[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6128251,"mediaKeyId","5751216-c4beeeeec9a013e3bea77318a6b71bb3","parentId",5751216,"title","Council Lowers Speed Limits on West Bethany Road Near Sangamon to Improve Safety","audioSeconds",187,"startMs",2578000,"endMs",2765000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5751216-c4beeeeec9a013e3bea77318a6b71bb3&start=2578&end=2765","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5751216-c4beeeeec9a013e3bea77318a6b71bb3/thumbnail_2578000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6128251/DeKalb-City/DeKalb-County/Illinois/Council-Lowers-Speed-Limits-on-West-Bethany-Road-Near-Sangamon-to-Improve-Safety","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6128251-fa87428a01a2f9f11874d032062ba247/orig.mp4?Expires=1775135192&Signature=GK5qL-iTbMYlyDnmznq381ykEoCLsOEDvCt44xasYI46c~HFYcX04NBSN7mwsQi0WQM8HHrxmnGJlwbV7Lzx4QoNb5oDvHByAqyyVEDLl5627CUFC5G-8~bZ-KaZIXf52WrueJavdjqMnGddqozdnQdZRBebfK5RncnKP7aeZ8OwlUDfZs4hSizFEkN107V3LS6cYeyrVIK5Wzhk6A4-J1lsIM1nxX~tR32rLWfh8ACicl-L-TJ~EnL1Y2fS4qHF4LeEsFLwdlh6rrLwQuuImw5pxQkppkGqB0vkUoNi43TFpc19E4AkY02Zc3JZ64OQlgoacNZHIpjbSMb9q-rX2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","DeKalb City, IL","date","2025-09-08T00:00:00Z","article","The DeKalb City Council voted Sept. 8 to amend the city's traffic schedule to lower speed limits on West Bethany Road from 55 mph to 45 mph approaching Sangamon Road, and to 35 mph for the stretch beginning roughly 600 feet west of Sangamon and continuing to North First Street. The ordinance passed first reading and council later voted to waive second reading, advancing the change.

Why it matters: Aldermen and local constituents said the lower limits respond to safety concerns for areas that serve schools, townhouses and senior housing and will better match speeds as drivers approach denser residential and crossing areas.

Details and rationale: City staff described West Bethany as a minor arterial linking east-west travel; the proposed changes apply from just west of First Street to Annie Glidden Road, with a graduated reduction near Sangamon Road. The plan reduces maximum speed from 55 to 45 in segments and further to 35 where residential and school access are concentrated. Advocates said the change provides a safer approach for pedestrians, school traffic and townhomes clustered near Sangamon.

Council action: Ordinance 2025-038 was moved by Alderman Burbank and seconded by Alderman Powell. After discussion the ordinance passed first reading by roll call. A motion to waive second reading was moved by Alderman Zazada, seconded by Alderman Powell, and approved by roll call, making the speed changes effective under the city's code.

What happens next: The city will update traffic-control signage on the affected segment of West Bethany Road and incorporate the revised speeds into enforcement and maps. Staff noted the changes were supported by residents and by council members representing affected areas.

(Reported from the Sept. 8 DeKalb City Council meeting.)","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting for September 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","An ordinance reducing speed limits on West Bethany Road — from 55 to 45 approaching Sangamon Road and to 35 nearer residential areas — passed first reading and the council waived second reading, making the changes effective.","taxTitle","DeKalb City, DeKalb County, Illinois","taxId",4986,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6128256,"Council OKs Sale of Vacated Simmons Avenue Parcels to Murillo Real Estate Partners",251,2308000,2559000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5751216-c4beeeeec9a013e3bea77318a6b71bb3&start=2308&end=2559","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5751216-c4beeeeec9a013e3bea77318a6b71bb3/thumbnail_2308000.jpg","/articles/6128256/DeKalb-City/DeKalb-County/Illinois/Council-OKs-Sale-of-Vacated-Simmons-Avenue-Parcels-to-Murillo-Real-Estate-Partners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6128256-583f75d2d53246bed3a87acbb95df141/orig.mp4?Expires=1775135191&Signature=T3gaFu-SZ71qwKWuqxvRTL5yVjLhSYkNMsZ~q9NERn0mrWem2NgpezIhUBTErz8SpDwkI~nSZpA6ig8FAMOP8qPubiv10qOM4qkjqLj-7o9l2NY3ZpKG4921EtrlsQlQ1NtEzxRjFlmlKh9dUssrcHfJk7UIZ~yhIR5ro4ZWc8UkXS3OZSMCv9V2av5buli1Wz5HSWGKYnDAEAHcVpV0cOhkmUoDUF4iH~q-2SXzg2TsL~OjlKQXJoRHeLhG7sspvuwBKp8HKeE3SM95FNbh~c9SRdZ-0m5npkQ8xJG~CZiUX0uVWlrk4QFAxCKIvxTNOcwvTKbySeGW686PxEnQIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The DeKalb City Council on Sept. 8 approved a purchase-and-sale agreement with Murillo Real Estate Partners LLC for two remaining parcels associated with the vacated Simmons Avenue property. The resolution passed by roll call vote.

