OSWEGO, Ill. — According to the Chicago Tribune, residents who have been opposed to a proposed new Delta Sonic location intend to continue their fight against the carwash’s coming.
Residents from Steeplechase at Country Club Hill, an age-restricted community nearby, claim that is an inappropriate and unneeded use near a residential community, the article continued; they presented a three-ring binder with their statement and material for informational backup to the Oswego Village Board.
Residents are concerned about traffic from the carwash using the subdivision as a cut-through.
“We are concerned that people will use the Yoakum entrance from the south and use our community as a shortcut to get to Delta Sonic to avoid two traffic lights because there are no stop signs to northbound traffic. If Kendall Point is blocked exiting north, all traffic wanting to go west on Route 34 will have to detour through our community,” group spokesman Dale Christenson said. “We are a senior community with many elderly residents as neighbors. We believe that the increased traffic into our neighborhood will create a safety risk for some of our residents.”
Furthermore, the group claimed that surveys of local consumers indicated that another carwash and gas station is not needed and cited 13 existing businesses on the Route 34 corridor that offer “virtually the same services” as Delta Sonic, the article noted.
“The distance from Douglas Road to Circle K at Ogden Falls is about 1.8 miles. There are 13 locations now that will provide virtually the same goods and services as Delta Sonic in this short stretch of the Route 34 corridor,” Christenson said. “Just how many of these businesses does the community development department or our village think we need until we have an adequate supply?”
The village has asked Delta Sonic to modify its plans to reduce impact to Steeplechase, including landscaping between the properties and “no through street” signage, the article added; Delta Sonic has already agreed to comply with other village requirements concerning lighting and noise standards should the project be approved.
Village Administrator Dan Di Santo said that while the village respectfully understands the residents’ concerns, the village cannot keep a property owner from petitioning the village, the article added, and the proposed plans are in line with the commercial zoning for the area.
“The proposed Delta Sonic needs only to meet the standards for a special use permit, which include proving that the use will not have a substantial or undue adverse effect on adjacent property,” Di Santo said.
The proposal wash rescheduled to return to the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 5th following a programming glitch that caused nearby residents not to be informed about the meeting.
“Delta Sonic has the right to prove their case in front of the Planning and Zoning Commission and ultimately the Village Board, just as the public has the right to raise issues that concern them,” Di Santo said. “In terms of the impact on other gas stations and carwashes, it is not the job of the village to keep out competition; rather, the free market should dictate demands for service and how private property is developed within the bounds of the zoning ordinance and comprehensive plan.”
Read the original article here.
