McHenry County board hears traffic, easement and neighborhood safety concerns over proposed slaughterhouse

McHenry County zoning officials on Dec. 24 heard hours of testimony over a conditional‑use petition to locate a food‑processing facility with animal slaughter on a 1.044‑acre portion of a larger agricultural parcel that would rely on a 33‑foot shared easement to access Greenwood Road.

Department of Transportation construction and permit engineer Keith McGraw told the board the county's review focuses on the change in traffic, potential backups onto Greenwood Road and the upkeep that increased use would require. He said the county has not yet received a traffic memo or study and that the petitioner is responsible for providing it. "We would ask the access path, the driveway be widened enough so two vehicles could pass for the first 500 feet off of Greenwood Road," McGraw said, adding that a hard surface would be required in the portion immediately adjacent to the county right‑of‑way and that turn lanes become a consideration once the study shows a major access threshold has been met.

McGraw described a practical example used in DOT review: at a certain volume of turning movements (about 50 trips in typical guidance), an access can become "major" and require turn‑lane treatments, though he emphasized exact thresholds depend on posted speed, average daily traffic and peak‑hour turning movements. He also said DOT would need to examine the original easement language and possibly consult the…