is more important than virtue.

And profit is more important than the people.

All that we ask is for you to recognize this for what it is: an attempt by Meyer to increase profits at the expense of the people of Cary.

You will need to make a decision: Do you represent the people of Cary or do you represent the interests of a multi-billion dollar international corporation--a corporation that has no ties to this village other than the fact that they own some land they wish to strip of its resources?

You know where we stand.

And we hope you will stand with us.

The End is Near

2007-10-24T08:36:00.000-06:00

We are nearing the end of this journey, ladies and gentlemen. And Meyer has become desperate. As we know, they will say and do almost anything in order to get the pit approved by the Village of Cary Board. After all, they need 5 out of 7 votes to get the original Chally Farm agreement amended. If they don’t get those votes, they cannot mine on that land.

So, they use fear and rumor. They have employees tell us that this is a “done deal” and that the “equipment has already been bought.” They spread rumors about de-annexation to Lake in the Hills or Algonquin. Don’t be fooled. This is a scare tactic designed to get support for their proposal and to make us think that we cannot get a better deal.

But we can get a better deal. And the better deal would be NO PIT.

To Meyer, this is a matter of profit: the materials under the ground could get them upwards of $100 million. So they try to sell a plan to the people of Cary and to the Cary Village Board so that they can make that profit. They try to portray themselves as benefactors who will bequeath to Cary land that will be more valuable once they are done mining. They show us beautiful designs of a park and a lake. They discuss landscaping and park access. This, they say, will be Meyer’s “gift” to Cary.

This is a façade. One need only to look at the current pit on Klasen Road. The new pit will merely be an extension of the old. That pit is not beautiful. There are steep, dangerous cliffs. The land surrounding the pit, including the berms that were established to shield the pit from Fox Trails residents are overgrown with weeds and not maintained.

And, there is no "lake." Look carefully at that pit. Next time you drive down Klasen, slow down and look at Cary's future. The water that sits at the bottom is not a lake that can be used. If there is no usable lake in the current pit, one can surmise that there will not be much of a lake when this pit is expanded. It is that simple.

So Meyer is getting desperate. They made an offer to “protect” home values in Fox Trails. However, like so much of what Meyer has promised, this proposal is empty and does not at all protect property values. What it does is makes Meyer a controlling party in the home selling process; a dangerous idea to say the least.

As for the rumors in regard to de-annexation? Although this is something that theoretically can happen, a lawyer has told us that the probability of it succeeding is almost zero. Why? If that land is de-annexed, that would leave parts of Cary no longer connected to Cary. And that makes the probability of success for Meyer very slim.

So Meyer is desperate. They are throwing proposals around to try and hook potential votes on the board and to sway public opinion in their direction. The Mayor submits his own plan that allows Meyer to mine but forces some minor concessions on Meyer. Again we are made to think that this may be the best we can get. The Mayor’s plan may be nothing more than a behind-the-scenes deal with Meyer from the beginning. It is smoke and mirrors. The Mayor is Meyer's biggest salesman.

The fact remains that Meyer needs 5 votes to get the Chally Farm agreement changed.

That means that only 3 votes can defeat Meyer.

Only three votes stand between the people of Cary and an ugly, harmful pit.

It is hoped that three people on the Village board have the courage to stand up to Meyer and simply say “no.”

For that is the right thing to do.

The Evidence Against the Pit

2007-09-03T19:22:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow the fate of Cary will be decided. The board is expected to vote on the Meyer petition. The meeting will be held at 7 pm at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake again.

Here is some of the accumulated evidence against the pit (all of which is public record):

At the last meeting, definitive evidence was present to the board regarding property taxes. An employee of Meyer petitioned McHenry County to have his property taxes lowered because his proximity to a gravel pit lowered the value of his house. The board agreed. His taxes were lowered.

Not only are we going to contend with lower property values. The new pit is a "potential" for contamination of Cary's drinking water. This affects not just Fox Trails, but all of Cary.

