Kane County residents will have another opportunity to share their views of a controversial plan for a 120-bed drug and alcohol treatment center later this month after the developer made a surprise appearance at a public hearing on the proposal for the former Glenwood Academy in Campton Township.
Maxxam Partners LLC.’s principal, Steven Marco, appeared at a Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing last week on the company’s petition for a special use zoning request needed to build the center, but offered more “no comment” statements than answers about the facility.
“I am frustrated because no comment is a no answer,” Zoning Board of Appeals member Marc Falk said after Marco continuously declined to answer questions. “I just want answers.”
Maxxam Partners LLC. has a contract with the Glenwood School for Boys, also known as Glenwood Academy, to purchase the former campus on Silver Glen Road in Campton Township. A special use zoning is required because the land is zoned for farming.
The company’s first petition was denied last year after nine public hearings where the company presented volumes of testimony from experts and neighbors raised objections. The county board rescinded the Zoning Board of Appeals decision last month and sent the petition back for a new hearing. As part of the new proceedings, Maxxam presented a list of nine conditions it agreed to follow, including providing Kane County with 1,000 doses for 10 years of a drug that reverses overdoses.
Thursday’s hearing was the first time Marco appeared before the Zoning Board of Appeals. He is a managing partner, with Adam Glassberg, of the Delaware-based Maxxam Partners.
Kane County Board attorney Patrick Kinnally questioned Marco on topics such as what he does for a living, who is involved in Maxxam Partners, what plans he has for staffing and whether he has experience running a drug and alcohol treatment center.
A sticking point is whether Maxxam could transfer the special use zoning to another company.
“The only thing we are trying to do is make sure there is accountability on all measures and if a transfer does happen, we have the opportunity to make sure it is still a proper use,” Zoning Board of Appeals Commissioner Mary Lake said.
Marco agreed to change the wording and assured the ZBA he would be the only owner.
The contentious testimony lasted about three hours with Marco repeatedly responding with “I have no comment on that.”
“I am here to communicate anything I can,” Marco said at one point. Then he declined to comment about another question. Marco repeatedly stated he stood by what was in the record.
Chairman Ann Michalsen said the Zoning Board has spent a lot of time reading the record, but the witnesses who testified for the record did not have direct knowledge of how the treatment center would be run or its policies and only testified about licensing and code regulations.
“You are the missing link,” Michalsen said. “You provide a lot of value here. You are here, I think, to provide assurance this will be a professionally run facility.”
Marco’s attorney, Andrew Kolb, objected to some of Kinnally’s questions.
“We just need to remind ourselves everyone here has to be respectful,” Michalsen said. “There is a long history with this case. We know there are a lot of hard feelings. We didn’t sit through those nine hearings. We are starting fresh.”
She did not believe Kinnally was being disrespectful. “I think he is frustrated,” she said.
Kevin Carrerra, an attorney representing a neighbor who opposes the plan, said he has been waiting a year and a half to talk with Marco. His questions focused on who owns Maxxam, how the treatment center would operate, who would be involved with running it and staffing. Marco continued stating “no comment.”
Marco said the treatment center would be in compliance with codes.
Carrerra asked if Maxxam would agree that if it did not achieve accreditation — one of the conditions it suggested — the special use permit would expire. Marco said it would be unenforceable because accreditation is not required in the licensing process. It is something that was added to the conditions to show the treatment center would have a higher level of care, Marco said.
Marco told ZBA members he is a real estate developer who has worked on luxury projects but has been focused primarily on the treatment center for two and a half years, he said. He is the best at finding the best people to run his projects, he said.
The hearing will continue at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24 for additional testimony and can continue on Thursday, Jan. 26, if needed.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
