Clarendon Hills Neighbors Organize Against Gas Station Plan

CLARENDON HILLS, IL — Clarendon Hills residents near a proposed 24-hour gas station and Dunkin' Donuts have organized to express their concerns about the project.

The development is planned for the southwest corner of Western Avenue and 55th St., where the old Tracy's Tavern building stands. Residents say a 24-hour gas station that sells liquor is a bad fit next to a residential neighborhood.

On Wednesday, one of the neighbors, Daniel Quealy, told Patch that residents have formed the 55th & Western Action Committee. The group wants to ensure the development does not endanger families, lower property values, contaminate the environment, increase crime, include 24-hour liquor sales or increase traffic during high-traffic times, Quealy said.

Dozens of Clarendon Hills residents show up at a meeting held by a Hinsdale-based developer, KrohVan RE Solutions, in October at the Church of the Holy Nativity. (Courtesy of Clarendon Hills resident)

The committee is preparing to submit a proposal to the village's Zoning Board requiring the distance from a gas station to a residential neighborhood be significantly increased, he said.

Residents have posted signs along 55th Street to express their concerns and have been attending meetings of the Village Board and Zoning Board to give their views on the development, Quealy said.

The project is being proposed by Hinsdale-based KrohVan LLC. It held a meeting on a Friday night last month with residents. The firm has yet to submit a proposal to the village.

In a recent newsletter, Village President Len Austin addressed the gas station issue. He called the developer's decision to hold a meeting a "proactive step" that gave residents an opportunity to look at various ideas.

He said the Village Board has not seen details of any potential project. And the Zoning Board, he said, has not received an application for zoning exceptions for the site in question.

"Please allow the process to take its course," Austin said.

If a proposed project requires it, he said, the village would give residents time and notice to provide feedback to the Zoning Board and Village Board. The notifications will come in the form of posted signs, a mailing to nearby residents and a notice in the newspaper, he said.

Christopher Krohe of KrohVan said his firm plans to get the proposal before a village meeting next month.

"We appreciate the feedback we received from our community meeting," he said in an email. "We have completed our development overview process and are currently finalizing our submittal for review. We hope that the considerations we have made are appreciated by our neighbors and look forward to improving a blighted site in a wonderful neighborhood."