Forced Annexation In Darien Sought

DARIEN, IL — Abbey Drive resident Grace Kwak says she received two weeks' notice that DuPage County was considering approving a car wash behind her house. In late January, she got a feeling something was up when strangers were walking onto her property from the lot along 75th Street. So she said she called DuPage County and Darien city officials to find out what was going on. They knew nothing.

About a month later, she said, "our worlds were turned upside down" when the county did give notice. She learned of the proposed car wash, which she and her neighbors feared would affect their neighborhood with its noise. They had two weeks to prepare for a county zoning meeting, which was later canceled because of the coronavirus.

On Monday, the Darien City Council voted unanimously to start the process of forcing the annexation of the property at 973 75th Street. It is surrounded on three sides by Darien and the other by Downers Grove. Kwak and the other residents live in Darien city limits.

Ward 6 Alderman Eric Gustafson, who represents the neighborhood, pushed for annexation. He criticized DuPage County for failing to spread the word about the proposal. The county, he said, has no requirement to post a sign on a property about a public hearing.

"There's no transparency," the alderman told the council. "It's ridiculous how they have handled that piece of property."

Attorney Mark Daniel represents the person behind the car wash project, longtime Darien resident Casey Calvello, police chief for Oakbrook Terrace. At Monday's City Council meeting, Daniel noted his experience with projects of up to a billion dollars in value and as the attorney for Westmont and Oakbrook Terrace.

While Daniel was Westmont's lawyer, he said, the village forced the annexation of dozens of properties, which resulted in its later inability to work with developers. He said Darien aldermen's instinct may be to force annexation.

"But the question I ask you is why. Why is forced annexation required at this point when you can enter into an annexation agreement?" Daniel said. "I would encourage all of you to very seriously think about the issue of forced annexation. First of all, there is no rush."

The attorney expressed frustration with Gustafson. He said he gave the alderman the materials about the proposed car wash and offered to meet with residents. Next thing that happened, he said, a reporter was calling him. He was referring to Darien Patch, which received information from the alderman.

City Administrator Bryon Vana recommended annexation and disagreed with the comparison to Westmont. "There is no downside, only an upside," he said.

Before the council voted on annexation, Mayor Joseph Marchese reminded the public that a vote to begin annexation did not mean the city had rejected a car wash. That would go through a separate proceeding, he said.

Following the vote, Daniel said that after he spoke with Gustafson March 9, Calvello planned to go door to door to speak with residents about the car wash. But then Calvello decided against it after the coronavirus crisis began. Daniel gave his cellphone number and said he was willing to speak with any of the officials or members of the public about the project.