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Committee approves right-of-way appropriation for Kirk Road and purchase of wetland mitigation credits
Summary
Kane County Transportation Committee approved use of county motor fuel tax funds for right‑of‑way acquisition on the Kirk Road over Union Pacific Railroad project and authorized purchase of wetland mitigation credits after staff said impacts could not be avoided.
The Kane County Transportation Committee on June 17 approved a resolution to use county motor fuel tax funds for right‑of‑way acquisition on the Kirk Road over Union Pacific Railroad project and separately approved buying wetland mitigation credits to offset unavoidable impacts.
Rickert, the county staff presenter, described the Kirk Road item as a county motor fuel tax appropriation needed for right‑of‑way acquisition for the Kirk Road/Union Pacific Railroad project. Staff recommended approval.
Later in the meeting, staff said design work avoided many wetlands and streams but that some impacts were unavoidable. The committee approved a contract to purchase 2.7 acres of wetland mitigation credits from a mitigation bank operated by V3 Wetland Restoration to compensate for unavoidable impacts. The mitigation cost was listed as $637,200. A committee member asked whether wetland credits could be competitively bid; staff said there are few U.S. Army Corps of Engineers–approved mitigation banks and that available credits sometimes require searching outside Kane County.
Both measures were adopted by roll call. Staff said the mitigation purchase was required to comply with regulatory permits when impacts could not be avoided.
