Village of South Roxana zoning board approves rezoning for 60,000‑sq‑ft industrial building amid hazardous‑materials concerns

The Village of South Roxana Zoning Board on June 2 approved a rezoning request from Klemme Capital Investment to change two parcels at Madison Street and Hedge Road from agricultural to industrial, clearing the way for a proposed 60,000‑square‑foot building. Zoning Board member Terry Chester made the motion to approve, which Zoning Board member Terrah Bevolo seconded; the vote was recorded as 5 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention (Anna Broadfoot, who arrived late).

Board members expressed concerns about the type of tenant likely to occupy the building and the risks associated with recycling and disassembling electronics, singling out the potential storage of lithium batteries as a fire hazard and noting past facility fires that took days to extinguish. Members also asked whether materials would be stored outdoors in ways that could cause stormwater runoff contamination or leave a future brownfield on the site. The developer’s proposal stated that the warehouse would contain "no hazardous materials" and that all tenant uses would be reviewed for compliance with the village zoning code.

The board recorded that outstanding questions about a clear definition of "hazardous" materials and how compliance would be enforced would need to be addressed before a business license is issued, but the rezoning decision itself was limited to changing the land use classification. The parcels are listed as Parcel #18-1-14-01-00-000-008 and 18-1-14-01-00-000-008.001. The meeting adjourned at 5:58 p.m.