Equimax

Last night, the City Council had quite a contentious meeting regarding the resubdivision of the Equimax property. This is a very complex issue and unfortunately it extends beyond the specifics of this development.

The first key is that Crest Hill needs commercial development to keep its taxes low. We are in a great position for commercial development and further lowering our already low city property tax. I would urge the city though to realize this and work to attract top quality development as well as creating new opportunities and revitalizing existing areas. This is not to suggest though that Equimax should not be a commercial property, it absolutely should be.

Following ordinances and rules is another important part of the discussion. This means following the plan set forth and working under the conditions created by the City Code. This property was zoned and planned for commercial before the residents of Remington Lakes purchased their homes and that should not change. However, the plan did not include so many small lots that do not comply with the ordinances and certainly did not include a road leading into the rear of someone's home. I do not see why we cannot have commercial development without degrading the safety of our residents and the sanctity of our laws.

Another underlying issue is the resignation of Building Commissioner Ray Semplinski. This is an issue that the Mayor has worked hard to keep quiet. There is something suspicious though when Council members are not given a copy of the resignation and cannot get their questions answered. Mr. Semplinski was a long time employee of Crest Hill and served successfully for many years. There was not a problem until he stated recently that he believed that our ordinances should be enforced and followed. While, I did not support his filling two positions and being paid two salaries for as long as he was, I still feel he did a great job and the City could not have been better served.

I hope that a compromise on Equimax can soon be reached. It will not silence the underlying issues, but we certainly can and should move on the the next development. The underlying issues will continue to haunt us until they are resolved, but we should not hold up progress in the mean time. A successful compromise requires the following factors. The residents of Remington Lakes need to recognize and accept that commercial development is going to occur in their backyards and that they cannot dictate what type of businesses will be located there. Dean Tomich needs to offer a plat of subdivision that does not violate the city's ordinances and does not reduce the safety of residents or their property values. I feel that the residents of Remington Lakes are on the right page and will accept a properly designed subdivision and allow Mr. Tomich to fill it with whatever businesses he feels are best suited the area and are allowed by the Zoning Code. However, Mr. Tomich seems to be reading from an entirely different book and does not recognize that he is not following the ordinances. This needs to change if he is going to be successful with this development. I hope his desire to make money will prevail and he will do his part towards compromise.