Naperville Opts Out:
Naperville City Council has voted to opt out of the recreational sale of adult-use cannabis. That means when it becomes legal statewide on January 1, Naperville will not allow any recreational dispensaries to operate within city limits, but will allow residents to smoke legally purchased marijuana on private property. A record 238 speakers signed up to voice their opinion at last night’s meeting, the majority in favor of opting out. But council is open to putting the matter to voters, directing city staff to look into developing a non-binding referendum on the issue for a future election. Many on the dais said the issue has been divisive and a referendum would be an effective way to learn how residents feel. The final vote was 6-3.
CityGate Development Gets Go Ahead:
Also at the meeting, Council gave the go ahead to Lincoln at CityGate Centre. Some on the dais asked if there would be affordable housing in the northwestern Naperville development. A spokesman for developer Lincoln Property Company said they aren’t experts in that field and wouldn’t want to do affordable housing if it’s not done well. In lieu of that, they offered to make a $200,000 donation to promote affordable housing in Naperville. There were also concerns about the 285-apartment development’s impact on Indian Prairie School District 204. But because most of the units are studios and one-bedrooms, the developer said generation tables indicate only 25 students will come from the apartments. Council voted to pass the ordinances allowing the development to proceed.
Shuman Boulevard Construction:
Resurfacing work on Shuman Boulevard between Washington Street and Mill Street begins this week. Drivers should expect periodic lane closures as the road is worked on over the next three weeks. Please keep an eye out for workers and use alternate routes when possible.
Focus on Safety:
A new month means a new A Safer Naper topic, and this time around it’s Safety for All Ages. The Naperville Police Department is turning its focus to general tips for keeping the public safe, ranging from precautions while driving to proper use and storage of medicine. You can check out their website for some helpful advice on how to keep yourself and family members of all ages safe in a variety of circumstances.