The Village engineer stated in testimony on July 12 that a gravel pit located in the recharge area of the well can be an avenue for contamination of our water.

Richard Cobb, Deputy Director of Ground Water for the Illinois EPA concurs. In a letter dated August 24, 2007, he writes:

"Sand and gravel operations represent a potential threat of groundwater contamination. In 1987, Governor Thompson signed legislation for protection of Illinois groundwater from contamination. The Illinois Groundwater Protection Act (IGPA) defined any excavation for the discovery sand or gravel as a Potential Route of Groundwater Contamination (415 ILCS 5/3.350). In addition, the IGPA required the Illinois EPA to develop and the Illinois Pollution Control Board (Board) to adopt comprehensive groundwater quality standards (35 Ill. Adm. Code 620) including non-degradation requirements. These regulations include contaminants such as total dissolved solids (TDS) and chlorides which can be increased when excavating sand or gravel." (Proposed Gravel Pit. Letter. Richard Cobb. August 24, 2007)

The IEPA recommends that the Village of Cary extend the setback zone around well #10 in order to lessen the possibility of contamination.

But it is the evidence from Valley View Elementary School in McHenry that provides us with a glimpse of what is in store for homeowners in Cary. There are three gravel pits near the school. The school district did some independent evaluations of the situation to determine if the gravel pits owned and operated by Meyer Material Company had a negative effect on the school. Here is what they discovered:

"These results indicate that the quarry operations produce considerable particulate levels that can be carried on the prevailing winds onto school property. Additionally, the EPA prohibits the emission of visible particulate matter across property lines. Therefore, the quarry operations appear to be outside compliance parameters for particulate matter based on the results of this study." (Air Sampling Survey Report. McHenry Community Consolidated School District 15, McHenry Illinois. Valley View School. September 3 through 8, 1997. CIH Professional Services. Yorkville, Illinois)

Furthermore, Jack Barnette, EPA Chief for Radiation and Indoor Air, visited the school in the Spring of 1999. This is what he told the city:

"One obvious problem was the amount of dust and sand that had accumulated near the doors and windows of the school. the principle source of dust was the gravel pit that was adjacent to the school property. This gravel pit surrounded the building on three sides. The maintenance staff told me that they cleaned up the dust and sand everyday. They also indicated that dust from the pit impacted the school or the playground on a regular basis. Though the indoor conditions of the school suggested a well maintained facility, the outdoor source, that is, the gravel pit, was definitely having a negative impact on the building and grounds of this institution." (Valley View School, McHenry County. Letter. Jack Barnette. September 17, 2002)

Furthermore, it was revealed that Meyer was not "a good neighbor" on several occasions:

October 15, 2003. In a meeting before the IEPA about Meyer Material Company, the IPEA admitted that they don't inspect gravel pits more than once every three or four years, barring any complaints. Instead, they rely on the company to report any noncompliance to IEPA rules and regulations. (Transcript. Before the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Hearing involving the issuance of a new construction permit by Meyer Material Co. McHenry, Illinois. October 15, 2007 p. 30)
At this meeting, it was discovered that Meyer had added "21 conveyors" to their operations without notifying the IEPA and had been in violation for some time with no inspections or consequences. (Transcript. Before the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Hearing involving the issuance of a new construction permit by Meyer Material Co. McHenry, Illinois. October 15, 2007 p. 48)
May 22, 2002. The IEPA concluded that due to the amount of fugitive dust coming from the pit onto school property, that Meyer Material Company could be "cited for nuisance violation." And "their sand stockpile...emits fugitive dust during strong wind current that could cause nuisance and affect the health of school children of Valley View School." (IEPA. Tier 1 Inspection. May 22, 2002. Complaint# 02051404)
1994. Meyer cited for "insufficient spray bar capacity." The inspectors noticed "visible fugitive dust emission on the top of the conveyor." Also, "visible emissions were observed off the conveyors." (IEPA. May 25, 1994)
1986. Lack of operating permit violation. (IEPA. July 24, 1986)

It must be noted again that most violations that are found in gravel pit operations are not discovered by the IEPA or the EPA during routine inspections, but after residents file complaints. Meyer will be expected to do much of the monitoring itself.

