DuPage Street food‑truck park deferred after heated public comment, legal dispute; hearing continued to Aug. 4

The Planning and Zoning Commission on July 7 voted 3‑1 to table petition 15‑25, a conditional‑use application for a six‑vendor food‑truck park at 215 DuPage Street, and continued the public hearing to Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.

Applicant 111 Holdings LLC, which operates the nearby Dream Hall food hall, sought to convert an 8,900‑square‑foot downtown parking lot into a food‑truck court with up to six mobile vendors and daily hours April–Oct., 11 a.m.–8 p.m. The applicant proposed electrical upgrades to avoid generator use, a steward to collect litter, partnership with Dream Hall to provide restrooms, and third‑party pumping for gray water and grease.

Public comment included multiple supporters who said the food‑truck park would boost downtown activity, provide low‑barrier entrepreneurship and increase customer options. Several neighbors and residents of the adjacent Artspace Lofts and other nearby properties opposed locating the operation so close to residential windows, citing generator noise, light and litter. One resident said she could not open windows because of noise and smoke and asked for firm deadlines for grid power and stronger protections for adjacent residents.

Architect Greg Burna and several nearby property owners urged the commission to deny or delay action, citing safety, ADA and site‑layout concerns and a private easement dispute. Burna requested the item be tabled while litigation over access and recorded easements is pending; a lawyer for Mr. Burna said the easement dispute has been filed in court and argued the use would interfere with existing access and required on‑site parking tied to the neighboring building.

Applicant representatives described site cleanup and improvements they had made since acquiring the lot, said they trimmed the proposed number of trucks after community feedback, and pledged to pursue grid power and additional trash controls. The applicant also submitted more supporting letters and signatures late in the packet.

After deliberation, the commission voted to table the petition to Aug. 4 to allow more time for staff and the applicant to provide additional details and for further outreach to nearby businesses and residents. The roll call to table recorded Yes: Commissioners Jones, Valdez and Chairman Cox; No: Commissioner Abbuali. Commissioner Echeverria had recused earlier from the subsequent items.

Votes at the Planning and Zoning Commission: motion to table petition 15‑25 — approved 3‑1; continued to Aug. 4 at 7:00 p.m.