A group of residents living near a proposed West Aurora School District maintenance and storage facility came to Monday night’s school board meeting to voice their concerns about the project.
“It’s basically in my backyard,” Joel Strait said of the facility proposed off of Deerpath Road south of Herget Middle School.
The district is looking to erect the facility at the southern end of the site nearest to Verona Ridge Drive.
The residents thought the site was Fox Valley Park District-owned property when they purchased their homes, he said.
The site was acquired by the school district through a land swap with the Fox Valley Park District, West Aurora School District officials said. Strait said the residents were not informed when the property was donated to the school district.
“We know the land is not our land but to put an eyesore as this next to our backyards is unacceptable,” Strait told The Beacon-News.
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The proposed $4.3 million maintenance and storage facility was discussed by the school board Oct. 4 as part of a review of $26 million in infrastructure and building projects planned in the district between the summer of 2022 and summer 2024.
The proposed site would be a central location for maintenance operations and storage including a salt dome that by design would resemble a barn. Officials said the salt storage facility would help the district buy salt in bulk, which saves money.
A storage building at the site would be designed to store equipment inside, while truck repairs would be done in a garage at the district’s transportation hub.
A group of residents of The Estate Homes of Verona Ridge subdivision has asked the district to consider an industrial site for the facility.
“This is directly in the view of my backyard,” Frank Talesky said prior to the start of Monday’s West Aurora School Board meeting.
One of the main objections to the project is the proposed salt storage facility that Talesky said would be too big for the site.
The residents are also concerned about the safety of children walking on a path through the property.
About seven residents spoke on the issue during the public comment portion of the school board meeting Monday evening.
The proposed location for the facility is “far too close” to a residential area, Tina Gould said.
“The structures of that size, lights and noise we all know that comes with the loading of salt is an absolute disregard of everything that area was intended for,” Gould said.
She said the vision for developing the area has focused on open space and natural areas.
“The vision was the basis for our development and our Homeowners Association regulations are governed with this vision in mind. Our residents are not allowed to have sheds in the backyards in order to promote open space. What you have proposed is putting the mother of all sheds right in our backyard,” Gould said.
Residents said they intend to be involved in the process as the discussion about the proposed facility continues.
Board members did not specifically respond to the public’s comments at the meeting other than to say they appreciated the feedback.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.