Geneva council backs zoning change to allow food manufacturing

In a 6-3 vote, the Geneva City Council voted last week to allow food manufacturing in one of its light industrial zoning districts.

Indiana-based MSI Express Inc. plans to lease an industrial building at 1885 E. State St. to expand its operations, but the city’s zoning in the light industrial district did not allow for food manufacturing, processing and packaging as a permitted use, said Community Development Director David DeGroot.

“The proposed text amendment would allow it as a permitted use throughout the I-1 district,” DeGroot said. “When MSI approached the city, we were a little surprised to find out that food manufacturing, processing and packaging was not a permitted use in the I-1 district.”

MSI had previously operated out of the General Mills facility at 2089 Pillsbury Drive for 20 years, from 2003 to 2023, DeGroot said. The company is currently located in West Chicago and Batavia but looks to return to Geneva, he added.

The recently constructed building it would like to lease is 275,000 square feet.

Nineteen comparable communities allow food manufacturing in light and heavy industrial areas, while a few — including Elgin, St. Charles and Darien — allow it as a special use. Batavia allows it in a general industrial district, but not in its light industrial district.

Geneva’s planning and zoning commission on Sept. 26 unanimously recommended that the council allow it as a special use, rather than a permitted use. A special use requires an application rather than to have a use by right.

DeGroot said the commission’s main concerns were odors and proximity to residential uses.

First Ward Alderperson Michael Bruno said the city has ordinances for odor and hazardous materials. The Environmental Protection Agency also has odor thresholds, DeGroot added/

Fifth Ward Alderperson Robert Swanson noted that many sites zoned I-1 are east of Kirk Road and “are literally across the street from residential.”

“I see if we were to approve this, we’re taking away the right of residents to show opposition or ask questions or come to meetings that are meant to approve a special use,” Swanson said. “If the ability for company to still obtain a special use exists, I’m not sure we need to just make it a permitted use. I would agree with what the PZC (planning and zoning commission) recommended and we continue that it would be a special use.”

First Ward Alderperson Anaïs Bowring said the zoning amendment makes sense.

“This seems like a very common use for our industrial space and one we’ve not experienced significant issues with,” she said.

Fourth Ward Alderperson Martha Paschke agreed.

“I think it’s important to encourage economic development,” Paschke said. “I feel like we do have solid performance standards and EPA odor thresholds can be enforced … I think staff has made a very reasonable and solid recommendation.”