The Village of Lake Bluff PCZBA voted April 16 to recommend that the village board approve a planned-development amendment and final development plan to allow installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the Target parking lot at 975 Rockland Road. The application, presented by SMJ International on behalf of Tesla (applicant David Connell), proposes 16 charging stations sited near the south end of Target’s large parking lot; one stall is ADA-accessible.

David Connell described the proposed layout and explained the applicant moved the stations further south at the Architectural Board of Review’s request to reduce interference with the center driveway. "We are proposing 16 charging stations and the related equipment and cabinets to power the charging stations," Connell said. He told commissioners that two maple trees in a small island would be removed and replaced; additional plantings and a Trex-style fence will screen the transformer and cabinets.

Tesla representative Ramadan Monterio said the network is accessible to multiple electric-vehicle brands via adapters and that Tesla is expanding compatibility over time. Commissioners and public speakers asked about security, lighting, and trash; the applicant said lighting matching the existing parking-lot fixtures would be provided and that trash/recycling containers and a maintenance plan would be included in agreements with the property owner.

The PCZBA recommended approval with two explicit conditions: the installation must include appropriate trash and recycling containers and regular service, and lighting must be consistent with existing Target parking-lot lighting (to balance user safety and neighboring light impacts). The recommendation moves to the village board; staff said permitting could proceed between village-board steps and that construction could take approximately six to eight weeks following permits and coordination with the property owner.