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Joliet staff previews boundary agreement with Elwood; public hearing set for Jan. 6
Summary
City staff told the Joliet council the city and the Village of Elwood have not had a boundary-line agreement since 2019 and proposed reestablishing one that preserves the previous west-side line while excluding parcels Joliet annexed on the east side; an ordinance and public hearing are scheduled for the next day.
Joliet — City staff on Monday outlined a proposed intergovernmental boundary-line agreement between the City of Joliet and the Village of Elwood and said a public hearing and ordinance vote are scheduled for Jan. 6.
"The city of Joliet and the village of Elwood have not had a boundary line agreement since 2019," said Dustin, city staff, explaining the proposal to reestablish the agreement. He told the council the west side of the line in the packet is substantially the same as the prior agreement but that the east side differs because "in the intervening years between 2019 and now, there were a number of parcels ... annexed into the city of Joliet."
The staff presentation said the city proposes stopping further southern and southwestern expansion in areas where parcels have already been annexed or are subject to pre‑annexation agreements. Mayor Taylor Darcy and councilmembers said they have met with Elwood officials and described the current proposal as the result of several meetings; one councilmember said attendees were satisfied with the draft.
The boundary question has prompted comments from nearby residents. During the 'citizens to be heard' portion, an unidentified resident criticized past annexations, saying farmland had been replaced by warehouses near homes and urging the council to stop expanding. "You guys gotta stop thinking about the residents and stop thinking about the businesses," the speaker said, describing impacts on neighbors such as higher policing and service costs.
The ordinance to adopt the intergovernmental cooperative planning and boundary agreement was listed on the council packet for consideration at the Jan. 6 meeting. City staff said the ordinance as presented will formalize the agreement and reflect the areas already annexed by Joliet; final details and a council vote are expected at the public hearing.
Next steps: the city will hold the scheduled public hearing and consider the ordinance at its Jan. 6 meeting.
