By Madhu Mayer
Recognizing the opposition to a project that could allow quarry blasting near a residential neighborhood, the Joliet City Council Tuesday postponed action on the controversial proposal until after the April election.
Last month, the city council tabled a vote on the controversial first amendment to the , for six parcels of land near 800 Richards St. and 620 Sandall Place to allow for more public input. The public hearing was supposed to be held Tuesday evening.
The parcels are owned by VM Land and First Midwest Bank, and the annexation agreement would allow P.T. Ferro construction company to continue and expand their clean soil operations by allowing aggregate explosive assisting blasting as opposed to the current method of hydraulic crushing.
If approved, the proposal would allow the area to continue operating as a flagstone quarry and a clean construction/demolition debris disposal site. The use would allow mining, rock crushing and outdoor industrial processing of mined materials. But the proposal stipulates that the blasting can only occur between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Bo Walker of Joliet, who posted his disdain for the project on Facebook, claims the blasting will “greatly impact” the quality of life for residents in the east and south sides of Joliet.
“Neighboring residents, nursing facilities, health department, nearby schools will all be impacted by blasting, if approved,” he said. “We all should be fighting for this as it could impact the quality of life for hundreds, if not thousands of people.”
Larry Crawford of Joliet urged the city council to listen to the residents.
“I wish you would have real answers to questions people have,” he said.
A Joliet resident also asked the council to consider the quality of life for residents in the southeast side of town.
“It is detrimental to our quality of life,” she said. “I have lived through cracks in my walls and my entire house shaking.”
Boise Walker of Joliet asked the city council to have an unbiased third-party expert without vested financial interest to conduct the public hearing when it is scheduled.
“I ask you to really take into consideration how close it is to schools and the backyard of (Sunny Hill Nursing Home),” said Walker. “I also want to ask if the explosives will impact nearby businesses and I-55.”
Megan Cooper of Joliet said she is tired of the southeast and south sides of Joliet becoming a “dumping ground” for projects that negatively impact residents.
“The southeast side of Joliet is neglected, and we are not treated fairly,” she said. Referring to postponing the public hearing until after the spring election, Cooper said, “You may not want to hear from us, but we will be heard.” Madhu Mayer, Times Weekly can be reached mm@thetimesweekly.com