Planning Commission Votes Against Proposal For Dutch Bros. Coffee On Ogden Avenue

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — The Downers Grove Planning and Zoning Commission voted five to one Monday against a planned unit development, special use permit and zoning variances for a Dutch Bros. Coffee at the intersection of Ogden and Saratoga Avenues.

Commission Chair Michael Rickard cast the sole vote to recommend approval.

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Monday's vote came afteroutcry from nearby residents, many of whom cited traffic concerns. A petition opposing the Dutch Bros. development had garnered more than 700 signatures ahead of Monday's meeting.

Per a village staff report, 95 residents had submitted feedback against the proposal before the meeting.

During Monday's public comment portion, residents spoke out to share their own concerns. Many residents said they did not oppose the Dutch Bros. business concept, but thought it would not be feasible at the proposed location.

Dr. Don Provenzale, who's dental office is at 4336 Saratoga said, "I have some very serious concerns about traffic."

Provenzale mentioned that there is heavy traffic at the Dutch Bros. in Melrose Park.

"The parking lot in Melrose Park is vast and the cars literally snake two by two all the way through the entire parking lot," Provenzale said. "I cannot envision any way in which we're n0t going to have gridlock."

He also raised concerns about how traffic in the parking lot could affect disabled people who visit his office.

Scott Richards, who lives near Oak Tree Towers said he was "a little dismayed to see this proposal come up for that area."

"Ogden and Saratoga is very, very busy," Richards said. "I just don't see the need for this at that intersection."

"The buses will be a factor for them. They come out of the school parking lot and most of them head to Ogden Avenue and stack up there at the light."

"Keep looking and find another location," Richards said. "Because this one's not it."

Resident MaryKay Holmes noted that there is a "very active senior center" and FISH Pantry near the proposed site. She said she hoped petitioners consider the proposal's impact on this location.

After the public comments concluded, Brian Gay President and CEO Downers Grove Economic Development Corporation (EDC), said EDC has been working with petitioners to vet the site.

Addressing residents who questioned why the site was chosen, Gay said, "There are very few lighted intersections on Ogden avenue."

"When you look to cite this type of business, in Downers Grove, on Ogden Avenue, this is the type of site that you're looking for," he said.

Gay added, "To the applicant's credit, they took the time to engineer a site that not only kept all the stacking on the site...We're also talking about two to six weeks in total of the kind of startup program."

"Those are the six weeks that everybody talks about," Guy said, indicating that traffic decrease after the Dutch Bros. store is established.

"To their point, when this location is open, there should be eight other locations within the Chicagoland region that will help take off some of the pressure on the Ogden Avenue site."

Chairman Rickard said the plan had provisions built in to address a lot of the traffic concerns.

Rickard said, "I believe that after that initial four...six week period, when things normalize, and I look at just this plan...the way it's laid out, I don't see the traffic issues."

Commissioner Katherine Frankovic said she couldn't say that the project wasn't "detrimental to the health, safety and general welfare of the community."

"I just can't see that it's not boing to be an issue," Frankovic said.

Commissioner Jeanne Eberhardt said "I do not doubt that Dutch Bros. is a good company to have in this area, but this lot just seems so tight, so landlocked for this situation."

"I'm really not seeing it as being desirable,or convenient or necessary for the public in this area," Eberhardt said.

She said she'd need to see another solution for routing the traffic near the site to be able to recommend approval.

The proposal will now head to the Downers Grove Village Council for review.