Dear Residents,

It has been a busy few days in South Barrington as the Board has facilitated four evening meetings in a span of six days.

First, we had a Plan Commission/Zoning Board meeting on the proposed solar project. We had a mix of residents and non-residents participate in the meeting that lasted until 11:30 PM. Then, we had our regular Village Board meeting followed by a public hearing the next day on the sale of a parcel of land known as Area N. We had approximately 50 people attend this meeting to express their views on the potential use of the land as a church and school. We will continue to meet on the zoning issues for Area N at the next meeting scheduled for August 26th. Finally, last Monday, we held a Special Village Board meeting to consider and approve additional zoning issues. During this meeting, the Village Board approved a concrete plan for the development of the property known as the “Allstate Parcel” to attract a developer to build on the site and join the South Barrington corporate family. We were also proud to welcome the expanded and secondary future use for the Neon Soul Yoga Studio of a body art lounge focused on mindfulness and mental health issues.  Neon Soul Yoga is having its grand opening this weekend on Sunday August18 for their new Arial Yoga. Please see below for information. This will be a welcome addition to our ever-expanding Arboretum. We look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming Village meetings.

Conservancy

One important upcoming meeting will focus on plans to make improvements to the Conservancy property. That meeting is slated for August 21st.

The Village began the process of transforming 35 acres of land into a unique place for residents to experience nature in 2004. In 2010, the Conservancy was introduced to South Barrington residents in a Grand Opening event.

The Conservancy is separate from the South Barrington Park District. It technically belongs to the Village but in reality, the Conservancy belongs to the entire South Barrington community, which is why we are looking to you, the residents, for input on how to make this gem even better.

We are in the process of developing a Conservancy Master Plan. The goal is to make this property even more of a value-add to our community. We want to hear your ideas for how to improve the Conservancy. To that end, we have set up a short survey that we hope you will take a few moments to complete.

You can access the survey HERE.

We look forward to hearing from you! Also, please attend the 7 pm meeting for the Conservancy Plan on the 21st. The Conservancy is a touch of nature. It is here for all of us to enjoy. I hope you will join us on this exciting journey to make the Conservancy better than ever.

Cub Scouts to launch rockets

Speaking of the Conservancy, the Cub Scout Pack 287 will have their annual rocket launch from the south end of the South Barrington Park District Park in the Woods of South Barrington. Weather permitting, they will be out there Tuesday, August 27, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. See below to see designated area for launch.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y5fFVHAwvOdF0oafQz13sJpMRnQ872gV/view?usp=sharing
Mago Grill and Cantina wins 2024 Diners’ Choice Award

Congratulations to Mago Grill and Cantina for winning OpenTable’s 2024 Diners’ Choice Award.

The Diners’ Choice program recognizes outstanding restaurants based on feedback from thousands of local diners. OpenTable diners globally have provided over 30 million ratings and reviews, all confirmed to have dined at a restaurant.

Stop by the Mago Grill and Cantina and congratulate them on their award!

FREE Webinar on drought and flooding

The Private Well Class is hosting a FREE webinar, “Potential Impacts of Drought and Flooding on Private Wells,” next week! The class is on Tuesday, August 27, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. For more information on the webinar and to sign up click here. There’s still time to get registered and submit your questions in advance.

Summer concerts continue at the Arboretum

There are only a few weeks left to enjoy the Arboretum Summer Concert Series. Wednesday, August 21 from 6:30-9 p.m., the musicians of ARRA will be taking the stage. By performing the biggest hits by the biggest bands of all time, with precision and excellence, it has been, and continues to be, the secret to their success. ARRA’s superior vocal harmonies and incredible musicianship have made them one of the most sought-after club and festival bands in the Chicago area. Read below for more information about this event and other upcoming concerts or click here.

Back to School

For many South Barrington students, next week is their first day back at school. I want to wish all the South Barrington students a big WELCOME BACK. The Village Board and staff hope you have a great year!

As always, I can be reached by email at pmccombie@southbarrington.org or online through our website. I can also be reached through the anonymous comment boxes located in the Village Hall and Police Department lobbies. I read anonymous messages privately, so please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss any matter.

Have a great weekend!

Paula McCombie
Mayor

Read more of my Friday message by clicking here.

If you have not signed up to receive our Weekly E-News or CodeRED Emergency Notifications, please do so by clicking the links below: