Residents Against NorthPoint!

Manhattan and Elwood residents are strongly encouraging their neighbors to attend the Public Hearing for the annexation and rezoning of Northpoint Development property on December 19th at 7pm, which will be held at the Elwood Village Hall.

This is a major step forward for Northpoint Development’s Compass Business Park, despite public outcry against the project. In July, only a month after news of the project leaked online, a petition generated against the project received 300 signatures. A grassroots group called “Just Say No To Northpoint” has formed in opposition to the proposed project and they are pleading with all residents to attend this meeting.

The Public Hearing is scheduled during the regular Planning and Zoning Commission meeting in Elwood to hear from the public regarding the annexation and zoning of 851 acres of land in unincorporated Jackson Township.

Jackson Township formally issued a formal resolution against Northpoint Development’s Compass Business Park this past October. This past November, the Elwood School Board joined in opposing the project with a formal resolution against the project of their own.

The Elwood Planning & Zoning Commission will take a vote whether or not to recommend the approval of the requested annexation into the Village of Elwood and rezoning to light industrial from agricultural. The land is currently being farmed and is dotted with homesteads.

If recommended for approval, Northpoint Development intends to proceed with a proposal to the Elwood village board for a 2,200 acre industrial warehousing complex, Compass Business Park. The public hearing is for the land that would fall under the Village of Elwood’s control if annexed.

The total project would span from Manhattan Road to its southern border of Hoff Road, which abuts Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, home to the well-publicized Bison Project, and from Cherry Hill Road (approximately 1 mile west of Wilson Creek School) to Route 53, connecting to BNSF Rail and the Centerpoint Intermodal by a bridge.

The remaining property within the scope of the 2,200 acre industrial warehousing project would be under the control of Manhattan; however, Northpoint Development has yet to negotiate with Manhattan officials, despite repeated attempts to gain information from Elwood officials and Northpoint Development.

According to one traffic study obtained from IDOT, the project alone would generate 53,000 trips with 16,000 of those being semi-trucks.

The "Just say No to NorthPoint" group on Facebook encourages the general public to attend the public hearing to ask questions, voice concerns and learn more about the proposed project. This group is rapidly growing and adding new members daily as more people become educated on the project. If you want more information, you can join their group on Facebook but they are strongly encouraging all to attend this hearing on Tuesday, December 19th at 7pm at 401 E. Mississippi in Elwood Illinois.