George Houde / Special to the Tribune

Construction of a controversial, $3.5 million public works building will move forward after Fox River Grove trustees tweaked recommendations from the village’s zoning board to buffer heavy truck and machinery traffic in the surrounding neighborhood.

A special meeting was called on Thursday, July 22, to consider six recommendations from the zoning board, which called for the new building to be limiting to one entrance and exit and for restricting public works traffic to County Line Road. The proposed, 15,000-square-foot building is planned for an area on County Line Road near Illinois Highway 22.

The village board session was a sharp contrast to a stormy meeting in February in which residents shouted at trustees and nearly succeeded in halting the project. Village President Robert Nunamaker said much of the opposition has died out.

Other recommendations from the zoning board included installing sidewalks on County Line Road, increasing the building’s setback to 50 feet, maintaining a buffer using existing trees or a berm and planting shrubs on neighboring property to diminish headlight glare.

Trustees agreed to create an asphalt walkway rather than concrete sidewalks, adopted the setback guideline and agreed to construct a berm as a buffer in front of the building, but rejected the idea of planting shrubs on nearby properties.

Much of the discussion centered on the problems the building’s entrances and exits could create as large public works trucks pulled onto County Line Road or North Road. School buses and fire trucks also will use the facility for fueling purposes.

“We want to mitigate the traffic for residents,” said Nunamaker.

Trustees adopted a suggestion from Trustee Duane Figurski that public works traffic on North Street be restricted to the hours of 7 to 9 a.m. After the morning rush hour, traffic could only use County Line Road.

The board rejected a proposal for only one entrance to the facility and kept the plan’s original three driveways, though one will have a locked gate with key card access.

Trustees are to vote on an ordinance adopting the proposals on Aug. 19.