Plan commission recommends approval for smoking establishment at 1210 S. Findlay with conditions

The Village of Lombard Plan Commission on Feb. 17 recommended approval of a petition to convert a former automotive service building at 1210 South Findlay Road into a regulated smoking establishment with an outdoor seating area, subject to conditions in the staff report.

Under petition PC 25‑05, the petitioner seeks a conditional use under the village zoning ordinance to allow a smoking establishment, recognition of historic shared off‑site parking, an outdoor service conditional use for a fenced patio, and a sign variation to allow up to 100 square feet of combined marquee/wall signage on the building canopy. The Plan Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Village Board for consideration at its March 6, 2025 meeting.

Petitioner presentation and regulatory context Mark Daniel, attorney for the petitioner, told commissioners the State’s Smoke Free Illinois Act governs smoking establishments and that the petitioner does not intend to seek approval for on‑site cannabis consumption. Daniel said the proposed operation would be an over‑21 business with a single controlled public entrance; the patio would be fenced and entry to the patio would be through the building so staff could verify ages.

Daniel emphasized that county health regulations prohibit a conventional restaurant kitchen in a smoking establishment under state law: “They do allow us to ask the village for permission to allow the smoking of cannabis at this location. We do not have any intention to ask the village to allow cannabis, consumption at this location.” He said the business expects evening and nighttime use more than midday peaks.

Staff findings and neighboring uses Anna (staff) read the interdepartmental review committee report into the record and said staff finds the proposal consistent with conditional‑use standards; staff recommended approval with conditions noted in the staff report. The staff report and petitioner noted distances to protected uses (the daycare) and said the proposed layout exceeds the regulatory separation distance required under village policy and state rules.

Signage and lot‑line complications The petition included a request to treat two canopy signs as wall signs with a combined area not to exceed 100 square feet. Anna told the commission staff supports the variance in light of a nonstandard lot line that places the 1210 parcel inset from the drive aisle; the unusual lot geometry is the primary reason the signs would otherwise be limited under strict code interpretation.

Operational controls and air handling Commissioners asked how smoke and potential odors would be managed; Daniel said the business would design interior HVAC to cycle air at a higher rate than a typical business and proposed a 30‑foot setback from the lot line before any outdoor smoking would occur. He also said patio furniture and hookah equipment would be limited and that staff will check IDs at the sole public entrance.

Plan commission action Commissioner Versen moved to accept the IDRC findings and recommend Village Board approval of PC 25‑05 subject to the five conditions in the staff report; Commissioner Sweetser seconded. Roll call recorded affirmative votes from Commissioner Versen, Commissioner Sweetser, Commissioner Johnston and Chair Giuliano. The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Village Board for final action on March 6, 2025.

What remains: staff and petitioner said the county health department’s licensing and state rules for smoking establishments will govern operations; the Plan Commission conditioned its recommendation on the staff report conditions and recommended signage and landscaping modifications be addressed as set forth by staff.