Car Dealer Apologizes To Burr Ridge

BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge officials are being asked to reconsider their decision earlier this month that effectively forced a car dealership to shut down. In a letter to the village, Apex Motorworks owner Awad Odeh acknowledged his business violated conditions of a previous permit and promised it would not do so again.

In 2017, the village issued a permit for Apex, 16W260 83rd St., 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.

Despite such violations, Odeh requested a further loosening of the new special-use permit, including reducing the average sales price of cars to $50,000, from the current $75,000, and be allowed to maintain dealership-sold cars, not just those at the business.

The zoning board had approved a new special-use permit with the original conditions, excluding the revised ones. But the village board, which rejected it, had the final call.

Odeh took the blame for all the issues and mistakes at Apex over the last two years.

"After the (zoning board) meeting, I mistakenly decided to recommend amendments to this approval, which I understand was something that offended some board members," Odeh said in his Jan. 21 letter. "For that, I sincerely apologize and state that my intention was not to waste anyone's time, especially not the time of individuals such as yourselves and especially not to disrespect anyone."

He pleaded with the village board to reconsider and give his business "a final chance" to prove that it can abide by the conditions. "We will do whatever is necessary to ensure there are absolutely no violations in the coming year," he said.

He said his business has has a tough couple years and wants to restructure and work toward success.

Odeh's letter was included in the Burr Ridge board's agenda packet Monday, but members did not direct staff to begin the process of reconsideration.

At a board meeting two weeks ago, most of the village's trustees expressed unhappiness with Apex, saying it had not done a good job following the previous conditions. No Apex representatives were at the meeting.

Even without the proposed amendments, the board voted 3-2 against the permit. Anita Mital, Zach Mottl and Joe Snyder were against, while Guy Franzese and Al Paveza were in favor. Antonio Schiappa was absent.