Aldermen recommend Chick‑fil‑A at North Point despite tenant safety objections

The Community Development Committee on Jan. 6 recommended that the full City Council approve three related zoning actions to allow a Chick‑fil‑A outparcel at the northeast corner of Waukegan Road and Northpointe Boulevard.

Developer Teraco Real Estate and its tenant Chick‑fil‑A presented a site plan and traffic study to the committee; neighboring tenants, including Overture Promotions and Astronics, objected on safety, customer and property‑value grounds. After public presentations and questions, the committee took the three items — subdivision (zoning calendar 2759), rezoning of the new lot from RLI (Research & Light Industrial) to B2 (Community Shopping) (zoning calendar 2760) and a variance from the perimeter landscaping buffer (zoning calendar 2761) — as an omnibus. The committee recommended approval; Alderman Florian voted no.

Joe Goodman, representing Teraco Real Estate, said the landlord supports the project and the site has sufficient unused parking. “We believe our development meets the city's subdivision requirements to subdivide two acres of their property,” Goodman said. He also said the owner obtained an appraiser’s opinion that the Chick‑fil‑A would not negatively affect nearby property valuations.

Luay Abuna, principal at traffic consultant KLOA, told the committee that the Illinois Department of Transportation reviewed and approved the proposed Waukegan Road access and that a focused traffic analysis on North Point Boulevard showed queues generally clear without extending beyond the curb cut. “IDOT reviewed it and approved the study and approved the proposed access on Waukegan Road,” Abuna said.

Tenants raised pedestrian and employee‑safety concerns. Joe Gilley, CEO of Overture Promotions at 800 S. Northpointe Blvd., said an access drive would send restaurant traffic near two of his busiest north doors and create conflicts with employees, shuttle pick‑ups and freight operations; he noted Overture has about 250 employees and said the facility has attracted Fortune 500 customers. “We're when Overture moved into the building… it had been empty for seven years,” Gilley said, adding that he worries about customer experience and safety if a drive cuts across the lot.

Mike Kyun, president of Astronics, said the property previously was denied by the zoning board and that mixed‑use development adjacent to long‑standing light‑industrial manufacturing raises safety and business‑integrity concerns. “We don't have one facility with mixed use. I don't want… United Airlines, Boeing, Airbus pulling in and I go, 'oh, yeah — check the Chick‑fil‑A,'” Kyun said.

The developer responded that the plan isolates Chick‑fil‑A circulation and includes additional landscape screening; Goodman said the design adds 140 trees and creates a self‑contained lot with no cross‑access. Abuna said the internal circulation was relocated to avoid running through the adjacent northern parking lot.

Vote and next step: The committee voted to recommend all three items to the full City Council in omnibus (motion from Alderman Felix, second by Alderman Martinez in committee); roll call recorded Alderman Martinez, Alderman Donenworth, Alderman Felix and Chairman Hayes as voting yes and Alderman Florian voting no. The matters advance to the City Council for a final decision.

Why it matters: The decision would change the site’s zoning from light industrial to commercial and grant a variance to landscaping requirements, enabling a nationally known quick‑serve restaurant on a property surrounded by existing industrial/office tenants. Tenants and some aldermen voiced concerns about employee safety, traffic circulation and long‑term integrity of industrial zoning.

What to watch: The full City Council will consider the subdivision, rezoning and variance. Staff materials include the traffic study, IDOT correspondence and letters from the site landlord and an appraiser that were referenced at the committee hearing.