Video store seeks zoning change on Golf Road
Family Video wants a second Arlington Heights store at the southwest corner of Golf and Goebbert roads, but the zoning change or variance it needs is far from certain.
Arlington Heights trustees gave mixed signals at Monday’s village board meeting, but a majority said the company should pursue the variance.
Trustees were conducting an early review, in which a petitioner can get an idea of how his project will be received before going through the costly process of requesting zoning changes. Trustees make comments and ask questions but make no commitments.
A vacant office building that was once a house now stands on the site.
Village staff opposed granting the variance, said Village Manager Bill Dixon, and a subcommittee of the plan commission had mixed feelings because the shop would violate the village’s comprehensive plan and move “more intense” commercial activity closer to the residential neighborhood to the south.
Jim Burda, regional manager for Family Video, said people may be surprised his company wants to expand when other video rental chains are closing stores.
He said the last three years have been the best in the history of the 33-year-old company, and the last eight months have seen 135 new stores.
The company has another Arlington Heights store at 2338 E. Rand Road. The Glenview-based company has more than 700 stores in 19 states, according to its website.
“The Family Video model is low-cost entertainment that’s competitive with Netflix and Redbox,” Burda said, adding he believes companies like Blockbuster got in financial trouble because they raised prices.
Choosing the right sites is important, too, said Burda, saying 34,000 vehicles a day pass the Golf Road location. The company likes its stores to have good visibility in areas with high traffic but that also have homes, because video rental is an impulse decision, and should be convenient.
This corner is “great” because it has a stoplight and is cost effective, said Burda.
Family Video stores are open 10 a.m. to midnight, with some closing an hour earlier Sunday-Thursday.
Besides the fact the office zoning is supposed to help shelter residences from the businesses along Golf Road, the video store hours would be much longer than professional offices and could be disruptive to residents, the staff report said.
Trustee Thomas Hayes said he thinks the store should go through the zoning process, and that company representatives should be sure to meet with area homeowners.
Trustee John Scaletta said he would consider a variance because he thinks a video store makes sense there. He said he would oppose a zoning change because he would not want to see something like a fast-food restaurant on the site later.
Others who urged the company to go forward with requesting a variance or zoning change were Mayor Arlene Mulder and trustees Norman Breyer, Thomas Glasgow and Tom Stengren.