Joliet OKs Custom Car Shop On Jefferson After Rejecting It

JOLIET, IL - Back in January, Joliet's City Council turned down a special use permit for Creative Customs, an existing business in Joliet that wanted to relocate to 2409 West Jefferson St., the site of a former Carquest store. Three months later, on Tuesday night, the project resurfaced in front of the City Council once again. It was another 6 to 2 vote. But this time, the city's politicians approved the permit for Crusader Customs.

When it came time for Tuesday's re-vote on the topic, only John Gerl and Jan Quillman voted against it. This time around, Creative Customs had the support of Mike Turk, Pat Mudron, Larry Hug, Terry Morris, Don Dickinson and Bettye Gavin. In January, only Turk and Mudron voted for it.

Back in January, the city received a correspondence from a Joliet resident, Tom Boucher, urging the city's leaders to turn down the business for Jefferson Street.

"Joliet has a number of assets that can be leveraged to create a stronger tomorrow for our community with the St. Joseph Hospital area being one. In my opinion, extra scrutiny and discernment is needed for any existing or future land use within that and adjacent areas, which hold too much strategic value to squander.

"This gentleman's Hot Rod body shop and used car business may be better suited for an industrial park," Boucher wrote the city back in January.

Prior to Tuesday night's decision, city officials provided a new memo to the council explaining that Creative Customs "is not adjacent to or within the Presence St. Joseph Medical Center Tax Increment Financing District as shown on the attached map."

The March 22 memo, written by City Manager David Hales, with support from Community Development Director Kendall Jackson, urged the council to approve Creative Customs this time around.

"The petitioner has been in the auto accessories, customization and sales business for 18 years in Joliet. Prior to operating at 1020 West Jefferson, the petitioner was the co-owner of an auto accessories and customization business at 222 Ruby Street," the city memo stated.

Image via John Ferak, Joliet Patch Editor