Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!

Board debates screening, berm heights and variances for Route 20 trucking facility

December 12, 2025 | McHenry County, Illinois


This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »

Board debates screening, berm heights and variances for Route 20 trucking facility
The Committee of the Whole spent substantial time discussing zoning petition 10B1 — a proposed trucking and outdoor storage facility on Route 20 — focusing on screening, berm heights, lighting and separate votes for conditional-use and variance questions.

Board members agreed to break the overall petition into multiple votes so the conditional use, the paving/grindings variance (which the Zoning Board recommended for denial) and the vehicle-storage allowance could be considered independently. Planning staff said the grinding-in-lieu-of-paving variance received a negative recommendation at the ZBA and would therefore require a three‑quarter majority of the full county board to approve; the storage-of-unowned-vehicles variance carried a positive recommendation (6–1) at the ZBA and would need only a simple majority on the county board.

Several members proposed increasing screening along the west edge that faces residences, with suggested total berm-plus-plantings heights ranging from 8–15 feet depending on the edge; members also asked staff to add shielding requirements so lights are not directly visible from neighboring properties and to explore sensor-controlled lighting so security lights do not remain on 24/7.

Traffic and safety concerns were raised: some members said the entrance/exit lanes at the site do not appear widened in the applicant drawings and that semi-truck movements at night require careful lighting and access design. Members asked staff to draft clearer conditions reflecting higher berms on the west and south edges and to confirm what screening and lighting the applicant intends to provide before the Tuesday voting meeting.

What remains: The committee agreed to present the item on the regular zoning agenda with separated votes and to clarify the proposed conditions and screening language in the packet for the upcoming meeting. No final county-board votes on 10B1 were recorded during the committee session.

View the Full Meeting & All Its Details

This article offers just a summary. Unlock complete video, transcripts, and insights as a Founder Member.

Watch full, unedited meeting videos
Search every word spoken in unlimited transcripts
AI summaries & real-time alerts (all government levels)
Permanent access to expanding government content
Access Full Meeting

30-day money-back guarantee

Sponsors

Proudly supported by sponsors who keep Illinois articles free in 2025

Scribe from Workplace AI
Scribe from Workplace AI