Recreational cannabis dispensary proposed for former Bakers Square in Libertyville

An ordinance prohibiting recreational marijuana sales in town could be put to the test with a proposal to open a dispensary in Libertyville.

Prairie Retail Holdings LLC wants to operate a cannabis dispensary in a portion of the former Bakers Square, 1195 S. Milwaukee Ave., at the south end of the Greentree Plaza strip center.

To do that, the company in a 182-page application is asking the zoning code be modified to allow adult-use cannabis dispensaries as special uses in commercial shopping center districts and also is seeking a special use for this specific property.

The village’s advisory plan commission/zoning board of appeals will consider the matter at 7 p.m. Monday. Because of anticipated interest, the meeting site has been relocated from village hall to Libertyville Civic Center about a half block away at 135 W. Church St.

On Jan. 19, the advisory appearance review commission recommended approval 5-1 with conditions for the proposed exterior changes to the building.

Prominently located at Greentree Parkway and Milwaukee Ave., the standalone building on 1.3 acres has been vacant since January 2020 when the parent company filed for voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization.

That fall, a developer sought approvals to demolish the building to make way for a 7-Eleven convenience store and gas station but the plan was withdrawn and the site has remained idle.

As proposed, the existing glass eating area on the east side would be removed and the remaining space divided into two tenant spaces. The dispensary would occupy the 2,678 square feet and the remaining 1,777 square feet would be leased to a retail, restaurant or service tenant.

Prairie Retail Holdings contends the proposed use is compatible with the surroundings in the high-traffic commercial/retail corridor and given its location, existing improvements and proposed operating characteristics is well suited for the area.

Also, the dispensary could generate $240,000 to $420,000 in annual sales tax revenue for the village as well as an additional $16,000 in property tax, according the application.

Opponents in the Greentree residential area to the west have formed a group called Neighborhoods Not Dispensaries. Among other considerations, the group contends property values will drop and a dispensary isn’t needed because the village is in a good financial position.

The village board in 2019 unanimously enacted an ordinance prohibiting adult-use dispensaries shortly before the practice became legal in Illinois.

In early 2023, a proposal by Mayor Donna Johnson to put a nonbinding advisory referendum on the ballot to gauge public sentiment was voted down 6-0.

Medical dispensaries and cultivation centers are allowed in the village’s industrial areas.

“They’re in industrial areas for a reason,” said Amanda McDonagh, a member of the neighborhood group.