That's like having the fox guard the hen house, so to speak.

In summation, the gravel pit proposal by Meyer Material Company will adversely affect the residents of Cary, Illinois. Lower property values will be the first reality. Next, gravel pits will negatively affect the standard of living in Cary, especially to those residents nearest the pit. Fugitive dust will be another daily reality. This dust will not just be a nuisance, but could have negative health impacts as well. Meyer has shown itself not to be the "good neighbor" it claims, but has violated regulations several times. Lastly, the "potential for contamination" of Cary's groundwater should be enough to vote this pit down. If the groundwater does become contaminated, this could bring costly ramifications on the Village of Cary, Illinois.

A copy of this brief has been sent to the Village Board and the area newspapers. If you would like a .pdf version of the complete paper, click here.

Village Board Meeting

2007-08-20T16:24:00.000-06:00

Don't forget: At tomorrow's Village Board meeting, the village will be considering Meyer's petition. We need to show our numbers.

Village Board Meeting
Tuesday, August 21
7:00 pm
Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake

A "New" Village of Cary Website?

2007-08-17T14:19:00.001-06:00

It appears the village may have a new website....maybe.

Check out the site at http://www.caryillinois.org

Could This Happen in Cary?

2007-08-10T09:15:00.001-06:00

Click on the image below to see the news story from Long Island about a loaded gravel truck tipping over and crushing a car, killing the driver. (Note: You need RealPlayer to view the news report)

Selling Out Residents

2007-07-27T06:04:00.001-06:00

So the Zoning Board was split on the issue of the pit. First of all, we must thank board members Graziano, Williams and Daley for recognizing that the pit is just that---an eyesore, a health hazard and a bad idea for Cary. Thank you for voting no.

As for the others...well, let's just say that Joe Tournier in particular seems to have an unusual affinity for paid "experts" representing big business and less for simple residents just trying to live their lives. Tournier told those assembled that no one had offered evidence to counter what Meyer's "experts" were telling us and that it was up to those who object to offer expert testimony as well.

What? Excuse me Mr. Tournier...we, the residents of Cary, do not have millions of dollars to hire attorneys and pay for experts. The fact that over 300 citizens---those of us who pay taxes so that the Zoning Board of Appeals can exist---voiced their concerns and signed their names asking the board to reject the petition should be enough. After all, this is a democracy, is it not? I am sure the Village did not get such numbers of people advocating the pit.

Secondly, the Zoning Board of Appeals is a government body and if Tournier wanted "facts" he could have easily turned to the numerous reports regarding health offered by government organizations all over the world. Furthermore, if he was so concerned about the "facts," why did he not order the Village to study property values and health issues in regard to the pit in order to determine the validity of Meyer's claims? Why does the village not conduct their own studies instead of relying on obviously biased testimony paid for by a company that so desperately wants the pit so that it could add millions of dollars more to their annual profit levels?

The fact that he did not ask for such data or order a study seems to me that his mind was made up long before these meetings took place. Indeed, when it was time to cross examine Meyer's witnesses, Chairman Tournier had not one question for the petitioners.

Not one.

Many residents spoke out as to the flaws in the "facts" presented by Meyer's paid experts...yet, Chairman Tournier didn't see this as enough to question what the paid "experts" representing a mining company were saying. Several real estate agents spoke during the public comments and offered their own expert comments in regard to the home values. Was this not enough?

How about the Village's own engineer who--under oath mind you---admitted that the new pit could potentially cause contamination of Cary's water supply? Is this not "expert" enough, Mr. Tournier?

I think Chairman Tournier needs a civics lesson and should not blame those for not doing what he should have done. Governments exist for the people---not for big business. It is the job of government to collect the facts and get outside opinions and experts and not rely on those paid experts who only represent one agenda. Ultimately, it is government's responsibility and, in this case, the Zoning Board's responsibility to order the collection of such data.

