Plainfield Village Board Committee of the Whole Workshop – October 13, 2025

The Committee of the Whole Workshop of the President and Board of Trustees convened at 7:00 PM on October 13, 2025, at 24401 W. Lockport Street, Plainfield, IL. The meeting covered the Fiscal Year 2025 Audit, the Wallin Woods Multi-Family Development (Case #2055-042224.SPR.FP), the Northwest Corner of Johnson Rd. & Ridge Rd. Concept Plan (Case #2112-082225.CP), and a Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Update. No formal votes were taken on workshop items; board members provided feedback and direction to staff and developers.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the Committee of the Whole Workshop held on September 22, 2025, were approved by unanimous voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mike Kenniley (K-E-N-I-L-E-Y) of 15621 S. Benson Avenue addressed the board regarding the Safe Routes to School sidewalk project in the Benson and Plainfield Acres subdivisions. He expressed concerns that the project (Phase 1) would impact approximately 20 feet of front yards, remove trees and yard lighting, and create drainage and privacy issues. He noted a survey of 34 homes in the area found mixed opinions, with some residents welcoming the project but many opposing the intrusion. He requested that the board consider the neighborhood's input before proceeding.

Discussion Items

• F.1 Fiscal Year 2025 Audit: Jim Savio of Sikich LLP presented the annual comprehensive financial report. Highlights included an unmodified (clean) opinion, a general fund unassigned balance of $13 million (40% of FY26 expenditures, equal to about a five-month reserve), and a net change of $1.2 million in the general fund. The village’s IMRF pension funded ratio was approximately 90%, and the police pension fund ratio improved from 73% to 76%. No audit adjustments or material weaknesses were noted. Trustee Sula inquired about tracking return on investment for infrastructure spending and cost per mile for road maintenance. Village staff indicated these topics would be covered during budget discussions.
• F.2 Wallin Woods Multi-Family Site Plan Review (Case #2055-042224.SPR.FP): Marquette Companies (David Lyon) and Kalar Slater Architects (Joe Sinett) presented a revised plan for 565 residential units (down from 794–825 entitled) and 8,000 sq ft of commercial space (down from 164,900 sq ft entitled) on the 36-acre site at 24651 W. Lockport Street. The plan includes four building types, a central amenity building with pool, pocket parks, a multi-use path connecting to Settlers Park, and preserved tree lines. Board discussion focused on:
  • Mayor Argadellas suggested combining two pocket parks into a larger green space at the southeast corner to better connect with Settlers Park.
  • Trustees expressed appreciation for the reduced density and commercial square footage, the transition to single-family homes along Ottawa Street, and the internal green space.
  • Trustee Sula raised concerns about the development being a private rental community with gated-style amenities, arguing it could limit integration into the broader Plainfield community. She suggested partnerships with the YMCA or park district and more public-facing retail along Lockport. Developer responded that the community is not gated, and the northeast corner plaza is designed for public programming. They noted they would consider further community integration ideas.
  • Trustee Paniker asked about price points and Marquette’s history of long-term ownership. The developer agreed to provide estimated pricing and ownership history via email.
  • Traffic concerns were noted regarding ingress/egress, with developer mentioning potential modifications to left-turn lanes at Van Dyke and Lockport. The board asked staff and developer to review traffic flow carefully before formal approval.
• F.3 NWC of Johnson Rd. & Ridge Rd. Concept Plan (Case #2112-082225.CP): Core5 Industrial Partners (Liam Logan, Kevin Green) and Mid-America Development (David Bossey) presented a concept for ~214 acres at the northwest corner of Ridge Road and 143rd Street/Johnson Road. The plan includes a 1.25 million sq ft industrial building on ~150 acres, 47 acres of future residential (zoned R-1), and 9 acres of commercial fronting Ridge Road. The building would be 40-ft clear with ESFR sprinklers, 185-ft truck courts, and multiple access points on Johnson Road and Ridge Road. Board feedback included:
  • Strong support for preserving the existing tree line on the western boundary.
  • Concern about truck circulation and buffering on the north side: Trustee Rouen argued that the truck queuing area on the north side should be moved or better buffered, and that the proposed 60-ft total buffer (30 ft industrial, 30 ft future residential) was insufficient. He urged a larger greenbelt to be installed now rather than waiting for future residential development.
  • Trustee Banucci supported the industrial use as consistent with the comprehensive plan and appreciated the commercial component on the hard corner.
  • Trustee Sula asked about energy use and retrofit potential; developer explained the building is passive and would be re-leased if vacated. Solar panels were deemed not financially feasible at this scale.
  • The plan commission had previously recommended reducing access points on 143rd Street and favoring multiple smaller buildings over one large one. No formal decision was made; the board directed the applicant to address buffering and access concerns in future submissions.
• F.4 Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Update: Tracy Pleckham presented a mid-year update on the General Fund budget. Key points:
  • Total FY26 General Fund budget: just over $40 million.
  • Sales and use tax are 28% of revenue; property tax 22%. State-shared revenues (sales tax, income tax, motor fuel tax, PPRT) account for 47% of the budget.
  • Sales tax revenues through October are at 61% of budget (ahead of the 50% target), partly due to the leveling of the playing field for online sales.
  • Income tax is at 47% of budget (on track). Building permit revenues have already surpassed the annual budget.
  • Property tax collections are at 100% for the year.
  • Overall, 65% of revenues are collected vs. 40% of expenses, indicating a strong fiscal position.
  • The tax levy timeline was previewed: discussion begins October 27, with a public hearing anticipated December 1 and levy consideration that same night.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken on workshop items; all feedback is preliminary.
• Staff and developers for Wallin Woods were directed to refine plans based on board comments (green space connectivity, traffic flow, price/ownership data, community integration ideas).
• Staff and developers for NWC Johnson & Ridge were directed to address buffering on the north side of the industrial site, reduce or reconfigure access points, and preserve existing tree lines before returning for formal approval.
• The FY2026 Budget Update was received; the tax levy process will begin at the next workshop on October 27, 2025.
• The next Village Board meeting is scheduled for October 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM; the next Committee of the Whole Workshop is October 27, 2025, at 7:00 PM.