Used Car Dealership Along Joliet's Broadway Street Corridor?

JOLIET, IL — Joliet's zoning board will meet at 2 p.m. Thursday at City Hall to review plans to approve a special use permit for Abraham Garcia, who wants to open a used auto dealership at the corner of North Broadway and Hutchins Streets.

Decades ago, the property at 1101 North Broadway was known throughout Joliet as Martinson Tire Service.

According to city of Joliet reports, Garcia wants to sell used cars that have been repaired on-site or elsewhere. His used car dealership would carry 19 to 20 vehicles and also have space for customer parking and employee parking in the back of the property.

"Public Works Department and Planning Division do not support any of these site plan options," city memos show. "Staff maintains that the property is too small for the number of vehicles proposed, given that the property was designed to function as a circa 1930s filling station."

Garcia's proposal to open the used car dealership was delayed from discussion during the October meeting of Joliet's zoning board. Joliet's City Council will make the final decision on Garcia's request. The zoning board is a recommending panel.

In 2021, Joliet granted a Variation of Use to allow light truck/ tractor cab tire repair and maintenance at 1101 N. Broadway.

"Mr. Garcia was the owner at the time, and he made improvements to the property, including updates to both buildings, removing junk and debris and new paving on parts of the property; however, Mr. Garcia decided to operate his light truck/ tractor cab tire repair and maintenance business elsewhere," zoning board reports show. "Since 2021, the property has been used for vehicle repair, which was previously approved under the Variation of Use that was issued in 1983."

Joliet's zoning board members are:

• Vincent Alessio
• Ralph Bias
• Ed Hennessy
• Pat McShane
• Bob Nachtrieb
• Jim Riggs
• Brigette Roehr