Industrial Warehouse On Rot Farm Gets Approval Following Vote That Stalled Project In August

PLAINFIELD, IL — About two months after a "no" vote stalled the two-year-long process, Plainfield trustees approved plans for a 1.2-million-square-foot industrial warehouse at Ridge and Johnson Roads.

DPGF Plainfield and Core5 Industrial Partners will develop about 170 acres on the agricultural property known as Rot Farm to be anchored by the warehouse and have commercial lots along the west side of Ridge Road. The Board voted 5-2, with Mayor John Argoudelis and trustees Siv Panicker, Tom Ruane, Margie Bonuchi and Richard Keifer in favor. Trustees Vanessa Sula and Brian Wojowski were opposed.

The property was annexed into Plainfield from Kendall County, with its zoning adjusted to I-1, or office, research and light industrial, and B-3, or highway business district. The proposal received a unanimous recommendation from the Plan Commission, which opined the property was a logical extension of Plainfield's boundaries.

"We think the property we're going to build will be very successful," John Leinbaugh, Core5 vice president of investments and regional director, said at the Oct. 5 meeting. "That's why we've concentrated on this."

The area was designated as industrial in the 2024 comprehensive plan.

"When you do that, you essentially advertise to the world that we want you here and ask developers to spend their time and money," Argoudelis told Patch.

Core5 approached Plainfield about two years ago, and the company signed a letter of intent for the site more than a year ago. Throughout the process, trustees progressed the project until it came to a halt with a 4-1 vote on Aug. 3.

Residents of Grande Park, the nearest subdivision to the warehouse, about 1,200 feet away, were "aroused and concerned" by the project, which led trustees to vote "no" after previous "yes" votes, according to Argoudelis.

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The concerns had a "'not in my backyard' sort of vibe about things," Argoudelis said. Residents voiced concerns over farmland being converted into concrete buildings, light and noise pollution, and more traffic, Patch reported.

"That's no disrespect to the residents, but we had a vision and a plan, and there was no compelling reason to diverge from that."

As part of negotiations, Core5 will invest $3 million into Johnson Road to bring improvements as part of the 143rd Extension in front of the project site and write a "sizable check" to Grande Park to be utilized for parks in the neighborhood, Argoudelis said. Additionally, the land between the development and industrial site will be purchased by a neighboring property owner, who will keep it, for the foreseeable future, as undeveloped land, according to the mayor.

Leinbaugh also shared at the Oct. 5 meeting that 56 percent of the site will be green space — landscaping, retention ponds and a path on the west side — while 24.3 percent will be pavement and 19.7 percent will be buildings.

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"It's very important that we were able to complete this development," Argoudelis said.

After the "no" vote, Argoudelis said he received "lots of calls from the industrial world wondering why." He said it didn't bode well for the village's reputation. He also spoke in favor of the project as a way to diversify Plainfield's tax base.

"We're living kind of on borrowed time," he said. "Growth will eventually slow down, and there's only so much land in Plainfield. We don't want to develop all land in Plainfield. ... We have to diversify our tax base now and not put that burden on our homeowners."