Orland Park plan commission approves Cargo Coffee drive‑through and outdoor seating at 159th Street

The Orland Park Plan Commission on May 15 approved a special‑use permit for Cargo Coffee to operate a drive‑through service window and outdoor seating at 11359 West 159th Street. The motion to accept staff’s recommendation passed unanimously, with Commissioners Paul, Sanchez and Fenton voting yes.

Moyes Hassin, owner of Cargo Coffee, told the commission the store opened Feb. 15, 2026, and that the franchise applied for permitting in September 2024. Hassin said the village notified the business in February 2026 that a special‑use permit was required for the drive‑through two weeks before a planned opening, and that the delay has caused “a lot of money” in lost revenue. “We’re losing a lot of money every month that we’re not open,” Hassin said.

Staff recommended approval, telling commissioners the site — an outlot at Caputo’s Plaza — is designated neighborhood mixed use, that drive‑throughs and outdoor seating are special uses in the BIS General Business District under Land Development Code section 6‑207, and that the petitioner’s materials and traffic study meet code requirements. The staff presentation noted the location previously operated as a Starbucks with a drive‑through for 13 years until 2020 and that Starbucks secured a similar special use in 2007.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about the outdoor seating and queuing capacity. Commissioner Sanchez asked whether the outdoor seating would be “on the north side along 159th,” and Hassin replied the plan calls for three tables with three chairs each, for nine seats total. On stacking, staff and the petitioner described measures to avoid overflow into circulation aisles: Hassin said the traffic study shows four designated stacking spots on the north side and that the landlord has agreed to reserve additional parking spaces for Cargo Coffee customers if needed. Staff noted the petitioner had agreed to potential physical mitigations such as bollards to keep the queue moving.

Commissioner Paul said the plaza previously housed multiple drive‑throughs without major complaints and voiced support for not placing the new business at a competitive disadvantage. Commissioner Fenton congratulated the petitioner and urged better communication in permitting so applicants are not surprised by special‑use requirements.

The plan commission approved the staff‑recommended findings of fact and granted the special‑use permit subject to substantial compliance with the site plan dated March 2, 2026, the landscape plan dated April 3, 2026, and all applicable building‑code requirements and outside permits. The petitioner and staff said they will implement the traffic‑management measures described to minimize queuing impacts on neighboring businesses.

The commission closed the public hearing, noted there were no public speakers, and adjourned at about 7:20 p.m.