Amid Opposition, Plainfield Truck Terminal Application Withdrawn

PLAINFIELD, IL — A week after hundreds turned out to speak up on a proposed Renwick Road trucking terminal, the company behind the proposal has withdrawn it. GP Transportation Co, also known as GP Transco, on Friday notified the village that it was withdrawing its request for approval of the facility, which would have been the company's new headquarters and indoor truck maintenance facility.

The proposal drew criticism from residents concerned about the possibility of hundreds of semis going in and out of the facility each day. Residents voiced concerns about safety, including the facility's proximity to the Renwick Road railroad crossing, as well as its location near the Lake Renwick Heron Rookery.

The village board was previously scheduled to vote on the proposal on Aug. 6.

"We have sought to listen and respond constrictively to possible changes to GP's plans," GP Transco said in the letter. "What we found, whether informed or misinformed, was a groundswell of opposition that suggested that GP should reconsider whether to continue to proceed with the referenced applications."

Related: Truck Freight Terminal Proposed For Renwick Road Draws Opposition

The letter said GP has decided to withdraw its special use application and annexation petition.

The letter was addressed to the village board and Village President Mike Collins. Collins' cousin, Pat Collins, currently owns the land on which the facility would have been built. GP Transportation had a contract to purchase the property, most of which had been annexed into the Village of Plainfield in 2012.

Opponents raised concerns about the impact the facility would have on a handful of homes located in unincorporated Will County along Renwick Road. Residents launched a grassroots effort to oppose the facility, along with a Facebook page, Citizens United Against Trucking Terminal On Renwick Rd. An online petition created by the group also generated more than 1,800 signatures.

Many residents also turned out for a July 23 Committee of the Whole workshop to oppose the trucking terminal.

In its proposal, GP Transco sought to house the facility at at 22419, 22531 and 22537 Renwick Road. It said the property "shows a future trailer storage capacity of 312 (trailer storage ) stalls" and "GP Transco has indicated that a potential capacity of 500 stalls may be desired in future," according to a traffic study submitted to the village. The plan also called for 101 employee parking spaces, a 20,000-square-foot office building and a 13,860-square-foot truck/freight maintenance building.

The Citizens United Facebook page shared GP Transco's letter withdrawing the proposal on Sunday.

Photo of 22419 W. Renwick Road via Google Maps Streetview