Flood Brothers outlines proposed recycling center at 319 Fullerton; village to review rezoning and special use

Flood Brothers representatives told the Carol Stream Village Board on July 7 that their planned improvements at 319 Fullerton Avenue would house a 10,200‑square‑foot vehicle maintenance and office building and an 18,000‑square‑foot materials recycling facility designed for commercial customers, not residential curbside collections. The presentation was a courtesy review; no approvals were requested.

The company’s co‑owner, Kevin Flood, said the site would operate as a commercial MRF (materials‑recycling facility) and stressed multiple times, “we are not asking for a waste transfer station or single‑stream municipal recycling.” He said trucks servicing commercial accounts would bring separated materials — cardboard, plastics, aluminum — and that contaminated loads would be rejected and returned to their source or hauled off‑site, not held on the yard.

Village planning staff and consultants described operational controls Flood Brothers plans to use: an on‑site load‑checking program, daily inspections, stormwater protections and an existing spill prevention, control and countermeasures (SPCC) plan to be expanded for MRF operations. Brian Wozniak, the project’s engineering lead, said trucks depositing recyclables would largely be covered roll‑off vehicles and estimated about 10–12 incoming trucks per day and roughly 0–2 outgoing transfer trucks on many days.

Trustees pressed the presenters on several community concerns. One official cited prior problems at a different recycling site — including large rodents — and asked what pest control and housekeeping measures the company would use; Flood Brothers representatives said their modern MRFs employ misting and odor‑control systems, enclose operations and conduct daily perimeter checks. Trustees asked about hazardous or contaminated loads; presenters said contaminated deliveries would be rejected and returned to the generator or sent to landfill as appropriate.

Staff advised that the property is currently zoned residential because it was annexed in 2003; Flood Brothers acknowledged that the project would require rezoning to an industrial district, a text amendment to add the use, and a special‑use permit, each of which will be subject to Planning Commission review and a public hearing. Trustees and staff emphasized that enforcement of any special‑use conditions would be part of the regulatory review.

Because the presentation was informational only, trustees took no vote on the project. Planning staff said the next steps will include formal applications, public notification and review by the planning commission.