Orland Park board approves Waterfall Plaza redevelopment and Mirage Coffee drive-through amid traffic and neighborhood concerns

The Orland Park Village Board on Nov. 3 approved a package of approvals for Waterfall Plaza that will allow site improvements, façade and landscaping upgrades and a restaurant with a drive‑through window. The approvals included: plan‑commission action on case 2025‑0072 (special use permit amendment), a special‑use for Mirage Coffee House (2025‑0071) and a special‑use/site modification for Waterfall Plaza (2025‑0883). The three motions each passed by a 5‑2 vote.

The approvals follow public comment and extended board discussion about parking, drive‑through queuing, sight lines and traffic flow along 150th Street and Orland Brook Drive. “I'm opposed to all three variances,” said John Nugent, a resident who testified during public comment, citing prior agreements, a proposed shortfall in required parking (95 spaces proposed vs. 105 indicated by code) and concerns about traffic impacts on nearby condominium driveways. Nugent urged trustees to table the items.

Planning staff and the project team said the new plan replaces a prior development approval and addresses outstanding conditions. Staff told the board the petitioner paid a fine for trees removed without authorization and that the new plan restores landscaping, improves the parking lot and replaces the prior planned development approval. Project representatives described roughly $600,000 in building upgrades and a tenant mix that includes a two‑lane drive‑through coffee shop that merges to a single lane at payment/pickup, a pizza restaurant, a Chipotle‑style restaurant, a jiu‑jitsu gym, salon, dentist and several small retail tenants.

Trustees raised questions about the design and traffic control. Trustee Lawler asked whether the proposed 8‑foot fencing east of the building (intended to screen headlights from the drive‑through) would create blind spots; staff said the fence would not extend all the way to Orland Brook Drive and is mainly to screen headlights where cars queue. Trustees and staff discussed the role of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in signal placement and noted that signal warrants and spacing can restrict new traffic signals on 150th Street. To reduce turning conflicts, the plan includes a ‘‘pork‑chop’’ right‑in/right‑out configuration at one driveway and a right‑in/right‑out restriction on the southern driveway; the board asked staff to monitor adjacent residents for unforeseen impacts.

The board also discussed the site'specific parking approach. Staff explained the village code contains an exact parking requirement with a 20% flexibility range in practice for multi‑tenant centers; the petitioner said there is a verbal agreement in place with an adjacent property owner to address overflow parking and that a signed agreement is in progress. The owner's representative said leases have been signed or are pending for multiple units.

Votes at the meeting were recorded as follows: for plan commission case 2025‑0072 the roll call showed Trustees Leafland, Lawler, Lawrence, Malani and Mayor James Dodge voting yes; Trustees Healy and Katsenas voted no. The special use for Mirage Coffee House (2025‑0071) and the Waterfall Plaza special use with modifications (2025‑0883) received the same 5‑2 pattern.

Trustees said the plaza has been a long‑struggling property and that redevelopment could be beneficial, but several members asked staff to keep the item under review for resident feedback and to return the item if the nearby condominiums experience undue impacts. Mayor James Dodge asked staff to monitor adjacent neighbors and bring the matter back if residents report problems.

The approvals permit the site changes and the restaurant drive‑through subject to the conditions in the plan commission recommendation and the ordinances adopted by the board.