Commission backs U46 plan to build new elementary at 850 N. Grove; neighbors raise traffic and parking concerns

The Elgin Planning & Zoning Commission on Feb. 2 voted unanimously to recommend City Council approve School District U-46’s application to rezone roughly nine acres at 850 North Grove Avenue from general industrial to community facility and build a new elementary school to replace McKinley Elementary.

Staff said the proposed two-story school would occupy about 88,500 square feet and be designed for up to 680 students but is expected to open with about 450 pupils in 2028. The plan includes two parking lots totaling 101 spaces (95 spaces required by the code for the proposed assembly and staff); staff said the parking and on-site circulation, including bus queuing for up to eight buses, satisfy the city’s standards. The site design calls for substantial retaining walls (15–17 feet high at the tallest points) with a five-foot ornamental fence and 15-foot netting above portions of the fence where the outdoor playground adjoins the grade change.

U-46 representative Brian Lindholm described the project as a “generational investment,” saying the district sought a site within walking distance of McKinley to maintain neighborhood continuity and meet modern accessibility and safety standards. Consultants described traffic modeling that projects up to 69 vehicles queued on site at full capacity — exceeding the anticipated 66 vehicles at maximum capacity — and recommended on-site queuing, marked crosswalks and a traffic-management plan with staff directing flow during peak drop-off and pick-up times.

Neighbors and local stakeholders expressed appreciation for the new school but raised worries about long-term parking pressure and road conditions; one neighbor, Travis Linville, said the project could meaningfully affect on-street parking where he has parked for 16 years. Riverside Club representatives asked whether any city improvements are planned for Lincoln Avenue, which they described as in poor condition; staff said no city improvements were planned but the applicant will be responsible for required site-related improvements.

A motion to recommend City Council approval passed 5–0. Staff and the applicant will continue coordination with residents on traffic management and tree-preservation measures as design advances.