Homer Glen trustees decline Chase Bank site plan after residents and trustees raise concerns
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Summary
Trustees voted down a proposed Chase Bank redevelopment for the former Chili's site at 14025 S. Bell Road after trustees and residents raised concerns about location, potential vacancy of remaining space and loss of restaurant opportunities; the board later formally rejected the planning commission recommendation.
Trustees for the Village of Homer Glen voted not to approve a planned Chase Bank redevelopment at 14025 South Bell Road, saying the project raised concerns about neighborhood character, traffic and the long-term vacancy risk for much of the building.
The board considered an ordinance that would have allowed a major PUD change, a drive‑through special use, 24‑hour operation and site improvements for the property formerly occupied by Chili’s. Chase representatives told the board the company planned to invest "just short of $8,000,000 in Homer Glen" and that the bank would expand services beyond in‑store banking, including business banking and lending. John Kristoff, Chase's market director of real estate, said the company intended to "transform an outdated, underperforming property into a state‑of‑the‑art facility" and argued approval would not prevent restaurants from locating in Homer Glen.
Trustees and the property owner disputed Chase’s projection that the site otherwise could remain vacant for years. Norman Burmaster, a principal representing the owner, said the seller bought the property in February 2020 and that national restaurants had not been willing to pay rents needed to make a restaurant tenant viable. Burmaster said the owner had accepted a lease termination from Chili’s and that Chase paid a termination fee to acquire the site.
Several trustees urged caution. Trustee LaPorte said most residents she spoke with opposed the plan and warned that approval would "be shortsighted and not in the best interest of Homer Glen." Trustee Mason and Trustee Mueller said the location could better serve a sit‑down restaurant to produce sales tax revenue, and Trustee Schaller recommended denying the ordinance to allow more community input and alternatives.
After discussion and a roll‑call vote, the motion to approve the ordinance did not pass. Later in the meeting, trustees moved and passed a separate, formal motion to "reject the conclusions and findings of fact" from the planning commission recommendation for the same proposal.
Discussion only: trustees and public commenters debated traffic, neighborhood fit and the prospect that much of the building would remain vacant under Chase’s initial plan. Direction: trustees asked staff and the village manager to keep seeking commercial tenants and to follow up with the parties who spoke at the meeting. Formal action: the ordinance failed and the board later voted to formally reject the planning commission recommendation.
The meeting record shows trustees asked Chase representatives to provide additional materials during the discussion; Chase supplied a market analysis and representatives from the owner and the bank answered trustees' questions at the podium.
The vote on the ordinance did not pass; the board subsequently approved the motion rejecting the planning commission’s recommendation. No final site permit or PUD change for the property was adopted at this meeting.