Anything less is an affront to representative government.

Welcome to Cary---the new video!

2007-07-09T06:02:00.000-06:00

If the gravel pit is approved, what will it do for Cary? What if Cary becomes a "gravel pit" community? Here is "Welcome to Cary," envisioned as if the gravel pits are Cary's biggest assest and source of pride.

One must remember that gravel pits are not consistent with the current image of Cary as a neighborhood, family-friendly community. If you do not want Cary to become a "gravel pit community," please come to the meeting on July 12 at 7:30 pm at the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn.

New Video Coming Soon!

2007-07-08T00:12:00.000-06:00

What would happen if Cary was to become a "gravel pit community?" We decided to do the Village a favor by creating a "Welcome to Cary" video in case the gravel pit is approved. This video can be used to help Cary's image as Cary is transformed--one pit at a time--into a community of gravel pits.

Then again, maybe not.

See the World Premiere on Monday, July 9 at 2 pm central.

EPA Violations by the Owners of Meyer Material Co.

2007-07-02T23:12:00.000-06:00

In its petition to the Village of Cary, Meyer makes many claims about the safety of its gravel pit operation. This can be seen as very suspect, considering the company that owns Meyer---Holcim, Ltd.--- has had many violations over last several years:

In 2006, Holcim was cited by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for Clean Air Act violations. According to the EPA, "Holcim exceeded limits on opacity, or the amount of light obscured by particulates (smoke, dust, ash), in its state operating permit" at a site it owns in Michigan. Holcim was operating 7.5 times beyond the limit.
Holcim owns a cement plant in Montana and now wants to burn some 1.3 million tires at the facility, which would spew all sorts of dioxins into the air.
A Holcim-owned facility in Oklahoma has been declared a "high priority violator" of the Clean Air Act several times by the EPA and has been fined $321,000.
At a "wet-process kiln" facility in Michigan, Holcim has been charged as a "high priority violator" as well for its repeated violations of the Clean Air Act
At a plant in Midlothian, Texas, Holcim had a permit that allowed it to put into the environment 1,540 tons of Nitrogen Oxide(NOx) a year. NOx can produce "serious" respiratory problems. However, the plant was not operating within its limits and its NOx emissions topped 3, 700 tons a year instead. Apparently, Holcim was charged with 15 violations of state and federal pollution laws at this one plant alone.
In 1999, the state of Iowa discovered that Holcim failed to report excess emissions at a plant.
A Holcim plant in Florence, Colorado, failed air pollution tests three times in 1996.
In 2005, 9 plants in Massachusetts were fined $188,000 for air and water quality violations . These plants are operated by Aggregate Industries, which is owned by Holcim.

In 2004, Holcim enacted its own "Code of Conduct" and declared that "violations will not be tolerated." That is what they say on their website.

And, as the old cliche goes.....actions speak louder than words.

Is this the type of company we want operating in Cary?

Is it worth the risk?

The Extent of the New Pit

2007-06-28T09:59:00.000-06:00

Over the last couple of weeks, we have talked to many people all over Cary who are not only opposed to the pit, but also are unsure as to the extent of the proposed pit. Many people think the pit will encompass only the parcel of land zoned residential immediately to the west of Fox Trails. This is not true as the map published in today's Northwest Herald shows:

This pit will also encompass the land in Cary along Route 31. This land is zoned commercial/retail. When the current zoning laws were put in place for the land that Meyer now owns, a complex of stores, multifamily and single family homes were envisioned. In fact, the village spent tax payer dollars to provide sewer and other utilities to the area. The hook-ups are there and would be destroyed if Meyer turns this land into a giant hole.

