Manhattan Greenlights 41-Lot Butternut Ridge South, Advances Wastewater Plant Expansion

Manhattan Village Board Meeting | November 18, 2025

Article Summary:
The Manhattan Village Board approved two major infrastructure projects, giving final plat approval for the 41-lot Butternut Ridge South subdivision and authorizing an agreement to update designs for the village’s wastewater treatment plant expansion.

Manhattan Development Key Points:

• The board approved the final plat for the Butternut Ridge South subdivision, a 20-acre, 41-lot development by Skyline Real Estate Development, LLC.

• An agreement with Strand Associates was approved for design and bidding services for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase 1 Expansion.

• The plant expansion, originally designed in 2020, requires updates to meet new building codes and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) loan requirements.

• The design updates are budgeted for $87,000, with an additional $35,000 for bidding services and a $75,000 contingency for any necessary changes.

MANHATTAN, IL – The Village of Manhattan took significant steps on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, to advance two major projects, approving the final plat for a new 41-home subdivision and entering an agreement to modernize plans for the expansion of its wastewater treatment plant.

The board unanimously approved the final plat for the Butternut Ridge South subdivision. The project, proposed by Skyline Real Estate Development, LLC, will develop a 20-acre parcel into 41 single-family lots immediately south of the existing Butternut Ridge subdivision. According to village documents, the average lot size will be 12,832 square feet, exceeding the 10,000-square-foot minimum. The development, which meets all village ordinances, had previously received approval for its rezoning and preliminary plat.

Later in the meeting, the board approved an agreement with Strand Associates, Inc. to update the design for the Phase 1 expansion of the village’s wastewater treatment plant. The project was initially designed in 2020 but has not yet proceeded to construction.

Dan Small of Strand Associates explained that the plans need to be refreshed to meet new building codes and the latest requirements for the IEPA’s loan program, which the village intends to use for financing. The approved agreement includes $87,000 for design services, $35,000 for bidding-related services, and up to $75,000 in “if-authorized” services should the code review necessitate significant design changes.

“We’ll have everything ready to go come July, August of next year to be ready to advertise and proceed,” Small told the board, noting the IEPA’s fiscal year begins July 1.