Village board vote puts Libertyville warehouse center in limbo
Proposed overnight deliveries at a warehouse and distribution center along Route 176 in Libertyville are off the table.
Whether the site's developer can or will pursue a compromise to extend delivery hours is to be determined.
Village trustees on Tuesday voted 6-0 against a request by Bridge Point 94 LLC to change their original agreement that bans deliveries between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. The decision matched that of the village's plan commission, which also unanimously denied the request.
The proposal had met with sharp opposition from residents who lived nearby, who asked village leaders to uphold the initial deal with Bridge Point.
"From our point of view, a deal is a deal. We viewed this as a bait and switch," said Dale Sherman, who lives near the two buildings at 851-901 E. Park Ave. (Route 176).
Among residents' concerns were the beeping sounds from backing trucks "like alarm clocks going off" overnight, Sherman said.
Village officials two years ago approved the $25 million project with several conditions. Speculative buildings of 220,542 square feet and 185,670 square feet are now substantially complete on the site.
However, Bridge Point earlier this year sought changes to allow truck parking outside a central court area, as well as the extended delivery hours. Bridge officials say the option of overnight delivery hours is needed to attract tenants.
Frito-Lay North America Inc., was a proposed tenant for one of the buildings, but the company now is out of the picture.
Mark Hauser, senior director of development for Bridge, said the company was willing to take their proposal back to the plan commission to seek a compromise with the village.
But at the urging of residents, Libertyville trustees voted down the request. That could mean that unless Bridge offers a substantially different proposal, it will have to wait a year to reapply.
"We've got to look at what the legal impact is of the vote in light of the fact the petition was withdrawn at the board meeting. The next step is up to Bridge," said David Pardys, village attorney.
"The lawyers are going to sort it out now," Mayor Terry Weppler added.
Hauser said Bridge "has lost some business" because of the overnight delivery restriction, but the company had been prepared to modify the delivery hours request.
"It does restrict us on potential tenants and we'll have to see what the options are," he said. One option would be for Bridge to find tenants that can operate within the restrictions, which include no truck deliveries or idling between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
"It is what it is and that's what we have to deal with," Hauser added.