This pit will double the size of the current pit and will affect more than just Fox Trails:

Greenfields and Cimarron will feel the presence of the pit in terms of dust and noise
Those using Hoffman Park will not only hear the pit but will be breathing in dust and other particulates while walking, jogging or riding bikes along the path
Kids will have easy access from Hoffman park to go "exploring" the pit
Stores directly across from the pit on Route 31 will have to contend with dust, noise and trucks
Pauly Toyota will have a new storefront located just north of the pit. Their new car-lots will be covered in a constant layer of dust
Walmart customers will also be subjected to dust and noise when visiting the store located on Route 31 just north of the pit
The village of Cary and, consequently all of Cary, will suffer as the sales revenue and the property tax revenue from homes and stores will not come in. We will be left with a giant hole in the ground--a worthless and dangerous eyesore

The pit is a bad idea not only for Cary, but for the entire area. Please come to the next Zoning Board meeting to be held on Thursday, July 12 at 7:30 at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake.

HELP US MAKE A NEW VIDEO!

2007-06-15T14:27:00.000-06:00

Do you want to act in a new anti-gravel pit video?

We are in the process of creating a new video to show the community (and the world) our displeasure with the idea of making Cary a gravel pit community.

We need people involved. I don't want to give away to much with what we plan to do.....but, if you are interested, please contact us. We need all sorts of people, including children, to partake in our latest endeavor. This video is guaranteed to bring more attention to the pit issue.

Contact us at:

no_cary_quarry@yahoo.com

More work to be done....

2007-06-15T13:37:00.000-06:00

There was a pretty good turnout at last night's zoning board meeting. It was nice getting to talk and meet with many of the those who came. There was a crowd of about 150 people. But, in order to truly stop this from happening, we need more people. We need to blanket the room with people---standing room only and then some.

One thing that will help our campaign is to create "media moments." Papers love to publish images that are provocative. Therefore, we have made available some products to help spread our message. Imagine if everyone at the meeting had one of these:

We designed the products and they are made by Cafe Press. They charge a base price for each product and then we mark up the price by only 50 cents to $1. The purpose of providing these products is not to make money, but to spread a message. What little money is made will help defray the cost of flyers, signs and buttons, etc.

Click here to enter the store and see what is available. We need to get as many people in Cary as we can to understand the impact that this pit will have on the entire community.

http://www.cafepress.com/no_quarry

Zoning Board Meeting TONIGHT!

2007-06-14T05:51:00.000-06:00

The time has come. The Zoning Board meeting is TONIGHT at 7:30 at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake. Over the past couple of weeks, we have blanketed Cary with flyers, send out emails and letters to the paper...and managed to get some nice media coverage.

But the task is not complete. We need as many people as possible to come out to tonight's meeting. There is strength in numbers.

We will be presenting the Board with a petition of over 200 names of Cary residents opposed to the gravel pit. And the amazing thing is this: the names come from ALL OVER CARY---not just in the Fox Trails subdivision.

See you at the meeting. The time to stop the pit is NOW!

NOTE: Members of the press can download a large, high resolution version of the above image here.

NIMBY....not quite

2007-06-07T06:03:00.000-06:00

I just received an email that stated, "I suspect you are NIMBYS." That was the second such email that I received. It was a term I had not heard much, but it was used both times as a pejorative.

So, I did some research.

The term NIMBY was first used in 1980, so it is a relatively recent word used to describe people who oppose certain land developments in or near their homes, such as landfills, garbage transfer facilities, commercial developments (ie Walmart), etc. However, the term has grown in the last decade to describe people who do not want ANY development and has been used in a more negative way. Hence the two emails.

Let's just clear something up. We are opposed to a GRAVEL PIT being created on the land. That's it. Plain and simple.

The area adjacent to Fox Trails is zoned for residential. We would like to keep it that way. So if Meyer wants to sell the land to a developer....by all means, they have the right. We knew that land was zoned residential when we bought our home 5 years ago and would not oppose such use. (As it stands...Meyer also knew that land was zoned residential but now want to change the law)

A residential development would benefit all of Cary so much more than a gravel pit. Let's look at the statistics:

The gravel pit would generate only $170 a year or so in real estate taxes per acre. This is why Meyer has offered the village a "donation" of $250,000 a year for the length of the extended use permit.
A single family home generates over $5000 in real estate taxes on 1/4 of an acre. So, you put up homes and real estate taxes generated by those homes are over $24,000 for an acre of land.

