Manteno, IL – A pivotal re-zoning hearing for the Gotion Battery Plant has been moved to accommodate an anticipated large turnout.
Officials have shifted the venue from the Leo Hassett Community Center to the Manteno Elementary School at 555 W. Cook St., signaling the community’s heightened interest in the plant’s future. Initially set for November 14, the rescheduled meeting on November 21 will allow public input on Gotion’s controversial rezoning application—from light-industrial to heavy-industrial—to pave the way for a new lithium battery factory aimed at the booming EV market.
The factory promises up to 2,600 jobs, but faces staunch opposition over safety concerns and Gotion’s alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party. The growing resistance now includes legal challenges, reflecting the community’s alarm. After gathering evidence and testimony, the Planning Commission will adjourn until November 27 for further deliberations, with a final vote to follow.
The outcome will then proceed to the Manteno Village Board on December 4 for a decisive meeting.
