[PAGE 1]
Committee of the Whole
Minutes
Village of Cary
March 3, 2026
Immediately Followed The Village Board Meeting
Cary Municipal Center Board Room
755 Georgetown Drive, Cary, IL 60013
ATTENDANCE
Village Board of Trustees
Mayor Mark Kownick, Trustee Dale Collier, Trustee Ellen McAlpine, Trustee Rick Dudek,
Trustee Anthony Stefani, Trustee David Prusina
Absent: Trustee Rick Walrath
Others Present
Village Administrator Morimoto, Assistant Village Administrator Radcliffe, Community
Development Director Simmons, Public Works Director Noonan, Capital Projects Manager
Caty Ward, Police Chief Hayes, Village Attorney Uhler
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kownick at 6:29 p.m.
II. Roll Call
The roll was called. Trustee Walrath was absent.
III. Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Kownick led in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
IV. Public Comments
Ginny Palumbo, 1 Saint Lo Court, stated she lost a sale on her house because of the
decision to connect New Haven Drive to Rt. 31.
Chris Reike, 446 Lloyd Street, suggested speed bumps as a traffic calming measure
on New Haven Drive.
Mayor Kownick asked Mr. Reike to hold additional comments regarding New Haven
Drive traffic calming measures until the item is opened for discussion.
There being no further comments, Mayor Kownick closed Public Comments at 6:33
p.m.
V. Discussion Items
A. Food Truck Requirements Discussion
Assistant Administrator Radcliffe provided an overview of current food truck 1

[PAGE 2]
regulations and potential changes.
Trustees McAlpine, Collier, Stefani, Dudek, and Prusina support annual food truck
fees instead of charging a daily fee.
Trustee Collier asked if there would be restrictions on the number of food trucks
allowed at Cary Lake at Rotary Park.
Assistant Administrator Radcliffe stated staff recommends allowing 1-2 food trucks
for events scheduled at the park pavilion.
It was the consensus of the Committee of the Whole to forward to a future
Village Board meeting the proposed changes to current Village of Cary food
truck regulations.
B. Discussion Regarding New Haven Drive Traffic Calming Improvements
Director Simmons stated one of the conditions of approval of the Seasons at Cary
PUD was the implementation of traffic calming measures on New Haven Drive.
Director Simmons provided an overview of the proposed traffic calming
improvements.
Tony DeRosa of Fiduciary Real Estate Design and their traffic consultant were
present for any questions.
Chris Reike, 446 Lloyd Street, asked if additional raised crosswalks could be
installed as traffic calming measures further north on New Haven Drive.
Administrator Morimoto stated raised crosswalks are effective when installed in
locations where there is a greater likelihood of pedestrians rather than as an
overall traffic calming measure.
Trustee Prusina asked why only one of the proposed crosswalks has a beacon.
Director Simmons stated there are more pedestrians crossing at the Hoffman Park
location than the Cambria Park location. Director Simmons also stated there are
cost considerations.
Administrator Morimoto stated there are ongoing operation and maintenance costs
for beacon crossings.
Sergio Sierra, 1464 New Haven Drive, stated the proposed traffic calming
measures will have the opposite effect of slowing down traffic. Mr. Sierra supports
lane narrowing to slow down traffic.
Chris Negoda, 1370 Mulberry Lane, asked for further information regarding
chicanes.
Director Simmons stated chicanes provide a center median that requires a lateral
shift when driving.
2

[PAGE 3]
Ms. Negoda does not support the chicanes and feels even with signage and
landscaping they may not be visible enough for drivers.
Ginny Palumbo, 1 Saint Lo Court, stated the proposed improvements will take
away parking and does not support the traffic circle.
Rich Yelle, 1409 New Haven Drive, requested a raised crosswalk near where the
chicane is proposed. Mr. Yelle expressed concern about the proximity of Savoy
Drive to the traffic circle.
Ryan Huellen, 1174 Cimarron Drive, stated the proposed improvements address
most of his concerns. Mr. Huellen requested a crosswalk in the northern stretch of
New Haven Drive and asked if it was possible to include a bike lane.
Mayor Kownick stated a bike lane would not be possible due to the width of the
road.
Mr. Huellen asked if it would be possible to put another trailblazer sign on
westbound Cimarron Drive, east of Georgetown Drive, to prevent people from
cutting through residential streets.
Mayor Kownick stated this would be a good idea to evaluate.
Meghan Ruscheinski, 124 Savoy Drive, asked the Board to consider adding a
beacon to the proposed raised crosswalk. Ms. Ruscheinski asked if stop signs
installed along New Haven Drive were considered. Ms. Ruscheinski asked if the
traffic circle could be changed to a 4-way stop.
Mayor Kownick stated stop signs were considered; however, studies have shown
that this is not an effective traffic calming measure.
Administrator Morimoto stated the traffic volume from cross streets do not meet the
requirement for the installation of stop signs on New Haven Drive.
Forrester Faia, 1527 Summerhill Lane, expressed his concern about wide turning
truck traffic at Georgetown Drive and New Haven Drive. Mr. Faia is concerned
about speeding from the proposed raised crosswalk on northbound New Haven
Drive to Georgetown Drive and feels a speed radar sign will not be a deterrent.
Mayor Kownick stated the Village is currently looking at a software system that will
be able to monitor traffic data on every road in the Village. Mayor Kownick stated
the speed radar signs are also capturing vehicle speed data.
Mr. Faia asked who is paying for all of the traffic calming infrastructure.
Mayor Kownick stated the developer is paying for all of the traffic calming
infrastructure.
Karen Hedberg, 1321 Geneva Lane, expressed concern that there are no
proposed traffic calming measures on Geneva Lane and feels there will be
3

[PAGE 4]
increased traffic by residents of the Cambria and Cimarron subdivisions cutting
through to get to New Haven Drive.
Megan Miller, 385 Geneva Lane, feels the chicanes and narrowing of lanes will be
useful as traffic calming measures. Ms. Miller doesn't like the look of the trailblazer
signs in a neighborhood and asked if No Through Traffic signs would be effective.
Ms. Miller stated it currently doesn't feel like there is a crosswalk to get to Hoffman
Park.
Susan Clark, 1582 New Haven Drive, does not support the proposed traffic circle
due to the number of cars that will be coming in and out of the three driveways
connecting to it. Ms. Clark is also concerned about the parking that will be lost due
to the proposed traffic circle.
Mr. Sierra stated the intersection of Georgetown Drive and New Haven Drive
should be widened due to large vehicles turning onto New Haven Drive.
Trustee McAlpine asked Director Simmons to verify that large semi trucks will not
be allowed on New Haven Drive.
Director Simmons stated vehicles such as semi trucks will not be allowed on New
Haven Drive due to a weight restriction; however, larger vehicles like a bus or
delivery trucks are allowed and may require a wider turn to get onto New Haven
Drive.
Administrator Morimoto stated there is currently a striped center median on
Georgetown Drive for use by larger vehicles to turn onto New Haven Drive.
Ms. Negoda is concerned about no parking on the north side of New Haven Drive
and feels it will impede the line of sight for westbound traffic at the curve. Ms.
Negoda does not support the proposed traffic circle.
Mr. Faia is concerned GPS navigation will suggest motorists cut through to get to
New Haven Drive as a time saving measure. Mr. Faia is concerned about Fire
Department emergency response time.
Kim Bennett, 1438 New Haven Drive, is concerned about the location of the
proposed chicanes due to accidents in that area. Ms. Bennett asked if anyone had
considered signage indicating motorists are entering a neighborhood.
Mayor Kownick stated signage will be added to the items to be considered.
Trustee Prusina supports having crosswalks with beacons.
Trustee McAlpine stated safety is the main priority and encouraged residents to
stay engaged.
Trustee Stefani asked why a raised crosswalk was not advised as a traffic calming
measure on Decker Drive but is being proposed here.
4

[PAGE 5]
Mayor Kownick stated the option is being provided based on resident feedback.
Trustee McAlpine asked if raised crosswalks are effective and why they are being
proposed if police, fire, and Public Works are opposed to them.
Administrator Morimoto stated raised crosswalks are not necessarily opposed, and
they are effective in locations with greater concentrations of pedestrians.
Trustee Collier asked if the traffic circle could be moved to the west to avoid the
townhome driveways. Trustee Collier asked if this design is the most effective way
to slow down traffic.
Director Simmons stated the current traffic circle design is not atypical and moving
it to the west would require the acquisition of additional land. Director Simmons
stated in this particular instance, the traffic circle is the most effective way to slow
down traffic by utilizing the existing cul-de-sac bulb.
Trustee Collier asked why the New Have Drive and Georgetown Drive intersection
only has one stop sign.
Administrator Morimoto stated historic traffic volume has not warranted additional
stop signs on Georgetown Drive; however, this will be continually evaluated to
monitor for changes.
Trustee Collier supports a beacon crosswalk on the northern portion of New Haven
Drive and asked why a crosswalk with a center median could not be utilized.
Administrator Morimoto stated a center median would prevent some residents from
being able to turn left into their driveway, forcing them to drive past the median and
turn around in order to access their driveway.
Trustee Collier supports a beacon crosswalk on the northern portion of New Haven
Drive and additional one at the bend.
Trustee Dudek is not supportive of the trailblazer signs, but is supportive of 3-4
flashing crosswalks and the raised sidewalk by Hoffman Park. Trustee Dudek is
concerned about the proposed traffic circle. Trustee Dudek supports an all-way
stop at New Haven Drive and Georgetown Drive and suggested the Village
evaluate the viability of a right-turn lane from southbound Georgetown at New
Haven Drive. Trustee Dudek would like information on the cost of the proposed
traffic calming measures.
Mayor Kownick supports the raised crosswalk by Hoffman Park and installing
beacons with striping for the other non-raised crosswalks. Mayor Kownick stated
other Mayors have told him chicanes have been very effective in their
communities. Mayor Kownick agrees with Trustee McAlpine that safety is the main
priority when making decisions for the Village.
VI. Adjourn
5