Burr Ridge Dealer's Request Nixed

BURR RIDGE, IL — The Burr Ridge Village Board stalemated this week over whether to give a luxury car dealership a second chance for a permit to operate. The owner admitted to violations of the previous permit, but contended he corrected them upon the village's request.

Awad Odeh, owner of Apex Motorworks, 16W260 83rd Street, appeared at the second board meeting in a row asking the village to reconsider its decision last month against renewing the permit. Apex was forced out of business as a result.

Village trustees questioned Odeh why they needed to renew the permit because of an issue he was having with the landlord. Odeh acknowledged the problem.

"I wouldn't be here if we weren't solving the problem. It will be solved in a couple of days. I wouldn't waste your time for a special-use permit if I wasn't going to be in the building," Odeh said. "Our landlord made it a contingency that we have a special-use permit."

In 2017, the village issued a permit for Apex to sell luxury cars and maintain cars it owned. But at some point, the dealership started renting out cars and maintaining cars brought in by the public, in violation of the permit, according to the village.

Evan Walter, the village's assistant administrator, told the board Monday that he found out about the rental business last year while listening to a Cubs game on the radio. He heard an advertisement for rentals at Prestige Exotics, which does business in the building.

The village conducted an investigation and found cars were rented out from the building in violation of the permit. A website still advertises rentals from Prestige on 83rd Street, but Odeh told the board that rentals are done elsewhere now.

Burr Ridge officials also said they sent a letter on May 29 to Apex informing the business that its permit was to expire June 12. But Apex did not apply for a renewal until October, after the permit had been lapsed for months.

Officials said they had received financials from the business through September, but not since then. Odeh said Apex has generated no business since that time.

Odeh said the village's requirements of his dealership are more stringent than those it has placed on others, but he said he agreed to them.

"We have had violations, but we have not had repeat violations. We have never outwardly defied any notice by staff," he said.

Odeh said he was willing to accept any fines under the village code for the previous violations. And he said he was willing to agree to a provision that the village could pull the permit if any more violations happened.

"I hope you find it in your hearts to give us a chance," he said.

The board could not vote on the issue because it was not on the meeting agenda. But members expressed their views. Trustees Joseph Snyder, Zach Mottl and Anita Mital opposed allowing a second chance. Guy Franzese, Al Paveza and Tony Schiappa supported giving Apex a hearing.

"We are at a stalemate here," said Franzese, who presided over the meeting.

Mayor Gary Grasso was absent.

Last month, Odeh told the board that in rejecting the permit, Burr Ridge closed a business that spent nearly a half million in town, including $100,000 for outside improvements required by the village.