By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
A planned new access for KW Precast met with pushback from Spring Valley Road residents Tuesday night at the City of Burlington Plan Commission meeting.
“I’ve never seen anything more ridiculous in my life,” said Jack Sommers, a resident of Spring Valley Road.
Representatives from KW Precast, which manufactures concrete spans, was on hand to explain the company’s request to add a new entrance and driveway off Spring Valley Road. Al Mackey, of KW, explained that the road would allow trucks with oversized loads easier access to the Burlington bypass by exiting onto Spring Valley and then Highway 36.
The issue was not voted on Tuesday night, due to a number of concerns raised by the city’s engineering consultant Kapur and Associates as well as an initial lack of communication between the city and the applicant.
Currently, traffic exits onto Highway P, then travels down Market Street. From there, the vehicles from the precast plant turn onto South Pine Street and travel down to the bypass.
“That’s all we’re trying to do, keep the big loads from going through town,” Mackey said, adding that he would work with residents on scheduling and planning ahead so as not to disrupt the neighborhood.
However, when given the chance to speak, residents said there was enough disruption already. One resident with land next to the plant said she recently woke up to the sound of back-up alarms at 4:30 a.m., while others raised concerns about the amount of traffic that would be joining the additional traffic on the road for the new Aurora Southern Lakes medical facility – set to open next week.
“We’ve tried to mitigate those things,” Mackey said in regard to the noise complaints. He also said the additional entrance and exit would potentially allow the company to expand its business.
“It’s the nature of our business,” Mackey said.
Plan Commission members had concerns as well. Andy Tully asked why the company couldn’t just access the bypass directly. When Mackey explained that the land bordering the bypass belonged to Cretex, Tully suggested the two businesses make the joint effort.
There were also concerns about the number of loads leaving each day (between 15 and 25 per project), dust, traffic and the potential impact on the newly expanded bike path.
Other business
The Plan Commission approved a rezoning request from Jeffrey Erickson on behalf of Faith Chapel Evangelical Free Church, 141 Westridge Ave., to allow for potential expansion of the church in the future.
It also approved a site plan application from PSG Inc. for Phase II of the Spring Brook Townhomes in the Spring Brook Landing development on South Pine Street, and a certified survey map for Ryan and Laura Freeburn.
Laura Freeburn explained the new survey map was so that intuitive boundaries are actual boundaries for her lot and the one next to her – which belongs to her mother.
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