Fabyan Woods - Stettler's Hill Master Plan

[Red Snail Racing]

CAMBr was invited to meet with the Kane County Planning Committee and introduce CAMBr to the Kane County Board in relationship to the proposed master plan for the development of Fabyan Woods and Settler’s Hill.

This is a link to the Master Plan.  The music venue in the woods and the roads to it have been deleted from the current proposal. http://www.countyofkane.com/Lists/Events/Attachments/2545/AG%20PKT%20-%20May%20Fabyan.pdf

Matt Knowles of All Spoked Up had been talking to Mike Donahue, Chair of the committee that is working on the development plan, and set up a meeting between me and Mike last Thursday.  Mike showed me the very preliminary plan for the development.  He was looking for input before presenting it to the board Monday afternoon.  The plan as it stands has trails in the woods and along the creek to the north end of the park.  Mike then asked me give a brief presentation to the board on Monday, introduce CAMBr to them and express support for trails in the master plan.

I did attend the meeting Monday afternoon, introduced CAMBr to the board, presented our mission and philosophy, outlined the size of the mountain biking community and our strong interest for mountain bike trails in the plan.  I also told them it was too early to talk about the exact location of the trails, but this was a unique opportunity to be part of developing a recreation resource for the citizens of Kane County. Our presentation was very well received and we will now begin talking to the conservation and restoration groups to ensure we are working together on this project.

You can see things are moving very quickly right now, but as you know this is a project that has to work its way through the process of planning and public hearings.  As I mentioned earlier this was a first pass of the plan and as expected some of the proposals were immediately nixed by the board, but mountain biking is still very much part of the plan.  I will continue to update you as vetting process proceeds and inform you as to when we can use your help and show of support.

Thanks in advance for your support,
Jerry


Advocacy Alert
How you can help.

Chicago Area Mountain Bikers,
There is a Master plan for developing the Fabyan Woods/Settler’s Hill area for recreation of all types.  Golf, sledding, hiking, XC skiing, a outdoor music venue and yes, mountain bike trails.
If you have been following this on the CAMBr site you will have read that there is an organized group, small but vocal, that are opposed to the plan and mountain biking in particular.  We have been asked to help advocate for the development of this plan and to do that we need your support.  
Please populate the To line of your e-mail with the addresses below.  Then fill the Subject line with “Keep the Promise”.  All that is left is to copy and paste the message below into the message area and add your name and address.

The goal is to send over 600 e-mails.

Thanks for your help,
Jerry Stoeckigt
Executive Director

dallan@kanecoboard.org; MAuger@kanecoboard.org; CCastro@kanecoboard.org; dcollins@kanecoboard.org; mdavoust@kanecoboard.org; MDonahue@kanecoboard.org; RFord@kanecoboard.org; DFrasz@kanecoboard.org; THaley@kanecoboard.org; jhoscheit@co.kane.il.us; churlbut@kanecoboard.org; mkenyon@kanecoboard.org; bkunkel@kanecoboard.org; PLewis@kanecoboard.org; hlindgren@kanecoboard.org; kmcconnaughay@kanecoboard.org; JMihalec@kanecoboard.org; jmitchell@kanecoboard.org; MMolina@kanecoboard.org; JReyna@kanecoboard.org; MSilva@kanecoboard.org; TSmith@kanecoboard.org; MTaylor@kanecoboard.org; jtredup@kanecoboard.org; tvancleave@kanecoboard.org; JVazquez@kanecoboard.org; bwojnicki@kanecoboard.org

Dear Kane County Board Member/Forest Preserve Commissioner:
I support the Fabyan/Settler’s Hill Master Plan, which includes mountain bike trails and I urge you to KEEP THE PROMISE Kane County made when it asked us to support a regional solid waste landfill 35 years ago in exchange for getting a recreation complex in return when it closed.  We the people have endured the noise, dust, odor and garbage truck traffic for more than three decades, and I ask you to act now to approve this plan and open the site for public enjoyment as promised.
The people who are opposing this plan are unaware, or choose to forget, the covenant entered into between Waste Management and Kane County that required Waste Management to set aside funds for the purpose redeveloping the site for public recreational use.  Your predecessors entered into this agreement on our behalf and now you are obligated to uphold it.
 Please KEEP THE PROMISE and approve the Fabyan/Settler’s Hill Master Plan, which includes mountain bike trails.
Regards,
 
NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBER

[Hand/of/Midas]

Sent out the email, thank you for your hard work Jerry.

[Ryan the VW Tech]

I sent the emails last night. I got one response already.

Mr. Dontsow,

Thank you for your comments.  I agree that Kane County made a promise to return the Settler's Hill landfill to the people as a recreational amenity after it closed.  The landfill has been closed for more than six years and so far the county has done nothing to make good on this promise.  Further, the county has collected more than $6 million dollars in fees from the landfill for the purpose of implementing this plan.  It is time that we make good on the promise, but we cannot do it without the continued support from concerned citizens like you.

Thank you for taking the time to participate in our great system of democracy and I encourage you to stay involved.

Regards,

Mike Donahue
District 11

[BPBP]

Got the same response.

I also posted a response on the NIMBY site since I was sure they wouldn't actual post it along with their whitewashed comments. Thinking of it as a one-way conversation.

[Hardtail22]

Sent!

Response as follows:

Thank you for your input concerning the Settlers Hill Master Plan. There is still lots of time before this plan will go before the board and there are many moving parts. The chairman of the task force Mike Donahue is recording all the emails. Keep in touch

[Ballickarkingofthefairies]

This has been my go to, everyday riding spot for almost 10 years now.  I have a lot of emotional ties to this place and would hate to see it go.  Fabyan's got a lot of great stuff back there and would make an awesome little trail system.  Thanks everyone.

[rallymaniac]

Sent

[Sagan]

Sent.

Added this to the end.

"As someone who has to spend 45 minutes in the car in order to find reasonable mountain biking trails, I cherish the idea to be able to use the recreational space in my own backyard. Thank you."

[rallymaniac]

I got a reply from one of the people listed in the email addresses above (Mike Donahue). It looks like some people understand.
Below is the reply. 

"Thank you for your comments.  I agree that Kane County made a promise to return the Settler's Hill landfill to the people as a recreational amenity after it closed.  The landfill has been closed for more than six years and so far the county has done nothing to make good on this promise.  Further, the county has collected more than $6 million dollars in fees from the landfill for the purpose of implementing this plan.  It is time that we make good on the promise, but we cannot do it without the continued support from concerned citizens like you.

Thank you for taking the time to participate in our great system of democracy and I encourage you to stay involved.

Regards,

Mike Donahue
District 11"

[aramid]

Done.

[stens1971]

e-mail sent, my wife sent it too.

[twntysxthstwoodsmn]

Sent mine.   Got three of my friends too send emails also.

[johnjr75]

I hiked the northern creek trail with my daughter yesterday, and with a little trimming, it will be great. It would be nice to see this trail loop, crossing the creek on both sides.

As concerned as these resedents are with 'protecting' their forest, they sure let a lot of garbage accumulate in Fayban. You would never see that kind of crap at Saw Wee Kee.

[jmnicebike]

I know we all have a lot on our schedules,

but if it's that bad there,   a clean up day at the trail organized by CAMBR and with the local media invited might go far towards proving our committment to the environment....

[I pick bad lines]

I could get on board with that. It's an EXCELLENT idea.