Will County approves I-3 rezoning on South High Road after contested hearing on traffic and stormwater

The Will County Land Use Committee on July 3 approved a map change to I-3 industrial zoning for a 14-acre property at 13141 South High Road, allowing outdoor storage by right after the applicant persuaded members the site is appropriate for that use.

The applicant's attorney, Al Demanskos, told the committee the parcel is bounded on multiple sides by industrial uses and that outdoor storage was in strong demand locally for vehicles, RVs and boats. He said the property is not practical for trucking use because of a 13-foot-3-inch low clearance on the route north of the site and a southbound segment limited to five tons.

The committee considered the property after a separate special-use request for outdoor storage was denied by the county board last year. The applicant said that process left them with engineering plans and that rezoning to I-3 would allow the outdoor storage use without recurring special-use hearings.

Opposition and county staff notes: Nearby homeowners and residents raised concerns about stormwater runoff and safety. David Wilkes, who said he lives on High Road, said the site floods and that older drainage changes on the parcel have shifted water toward his property. Kyle Lepowski, who described homes and children near the road, told the committee the narrow road and blind spots would create hazards if vehicle traffic increased.

Romeoville officials urged caution in a written letter and at the meeting, noting High Road is under Romeoville's jurisdiction south of the site, carries a five-ton weight limit and is not designed for heavy industrial truck traffic. Dawn Caldwell, Romeoville's representative, said the village was concerned the rezoning would enable uses the road cannot safely accommodate and noted that road improvements, if needed, would fall to the village.

Planning staff noted that the proposed industrial use does not conform to the county's long-range land resource plan for freestanding industrial uses in that area (they should generally front on an arterial or have interstate access). Staff also said the impacts could be mitigated if development addressed traffic, stormwater, lighting and other site-level concerns.

Committee action: After extended debate about enforceability, the difficulty of conditioning a map amendment and whether the existing road network and drainage could accommodate the use, the committee approved the rezoning by roll-call vote. Members voting in favor included Frankie Pretzel, Sherry Newquist, Herbert Brooks, Raquel Mitchell and Denise Winfrey.

Why it matters: Rezoning a parcel to I-3 changes the allowable-by-right uses and can allow more intensive industrial activity without a special-use hearing. Opponents urged the committee to consider long-term consequences if a subsequent buyer sought heavier industrial uses; proponents said the location is already industrial in character and that outdoor storage is a lower-impact industrial use.

Next steps: The rezoning was approved by the committee and the applicant team said it would proceed with permit-level reviews and site plans required by county development and fire authorities.