'Mega Drive-Thru' Vote Soon In Clarendon Hills

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – Clarendon Hills may decide next week on whether to allow a Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru in a local neighborhood.

Opponents are distributing a flyer to neighbors, asking them to sign an online petition and contact village officials.

On Monday, the Village Board may vote on the proposed drive-thru. It would be at the site of the old Tracy's Tavern at the southwest corner of 55th Street and Western Avenue.

The board's meeting room is expected to be packed, but the village has given no indication that it plans to change the meeting site.

"Our repeated requests to hold the meeting in a larger venue have been denied and we know the seating is very limited, SO FEEL FREE TO BRING A LAWNCHAIR!!" resident Daniel Quealy said Wednesday in an email to drive-thru opponents.

In an email to Patch, Village Manager Kevin Barr said the village was not considering changing the location.

"The numerous meetings of interest on this subject have allowed people to listen and state their concerns, particularly with the hybrid option," Barr said. "There is also no obvious alternate location."

Assistant Village Manager Zach Creer said the village has had internal discussions about the issue. But he said the village does not have any larger village-owned rooms. He also said he did not believe the park district or library had better venues.

"To my knowledge, we have never used a larger setting for a zoning case and have had many controversial cases over the years," Creer said in an email. "This case, we have additional digital and call-in options, which has expanded opportunities for public participation. We have also received phone calls, emails and letters that have been provided to the decision-makers. We welcome this participation in any form and have been working to accommodate the residents in the area by, for example, displaying their (audiovisual) exhibits and PowerPoint presentations."

In his email, Quealy said a drive-thru that is rush-hour dependent and surrounded by homes is not the answer for the neighborhood. Opponents are labeling it the "mega drive-thru."

As of Wednesday, more than 550 people have signed a Change.org petition against the drive-thru.

The developer, Hinsdale-based KrohVan LLC, is proposing a 6,000-square-foot building. A third of the development would be for the Dunkin' Donuts. The rest is for a yet-to-be-determined retailer.

The traffic engineer for the developer advised putting up a traffic light at 55th and Western. But he said the only potential impact of the drive-thru on the intersection is if the traffic backs up, which he considered highly unlikely.

Village officials have stayed silent on whether a traffic light is needed. They say it's a separate issue.

The board meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Monday at Village Hall, 1 N. Prospect Ave.