Why it matters: The transfer completes a multi-part property disposition tied to past development planning for the area south of Peace Road and the Target distribution center. Council members said the sale aligns with earlier council intent from spring 2025 to transfer parcels tied to a potential future road extension.

Background and details: City staff described the Simmons Avenue property history: parcels in the area were once considered for a road extension decades earlier but changes in regional routing and the construction of Peace Road altered the corridor. Two parcels previously transferred earlier in the year; the current resolution authorizes sale of the remaining two parcels to Murillo Real Estate Partners (also referenced in meeting as Muriel/Murillo in varying spellings). Staff said the parcels were not legally dedicated for road purposes and the sale mops up the remaining ownership.

Council action: The resolution (2025-582) was moved by Alderman Carlson and seconded by Alderman Powell and passed by a 7–0 roll call vote. Staff noted the action implements council direction given in April and completes the intended property transfers.

Next steps: Closing and conveyance will proceed under the purchase-and-sale agreement terms. Staff told council that background materials and communications are available online for residents who want more detail.

(Reported from the Sept. 8 DeKalb City Council meeting.)","The council authorized a purchase-and-sale agreement with Murillo Real Estate Partners LLC to acquire two remaining parcels of vacated Simmons Avenue property, continuing a land transfer started earlier in the year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6128261,"Council Approves 10-Year Hotel-Tax Rebate for Peace Road Hotels LLC",219,2051000,2270000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5751216-c4beeeeec9a013e3bea77318a6b71bb3&start=2051&end=2270","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5751216-c4beeeeec9a013e3bea77318a6b71bb3/thumbnail_2051000.jpg","/articles/6128261/DeKalb-City/DeKalb-County/Illinois/Council-Approves-10-Year-Hotel-Tax-Rebate-for-Peace-Road-Hotels-LLC","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6128261-f21a8865a32d1d18e117816b80054ef5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775135191&Signature=JyRJB6fALAYvLBXQzn~HpKlKwQ7KAe~kpaWdt-ehbilfngZQjMII2pt2gYkYQvb5XUH~BJDpHPuobasALgjVLV8YfIL1cfpJtNEStAH9zeDKLQ7GK9ZNi7EA8ZA32jaQ9SYYstJjZl~mqQTWqSbGO96u2Wb1j0VRcdFIOozTI7D7nd7eki23vzwgQ5zwZhFLkCueaXKVkrMd7zlMpY7NkUlz5ZB0eslVGNS5qml3RTAleWpufqcYQbXi7jmULF3VUSkijt5rwg0s-n784pUiGVfVqq0g1kbnGEV6YKKKXljPflWrFhwlqcXqUKpSFb54vqyUUILqqW2upBgWXGZuDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The DeKalb City Council voted Sept. 8 to approve a hotel-tax rebate agreement with Peace Road Hotels LLC to support construction of a four-story, 120-room Marriott-branded hotel complex at 902 Peace Road. The resolution passed by roll call, with a 7–0 vote in favor.

Why it matters: The rebate is intended to help offset development costs and incentivize a branded hotel that the city says will expand lodging options and capture hotel-motel tax revenue locally.

Terms and scale: The developer will receive a share of hotel-motel tax revenues from that facility for a 10-year period, with a descending distribution schedule (90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50% and 50% for the remaining years). The total rebate is capped at $2,000,000; payments would come only from this hotel’s receipts and be paid within 60 days of the city’s receipt of the tax proceeds. City staff said the developer had already qualified for a state sales-tax exemption on building materials under the DeKalb County enterprise zone.

Project details presented: City staff said the project will include 120 rooms (61 standard-stay and 59 extended-stay rooms) and sit on about 2.5 acres at 902 Peace Road. The project has been before the council in development form since August 2024. The developer, represented in the audience by Mr. Patel, told council members he plans to proceed with construction and the city welcomed the investment.

Council action: The resolution (2025-581) to bring the hotel-tax rebate to the floor was moved by Alderman Smith and seconded by Alderman Susada; after staff presentation and brief discussion the council approved the agreement by roll call with seven aye votes.

What’s next: The city will administer rebate payments from tax receipts and is authorized to request relevant tax returns to confirm proper distributions. The rebate stops if cumulative payments reach the $2 million cap before the 10-year term concludes.

