Machesney Park commission gives positive recommendation for outdoor storage ordinance after residents press traffic, noise and drainage concerns

The Machesney Park commission voted to forward Ordinance 24 25 with conditions after a public hearing on an outdoor storage and transfer operation that residents said will increase truck traffic and noise along Forest Hills Road.

Residents told the commission they remain concerned about traffic flow, the height and effectiveness of a proposed 4-foot berm with a 6-foot fence, lighting that now shines into backyards after tree removal, drainage during heavy rains and how often semitrailers will cross Forest Hills to move finished product. The commission’s positive recommendation advances the application to the Planning and Economic Development meeting on July 7 at 5:30 p.m.

At the hearing, several neighbors described recurring backups on Forest Hills Road near the Hawkeye Trail and Hawkesview Drive entrances. John Deary, a Hawkeye Trail resident, said the subdivision’s three entrances become blocked when trucks negotiate a curve at the north end of Forest Hills Road, a problem he called longstanding: "We need to make sure that as a group and as a city, you guys are making the expectation that it's not just meeting it. It's exceeding it for the houses that have been there for 30 years," Deary said.

Village staff and project representatives described planned roadway improvements. A staff speaker said the village plans to widen Forest Hills Road to a three-lane section with one through lane in each direction and a bidirectional (center) turn lane, eight-foot shoulders, curb and gutter and right-turn lanes into the three Hawkesview entrances to move turning trucks out of through lanes. On pavement design the speaker said the rebuilt road will be concrete and "we'll design the pavement to handle the traffic." The staff speaker also said the road section being discussed is between the state routes referenced in testimony and lies inside Loves Park’s footprint.

Neighbors pressed for stronger noise mitigation than the proposed 4-foot berm plus 6-foot fence, pointing out semitrailer exhaust stacks sit well above that height. Larry Dawson, who lives on Hawkeye Trail, asked for taller berms or a sound wall: "We're not asking for a whole lot, but if they could go with maybe an 8-foot fence and, or an 8-foot berm and maybe an 8-foot or 10-foot sound barrier just along that side of it." Project representatives said they were willing to discuss increasing berm height with their engineer and consider fencing height above code if allowed.

Drainage and stormwater were discussed at length. A staff speaker described existing runoff problems where Forest Hills drops in elevation near the development, saying previous work brought storm sewer from behind Target and Home Depot into a detention pond south of the Henning property. The speaker said the development will include a detention pond that discharges into that storm sewer and that the road work will include facilities intended to improve drainage. The speaker said systems are designed for "high-frequency events" and that emergency overflow paths exist for larger storms, noting some extreme events can exceed design capacity.

Company representatives said finished product will be moved between adjacent lots by semitrailer. A company representative identified in the record as "Deepmar" said final construction of the applicant’s site would likely be finished in November if approvals proceed: "we would probably need till, November to finish that." On truck frequency, the representative estimated movement across the road might occur "once an hour." Residents asked whether truck movements would be restricted to peak commuter windows; the applicant proposed restrictions between 6:30–8:30 a.m. and 3:30–5:30 p.m.; at least one resident urged extending the evening restriction to 6 p.m.

Other concerns included lighting that now reaches neighbor backyards after tree clearing and the number and species of replacement plantings. A company representative said plans call for roughly 30–36 trees (pines, firs and similar) along the east and south sides as part of the berm/landscaping package and that the company would consider additional trees or rocks if feasible.

After public comment the commission opened discussion and moved to a vote. The motion to forward Ordinance 24 25 with conditions passed on a roll-call vote. The secretary recorded affirmative votes from Mister Gentry; Mister Holmes; Commissioner Klingers; Commissioner Hankins; Commissioner Pfluger; and Mister Danny Levitz. The commission’s positive recommendation sends the item to the Planning and Economic Development meeting on July 7 at 5:30 p.m., where final action will be considered.

The record from this hearing shows residents and project representatives agree on the need for mitigation but differ on the degree and timing of measures. The planning meeting will be the next opportunity for formal action and for residents to follow up on specific conditions such as berm height, fence and lighting adjustments, truck-time restrictions, and the construction schedule for Forest Hills Road.