So, we are not technically NIMBYS. We don't oppose any development. We just don't want a new gravel pit next to our neighborhood.

So perhaps we are No Gravel Pit in Our Back Yards type of people.

But we wouldn't want one in your backyard, either.

Cary, Illinois: A Gravel Pit Community?

2007-06-02T19:37:00.000-06:00

Check out our new mini-documentary about the proposed gravel pit in Cary. We cannot let Meyer get away with this. Pass this video on to others---the more who see it the better!

Note: This video is 4 minutes long and may take a little bit to load completely. Please be patient.

The video can also be found at Google Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6546217386573707509&hl=en

The GRAVEL PIT--What it Means for Cary

2007-05-26T14:18:00.000-06:00

On the Village of Cary website, you can view the Meyer Materials petition. Meyer wants to build a quarry---or, more appropriately---a gravel pit in land adjacent to the Fox Trails subdivision. According to the petition, this land is 240 acres (of which 108 is located in Cary) and will be used for mining operations until 2016. What does this mean for Cary?

The mining operations will be only 200 feet from property on the west portion of the Fox Trails subdivision
Heavy machinery will be used. This machinery includes: front-end loaders, hydraulic excavators, a conveyor system, a grizzly feeder and a jaw crusher to pulverize the larger pieces of stone.
Off-road trucks will be used to transport "overburden" materials.

The operation of the mine--from now until 2016--will be conducted from 6am to 6 pm Monday through Friday and 7am to 3pm on Saturday. That means that there will be 305 days a year of active mining. Over the course of the plan, that means

over 2745 days
and over 32,000 hours
of noise, dust and pollution!

We need to let the village know that this is unacceptable. Although we have experienced dust and noise from the farmland, this is nothing compared to the potential dust and noise from an active mining operation.

We are certain that the proposed mine will:

increase dust and noise in the neighborhoods near the mine
prove to be a safety hazard for children in the area
lower our property values

According to the Canadian environmental group, Gravel Watch,

Recent studies show that fine particulates pose a greater danger to our health than better known kinds of air pollution, such as smog, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. There is incontrovertible evidence that increased PM 10 [fine dust, under 10 microns] is related to increases in cardiopulmonary disease, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, pneumoconiosis and premature death in those with pre-existing conditions. The elderly and the young are most affected. Crystalline silica dust is common from processing sand and gravel and is a known carcinogen.

Click here to see an animation of what happens to the lungs when fine particulates are inhaled.

This is unacceptable. Join us as we oppose the the creation of this gravel pit.

If you would like to get involved, email us at no_cary_quarry@yahoo.com

OUR FIRST FLYER--DOWNLOAD IT NOW!

2007-05-26T10:13:00.000-06:00

We have quickly created a flyer to put up in places around the neighborhood. It's important to raise awareness about this important issue and get people together.

The flyer is available for download. If you could print it out and put it up in your place of work, in storefronts or at your church, it will be greatly appreciated.

The flyer is in .pdf format and is available here.

Thank you.

If you have any questions or want to get involved, email us at no_cary_quarry@yahoo.com

Welcome to the Stop the Quarry in Cary Website

2007-05-25T21:47:00.001-06:00

After this week's meeting with Meyer Material Co. and the Village of Cary's Zoning Board, we decided that it was time to raise some voices. We do not feel that the proposed quarry is in the best interest of the citizens of Cary, Illinois.

We need to organize.

We need to let the Village know that this proposal is not acceptable.

We need to educate the community about the negative impact of the plan submitted by Meyer Material Company.

We need your help.

Sign the petition and check back often for updates.

Contact us at no_cary_quarry@yahoo.com if you would like to get involved.