logo
Multifamily housing plans met with public disapproval at Normal Town Council

Multifamily housing plans met with public disapproval at Normal Town Council

Yahoo20-05-2025

NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — On Monday, new housing in Normal caused a lengthy town council meeting.
Six items on the agenda were about new multifamily housing developments.
Three items on the agenda pertaining to the northwest corner of Towanda Avenue and Beech Street for the Carden Springs Planned Unit Development.
The audience was in an uproar about three items concerning a rezoning of property in the northeast corner of Beech Street and Shelbourne Drive or Collie Ridge Subdivision. Public comments lasting 45 minutes, with a majority, including a child, sharing their disapproval of developer Young America's new plans for multifamily developments near their single-family homes.
In the end, all six items were unanimously approved by city councilmembers. Councilmember Kathleen Lorenz was absent from the meeting.
'And that is what our job is, to hold the developer to lower standards, to make sure we get the right mix and the right project,' said Mayor Chris Koos. 'I believe this is the right project.'
Councilmembers also unanimously approved a resolution supporting Connect Transit's sale of 104 e. Oakland Avenue to Home Sweet Home Ministries for a non-congregate shelter project.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

On the Record: Tariffs and trade policy winners and losers in Central Illinois
On the Record: Tariffs and trade policy winners and losers in Central Illinois

Yahoo

time11 hours ago

  • Yahoo

On the Record: Tariffs and trade policy winners and losers in Central Illinois

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Volatility from the shifting tariffs and trade policies of the Trump administration is the dominant stressor for businesses in the Greater Peoria area, according to the head of the region's economic development organization. Chris Setti, CEO of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, joined 'WMBD News: On the Record' to discuss industry challenges and his recent trade mission to Mexico. 'I think that the main issue really has been uncertainty. Businesses like to be able to plan for the future, right? They want to be able to plan for their supply chains and what their customers might need and pricing,' he said. While the turbulence in trade policy has raised concerns across many sectors, it's not all bad news. Setti pointed to Liberty Steel in Bartonville as a potential winner. 'A 50% tariff on imported steel helps level the playing field for them,' he said. 'They've struggled to compete with cheaper foreign steel, especially from China. This move allows them to invest more confidently in their plant.' But not everyone is cheering. Construction firms and agriculture businesses are worried about rising costs on imported materials like potash, an essential ingredient in fertilizer. 'It cuts both ways,' Setti said. 'There are winners and losers in every policy decision, no matter which administration is in charge.' In April, Setti joined Gov. JB Pritzker for a trade mission to Mexico City to explore opportunities for collaboration. 'It was a fantastic trip,' Setti said. 'There's a lot of trade between Illinois and Mexico for exports and for imports. We met with Mexican business leaders and showcased what Greater Peoria can offer.' He also recently attended SelectUSA, the country's largest summit for foreign direct investment, as part of Team Illinois. 'Trade is so important to economics. It's all relationship-based. People do business with those they know,' he said. 'For a lot of foreign countries and foreign companies, they've never heard of Peoria to the extent they've heard of Illinois. 'They know about Chicago. So when they get a chance to meet with us, and others from central Illinois, we're able to really showcase what we have to offer them,' Setti said. Catch 'WMBD News: On the Record' on Saturday nights at 10 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Scholarship celebration honors Black college-bound seniors
Scholarship celebration honors Black college-bound seniors

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Scholarship celebration honors Black college-bound seniors

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — Hundreds gathered at a Bloomington church on Saturday to celebrate Black excellence in the classroom. The ceremony was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 7, at Mount Pisgah Baptist Church. It was sponsored by the Mentoring and Providing Scholarships Program, a local non-profit that mentors black students to learn etiquette, financial literacy and public speaking skills. More than $80,000 in scholarships were awarded to Black college-bound seniors for their academic achievements and community service. 'The annual Joint Scholarship Celebration plays an integral role in celebrating the successes of African American students,' Carla Campbell-Jackson, co-founder of MAPS, said. 'The MAPS Program is invaluable for students, and for our community, as we are developing 'real time' leaders and thought partners, who will continue to make a difference locally, and beyond.' Money for the scholarships was gathered with the help of African-American sororities, fraternities, and community-based organizations. MAPS looks to help students prepare for the professional world with important skills such as public speaking, said Shaun Harden, one of the students who received several scholarships. 'MAPS has been really great, especially for professional development. For instance, one of our previous sessions was about public speaking,' Harden said. 'We talked about how we were able to approach the stand and how we were able to address the audience properly, how to avoid filler words, a lot of different proper speaking things that you don't really get to learn other than through experience.' Local philanthropists also contributed to the scholarship fund, which helped raise more money for African American students looking to pursue higher education. Keynote speakers for the event included NAACP Image Award Winner and WMBD Summer Intern Bradley Ross Jackson and Teresa Haley, who shared some information and advice with the students. 'I learned that if you work hard, if you stay strong and determined, and continue to try to do your best and give back to the communities that have supported you, that you will eventually be rewarded in the end,' said Gabrielle Johnson, the president of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP Youth Council. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Bunnell commissioners to consider request for approval of massive new development Monday
Bunnell commissioners to consider request for approval of massive new development Monday

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Yahoo

Bunnell commissioners to consider request for approval of massive new development Monday

The Bunnell City Commission will meet Monday, June 9, at 7 p.m. to consider approval of a massive new 2,800-acre development known as the Reserve at Haw Creek. The project developer is asking for permission from the five-member commission to build between 6,000 and 8,000 homes, which would increase the population of Bunnell many times over. The 2020 census put Bunnell's population at 3,276 residents. The proposal has drawn controversy due to its sheer size. Commissioners will consider two items. The first is whether to approve rezoning the project acreage to a "Planned Unit Development District." City staff has recommended approval, though the planning and zoning board wants the total number of homes to be reduced to 5,500. The second item is a request from the developers to approve the development itself. City staff have declared the development agreement is "consistent with the City's 2035 Comprehensive Plan." Both agenda items will be read for the first time at Monday's meeting. The development is described as a mixed-use community including residential, commercial, light industrial, emergency support services, parks and recreation, and conservation. Housing types will range from affordable to market rate, and include single-family homes, townhomes, garden homes, and condominiums. A village center is proposed that will provide "a mixture of neighborhood and community services, retail and commercial spaces, parks and trails, public services, and amenities," according to the proposed plan. The applicant for the zoning change is Northeast Florida Developers LLC of Jacksonville. The property owner is JM Properties X LLC, of Palm Coast. The property is located between State Road 11, State Highway 100 West, County Road 302, and County Road 65. The development has drawn some pushback from neighbors, including Cheryl Trujillo, who lives on County Road 302, and spoke up at a public hearing on Jan. 7. While she said she is not against development, this proposal is "too much, too fast." "This isn't just somebody going to build a couple of roofs," Trujillo said. "You want to have Palm Coast in my backyard, and that's what it amounts to." "Where are you going to put all these people?" she continued. High on many residents' list of concerns is traffic. A traffic study has been completed, but was not included in the advance materials for the article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Bunnell City Commission discussing Reserve at Haw Creek Monday night

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store