Lemont annexes four parcels after contentious public hearing over prospective gas-and-wash

The Lemont Village Board voted to annex four parcels on Lemont Road into the village under Ordinance O-42-25, a step that brings the sites into Lemonts zoning and permitting process. The motion to discuss and then approve the annexation passed by roll call; board members recorded unanimous approval of the ordinance.

The move matters because annexation shifts regulatory authority from DuPage County to the Village of Lemont, meaning future zoning changes or commercial permits would be decided by village boards and subject to Lemonts public-notice and hearing rules. Michael Hackett, speaking for Gas and Wash, said the company had purchased contiguous parcels and requested annexation as R‑1 residential; he said any commercial or permitting requests would follow later public hearings.

The meeting drew a large turnout from Pleasantdale residents who opposed possible conversion of the sites for a large gas-and-wash/truck-stop use. Dozens of residents spoke during the public-comment period. Anthony Dedek, a nearby homeowner, said, "It's gonna kill our neighborhood," and other speakers raised concerns about private wells, light and noise, traffic safety at the I‑55/Lemont Road corridor, and crime risks tied to a highway-access business. Several speakers handed in petitions; residents reported collecting about 407 signatures opposed to the project and asked that those signatures be added to the public record.

Village Administrator George Schaeffer and other staff explained that annexation itself does not change the parcels zoning (the ordinance annexed them as R‑1 residential) and that subsequent steps technical reviews, public planning-and-zoning hearings, and additional village-board votes would be required for any rezoning or commercial permitting. Schaeffer noted the annexation process is voluntary and emphasized that, "without bringing it into the village, this board can't regulate it and we have no say in what goes on in these areas."

Trustees urged residents that the annexation is only the first procedural step, and public hearings with formal notice will follow if an application for rezoning or development is submitted. The board recorded the annexation vote by roll call; the motion was moved by Trustee Stapleton and seconded by Trustee Kittridge.

Next steps: if the owner seeks a rezoning or other approvals, the village said applications would go to staff review and then to the Planning and Zoning Board for a public hearing (with 15- to 30-day notices), followed by committee and village-board consideration. Residents were told to submit written questions and that the village will schedule public meetings as required by law.