SSGOC to Rally at Tuesday Board of Trustees Meeting; Homewood Zoning Commission Hearing Goes to 5th, Potentially Final Day
HOMEWOOD, Ill. – March 4, 2021 —Homewood Planning and Zoning Commission will meet for a fifth time on the application to rezone the property formerly known as Calumet Country Club at 6:30 p.m. today. The public question and public comment section of the hearing came to close yesterday. An abrupt change to procedural rules issued less than 45 minutes before the start of the hearing continuation prevented many people who showed up in person from asking questions, and because of seeming technical difficulties many people who were attempting to make a public comment via Zoom were unable.
The last-minute procedural change only allowed public questions from people who had signed up to ask questions in the second and third hearings. (People who received pages with numbers on them in the first day of the hearing were not allowed to ask questions in person.) Some people on Zoom were also allowed to ask questions. Many attendees had adjusted their schedules to come in person during a global pandemic to ask questions, but because of this change to procedure were unable to do so. Additionally, questioners yesterday were limited to five minutes of questions, and in previous meetings there was ostensibly no time limit.
South Suburbs for Greenspace over Concrete (SSGOC) anticipates that the Planning and Zoning Commission will vote on Diversified Partners, LLC’s application either in the hearing tonight, or tomorrow. The public may attend in person or via Zoom; SSGOC is encouraging the public to bring signs. To send your comments to the Commission on the rezoning of the property please email pzc@homewoodil.gov by 4 p.m. today.
SSGOC will be holding a “Stand With Our Community” rally at 6 p.m. at Homewood Village Hall (2020 Chestnut) on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. The rally will show the Homewood Board of Trustees that the community is united against this rezoning and the development that necessitates the rezoning. Residents will be asking the Board of Trustees to protect our community from this destructive project. The Board of Trustees has its regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, but the agenda has not yet been released. Concerned parties are encouraged to attend in person where public comment will be allowed, or watch via Zoom. Comments for the board may also be emailed to comments@homewoodil.gov or placed in the village drop box outside of Village Hall by 4 p.m. on March 9th.
SSGOC maintains our call that Napoleon Haney, assistant village manager, be barred from today’s Planning and Zoning Commission Hearing in order to have a fair, public hearing and a process free from police intimidation, and we maintain our demand that he be fired for attempting to use the village’s police force for political purposes.
About South Suburbs for Greenspace over Concrete
A multi-racial group of concerned residents of Homewood, Hazel Crest, East Hazel Crest, Flossmoor, Chicago Heights, South Holland and Glenwood formed in opposition to Diversified Partner LLC’s planned development of Calumet Country Club (2136 175th St, Homewood, IL 60430) into a fulfillment/trucking hub. The group is a campaign of SAFE.
About Illinois Southland Against Fossil Energy
Illinois Southland Against Fossil Energy was founded in response to the proposed gas-burning power plant in Glenwood. SAFE is building an inclusive, multi-racial coalition that believes the Southland needs and deserves a clean environment, clean government, healthy people, and a healthy economy.