Palatine council shuts door on bank, Walgreens

Palatine Village Manager Reid Ottesen may have said it best: 10 pounds may be too much for a five-pound bag.

It's the expression he's used for months in reference to the Walgreens and the Fifth Third Bank a Des Plaines-based developer proposes building on the Brandt's Little Cafe site.

Most councilmen agreed with Ottesen, voting the project down 4-2 on Monday night.

"It's too intense a use," said Councilman Brad Helms. "It's just too much."

The property, located at the southwest corner of Quentin Road and Northwest Highway, is just under two acres. Some officials say they may have agreed to the two businesses, but not the four drive-through lanes accompanying them.

This was round No. 2 for developer DL Acquisitions, which saw its original proposal turned down unanimously in January.

The developers, who estimate the Walgreens would generate about $100,000 in annual sales tax, made several changes in order to comply with village code such as the traffic pattern and moving the structures further away from the abutting residences. They also dropped a request Monday night for an electronic message board, which the plan commission previously denied.

Councilman Jack Wagner, who voted yes on the project, said DL Acquisitions made all the modifications demanded by the council earlier this year.

"Don't ask people to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on engineering and planning if you're going to vote no anyway," he said. "We make it very difficult for businesses in Palatine to do anything."

The project wasn't winning over many residents in the adjacent Sutton Park Place neighborhood.

Michael Ruffalo collected 59 signatures for a petition opposing the development.

"Obviously anything with a drive-through next to it will reduce property value," said Ruffalo, who said all but one of the people he spoke with signed the petition.

The project isn't technically dead, but it most likely will be in a week. Monday's vote occurred during the committee of the whole portion, not the village council meeting. It will be put to an official vote next week.

Brandt's remains open, but owner George Grisco has said he may close the landmark eatery. He couldn't be reached for comment Monday night.