The Kane County Board voted 15-6 Tuesday (March 8, 2016) to deny a special use permit for a proposed 120-bed substance-abuse-treatment facility in an unincorporated area near Campton Hills.

Maxxam Partners LLC had sought the special use designation for the 120-acre property that formerly was the home of Glenwood Academy, a private boarding school located at 41W400 Silver Glen Road. A special use for the school was granted in 1989, and the existing multi-building campus includes structures for administrative, classroom, recreational, dining and residential uses.

The school was closed in 2012 and is presently vacant.

Voting to deny the special use request were Deborah Allan, Brian W. Dahl, Mark Davoust, Drew Frasz, Rebecca Gillam, Joseph Haimann, Michael Kenyon, Kurt Kojzarek, Philip Lewis, John Martin, Brian Pollock, Thomas (T.R.) Smith, Susan Starrett, Maria Vazquez and Barbara Wojnicki.

Voting against the motion to deny were Maggie Auger, John J. Hoscheit, Don Ishmael, Myrna Molina, Douglas Scheflow and Monica Silva.

Board member Cristina Castro voted “present” and Bill Lenert abstained. Theresa Barreiro was absent.

The petitioner had proposed to use the existing buildings and infrastructure on the property for an exclusively private-pay alcoholism and substance abuse treatment facility. The drug- and alcohol-treatment center also would serve people with eating disorders and other addictions, with the exceptions of methamphetamine or sexual addictions.

At a meeting that lasted more than two hours, County Board members heard testimony from proponents and opponents to the plan.

County Board members based their decision on six requirements for granting a special use:

1. That the establishment, maintenance or operation of the special use will not be unreasonably detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, morals, comfort or general welfare;
2. That the special use will not be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for the purposes already permitted, nor substantially diminish and impair property values within the neighborhood;
3. That the establishment of the special use will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding property for uses permitted in the district;
4. That adequate utility, access roads, drainage and/or other necessary facilities have been or are being provided;
5. That adequate measures have been or will be taken to provide ingress and egress so designated as to minimize traffic congestion in the public streets and roads; and
6. That the special use shall, in all other respects, conform to the applicable regulations of the district in which it is located, except as such regulations may be in each instance be modified by the County Board pursuant to the recommendations of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

PETITION NO. 4364: Glenwood Academy/Maxxam Partners, LLC