Elgin council annexes 38-acre tract despite public concerns about water and historic status

Elgin — The City of Elgin on Nov. 17 voted to annex a 38-acre tract that city officials have discussed as a potential site for a future wastewater treatment plant, despite public concern about construction feasibility, water usage and the land’s historic status.

Stacy Ford Osborne, the city’s acting public information officer, summarized the meeting on the city’s 7 8 6 2 1 live podcast. "The first one was an ordinance that annexed, 38 acre tract of land that the city's been discussing, as a possible location for a water treatment plant," she said. The vote approved only the annexation of the land, not any decision to build a treatment facility there.

The annexation was the subject of public hearings; Planning and Zoning held the initial hearing Oct. 27, and Nov. 17 was the second required hearing. According to Osborne, a member of the public who spoke at the hearing raised concerns about "constructability, water usage, and the historic status of the land." Those concerns prompted extended council deliberation before the final vote.

After discussion, council approved the annexation 6–1. Osborne reported, "That vote passed, 6 to 1 with council member Saint Pierre voting against it." The council also voted unanimously to include the annexed land in Council Ward Area Number 2.

City officials and staff did not, during the meeting, vote to site or to begin construction of a wastewater treatment plant; Osborne emphasized the action was limited to annexing the property into city limits. Further planning, environmental review, engineering studies, and separate ordinances or contracts would be required before a plant could be authorized or built.

What happens next: The annexed land is now inside Elgin and assigned to Ward Area Number 2. Any proposal to construct a wastewater treatment facility would require subsequent staff reports, council action and, as required, additional public hearings and approvals.