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Council approves McHenry High School upper-campus parking expansion after drainage concerns; engineers to verify plans
Summary
Council granted a conditional use permit to expand upper-campus parking at McHenry High School by roughly 18 spaces, with landscaping and engineering review required to address neighbors' drainage and topography concerns.
The McHenry City Council on Feb. 3 approved an ordinance granting a conditional use permit to McHenry High School's upper campus for an expansion of roughly 18 parking spaces behind the administration building at 4716 West Crystal Lake Road.
The application drew questions from Alderman Glab and nearby residents about grade, drainage and changes to site topography after recent athletic field work. Ross Palorecki, director of community development, and the school district's project representatives said the plan uses existing excavation and stone staged during recent field construction and that the lot will be engineered to route runoff into the detention basin west of the baseball field.
Palorecki said the proposed work will comply with the city's landscape screening requirements and other ordinances; the petitioner confirmed the expansion will be reviewed and engineered to avoid off-site impacts. Alderman Glab pressed officials for evidence on drainage, noting county GIS elevations show the school property is higher than adjoining condos and expressing concern that fill and grading could alter flow paths. Project representatives said they will depress the new lot from existing grade where possible and use the prior disturbance area to limit additional material brought on-site.
Several council members, including Alderman Miller, expressed confidence in the district's construction and engineering teams and said prior projects had improved local drainage when done correctly. The City Council approved the CUP after a motion from Alderman McClatchy and a second from Alderman Santee; the roll call recorded on the transcript shows a majority in favor with Alderman Glab recorded as opposed.
The ordinance requires landscape screening along the lot perimeter and final engineering plans before permits are issued. Councilors and district representatives agreed the city's engineering review will scrutinize drainage computations to protect adjacent residential properties.
The council noted the district's offer to maintain creek beds and other stormwater features and asked staff to require documentation of final grading and drainage paths before any surface paving.
