Peoria council approves special-use for University–War Memorial development, removes north-University access restrictions

Peoria City Council on Tuesday approved a special-use ordinance to allow a shopping-center redevelopment on roughly 1.5 acres at the corner of University Street and War Memorial Drive that could include two drive-through restaurant sites, with one potential tenant identified as Dutch Bros.

The ordinance replaces the existing special-use (No. 15077) for the property at 3624 and 3622 North University Street and 1205 West Florence Avenue and removes two of staff’s recommended conditions that would have limited access from northbound University to right-in/right-out only. The motion to approve passed with one nay vote from Mayor Ali.

The site sits inside the University and War Memorial tax-increment financing (TIF) district created in 2021, and city legal staff told the council the city has an outstanding reimbursement obligation tied to earlier site improvements. Corporation Counsel Hayes said the TIF agreement provides that 75% of the increment from those parcels is available to…