District 428 presented its near-final plans for the new DeKalb High School during a public hearing hosted by the DeKalb Plan Commission Wednesday night.

Architect David Maroney presented a site plan and a floor plan of the new high school which will feature a full football and soccer field and about 1150 total parking spots.

At its highest point, the building will reach 68 feet.

After the preliminary planning, Maroney said the building plans took a year to develop.

“Very good feedback, very good energy, because everyone wants these things and they were able to balance things to a very workable solution,” he said of the process. “We’re all working kind of toward the end here, so it’s been an exciting process.”

The new school requires a special use permit for the 79.9 acres located at the northwest corner of Dresser Road and Wildflower Lane which was designated for single-family residential homes, according to a 2005 comprehensive plan.

Some of the concerns the planning commissioners dealt with included the drainage system.

Commissioner Vincent Frye wanted to make sure that drainage from the existing residential homes was directed correctly.

While the new school will also have three connected ponds to control the school’s own drainage, Maroney said they haven’t been managing the drainage of the neighboring residential homes.

Maroney also said the school will not block farm tiles.

As far as energy efficiency, Maroney said the building will have a high-energy boiler system, cooling system and tinted windows to block solar energy along with heat recovery that will catch the heat before it is released into the exhaust.

“We’re really taking some extensions on what we might not typically do,” Maroney said.

After the presentation, DeKalb resident Roger Chilton, who will neighbor the new high school, said he’s not against the high school but wants to make sure announcement speakers were placed in the north or east.

“I’d like to see those placed in a manner that would be comfortable for the neighbors.”

Tracy Williams, another resident who will be neighboring the high school, asked that the nearby residents continue being mitigated as much as possible.

“We’re in discussions to address our concerns of the physical and financial security of my family,” he said. “We’re asking for the adequate buffering.”