(Reported from the Sept. 8 DeKalb City Council meeting.)","DeKalb City Council approved a 10-year hotel-tax sharing agreement to support construction of a Marriott-branded TownePlace Suites/Fairfield Inn complex at 902 Peace Road; the rebate is capped at $2 million.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6128266,"Council Rejects Donato Solar Annexation After Strong Resident Opposition",4904,912000,5816000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5751216-c4beeeeec9a013e3bea77318a6b71bb3&start=912&end=5816","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5751216-c4beeeeec9a013e3bea77318a6b71bb3/thumbnail_912000.jpg","/articles/6128266/DeKalb-City/DeKalb-County/Illinois/Council-Rejects-Donato-Solar-Annexation-After-Strong-Resident-Opposition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6128266-c155a49dc5d2102f30f9271f95b25fb7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775135191&Signature=iCUdhlUrFOESMPzboaQLFLfY9mXlSRe2o-6jf8DSTDHV64~~pRCnslwM6JNH6jkVsojN9GRrP66IL3lZtM0w673rpUYjPpKahq8YXawOqtRraoCDtRN4CPaxc-BnWjrDIf8WiPsx40zthWIvb1TV50Ld-5FXK3UFqVKYpxPALoKtK972fw7npe7zfXWgRQfJ003aCLk~EhInAWRnYqLrrdZEDn-UpiaPMNVTIBHvclz~PbOZ6ovBNLQMb7Hck9-6slJatTf3VM4zixk5Bvcm2meUmRdQN1~RL7KlO9pUDKgMtmDZAS72XUzHGiycqZiK5FpYFJmPzJjSm16kst19PQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The DeKalb City Council on Sept. 8 rejected an annexation and development agreement that would have allowed Donato Solar to build a roughly 30-acre ground-mounted solar field and two 6,000-square-foot data-storage buildings on the west side of Peace Road between Greenwood Acres Drive and Challenger Drive. The council vote came after a public hearing with multiple residents urging denial and after the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended against the proposal.

Why it matters: The project drew sharp resident concern about potential local impacts — including noise, property values, energy-grid effects and the possibility the storage buildings could be used for cryptocurrency mining rather than conventional data hosting. Council members framed the decision as weighing neighborhood fit and public input against land-use and economic-development arguments.

The proposal, brought by Donato Solar with operating partner Gale Technology, called for a 4-megawatt solar array, battery systems and two tenant-leased data-storage buildings totaling about 12,000 square feet. Donato planned to interconnect with Ameren's distribution grid and said excess generation would be sold through that interconnection. City staff and the petitioner said construction activity could begin as soon as September or October if approved.

Residents who spoke during the public hearing said they were worried about long-term impacts. Elizabeth Johnson Cuny, a resident of 1504 Cambria Drive, said she feared the project could become an incomplete eyesore if federal or state incentives changed and asked whether the “boutique data center” was a euphemism for crypto mining. David Johnson, who said he owns property on Cambria Drive, asserted that Gale Technologies’ history of crypto-mining operations raises the possibility the buildings would serve mining operations, telling the council, “It is not a data center. It's a crypto mine.”

Several residents cited peer-reviewed studies and local market analyses, offering competing property-value evidence. Peyton Childress, a project advocate, provided sales examples from an Urbana project where home sale prices increased after a combined solar-array and data-center project was completed and said DeKalb’s site would include a vegetative buffer. Nick Mahoney, representing Gale Technology, said the company planned to invest “in excess of $30,000,000” and described the project as a “boutique data center” for tenant data storage.

At the Planning & Zoning Commission hearing on Sept. 2 the commission voted 6–0 against recommending the annexation and development agreement. City staff briefed council members on technical points raised in that meeting, including that the township assessor — not the city — determines property assessment and that the project’s estimated assessed valuation would likely produce additional annual property tax revenue (city staff estimated roughly $85,000 on their assumptions). Staff also noted that water demand for the two buildings would be minimal and limited primarily to restroom use, and reminded the council that state planning law calls for consideration of solar-energy realizations in local land-use planning.

Council members expressed differing views. Several aldermen and the mayor said the project’s industrial zoning was consistent with long-range land-use plans for that corridor, while others prioritized neighborhood opposition and concerns about transparency and long-term impacts. After discussion, the council voted on ordinance 2025-039 (annexation and development agreement) and the motion failed; subsequent related ordinances to annex and rezone the property were not brought to a successful vote.

What happened formally: The council opened a public hearing at 6:15 p.m. and heard multiple neighbors and representatives. After deliberations, a roll-call vote on ordinance 2025-039 failed, and the related annexation (2025-040) and rezoning (2025-041) items were not advanced.

Next steps: With the council’s rejection, the proposed Donato Solar annexation and development agreement will not proceed as drafted. Developers may revise the proposal, pursue other sites or seek further community meetings; council members urged that any future submittals include clearer, public-facing answers on energy interconnection, tenant uses for the buildings and noise and buffering plans.

(Reported from the Sept. 8 DeKalb City Council meeting.)","The DeKalb City Council voted against an annexation and development agreement for a 30-acre Donato Solar project on Peace Road after hours of public comment and a negative Planning & Zoning Commission recommendation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council Lowers Speed Limits on West Bethany Road Near Sangamon to Improve Safety

Council OKs Sale of Vacated Simmons Avenue Parcels to Murillo Real Estate Partners

Council Approves 10-Year Hotel-Tax Rebate for Peace Road Hotels LLC

Council Rejects Donato Solar Annexation After Strong Resident Opposition