Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves Guzman Gomez drive‑through at RiverTree Marketplace despite pedestrian‑access concerns
Summary
After Planning & Zoning review, the board approved three related ordinances to allow a 2,400‑sq. ft. Guzman Gomez with a dual drive‑through at 701 N. Milwaukee, with conditions on landscaping and revised signage; one trustee abstained on the site and sign votes.
The Vernon Hills Village Board approved three ordinances on Aug. 12 that clear the way for a Guzman Gomez (GYG) Mexican Kitchen drive‑through at RiverTree Marketplace, 701 N. Milwaukee Ave. The approvals cover site plan/zoning relief (Ordinance 2025‑092), landscape and architectural elevations (Ordinance 2025‑093), and a sign package variation (Ordinance 2025‑094).
Director Jennings summarized Planning & Zoning Commission review: the commission recommended approval of the special use but raised concerns about pedestrian access and signage. Staff and the petitioner examined rotating the building to improve pedestrian flow; engineers concluded rotation created vehicle/pedestrian conflicts and parking deficits, so the petitioner retained the proposed configuration. The proposed building is about 2,400 square feet with a dual‑lane drive‑through, 22 parking stalls and roughly 62 seats (28 seasonal patio seats).
Kelsey Veil Nola, zoning counsel for Guzman Gomez, said the petitioner reduced the original sign package in response to staff and commission feedback and requested relief to meet the brand’s U.S. signage standards. A Planning & Zoning motion to remove a large circular logo in favor of lower, smaller signage failed 3–2, and the petitioner presented both options to the board.
Board discussion included questions about drive‑through stacking and whether a short double‑lane entry that narrows to a single lane could help queuing; petitioner representatives said Guzman Gomez’s U.S. standard uses two order lanes and a single pickup lane. Trustee Oppenheim recorded an abstention on at least two of the ordinance votes; other voting trustees recorded 'Aye' votes and each ordinance carried.
Petitioners said they expect construction to begin soon with a target opening in May or June of next year. The board directed staff to complete required landscaping swaps and to implement the sign changes agreed with planning staff.
