Bartlett concerned about traffic, parking for shopping center outlots
Bartlett village board members Thursday expressed a mixture of congestion concerns and hope for a solution over a plan for two new outlot buildings in the parking lot of the Bartlett Commons Shopping Center at the northwest corner of Route 59 and Stearns Road.
The concerns centered on the potential of the two buildings to draw even more traffic to the intersection, as well as their occupying parking spaces that already seem in high demand.
Trustee Kristina Gabrenya said putting more stress on existing tenants to bring in two more didn't make sense to her.
But representatives of Bartlett Commons said the plan doesn't seek any less parking than the village's codes require. Furthermore, it would do away with the practice of reserving some spaces for particular tenants and towing the vehicles of other businesses' customers.
Bartlett Community Development Director Jim Plonczynski said the Illinois Department of Transportation plans to start improvements on the intersection this spring, based on projected traffic volumes of about 20 years in the future. Though the work may extend into early 2019, it would likely be completed before either of the proposed outlots would be finished, he added.
The north outlot building would be 7,600 square feet on a 37,200-square-foot lot along Route 59, where the shopping center's stormwater detention basin currently lies. No village officials had any concerns about the ability to move that detention underground.
The south building would be 5,200 square feet on a 38,800-square-foot lot along Stearns Road, where Bartlett's farmers market has been held. Plans are under way to relocate the market.
Bartlett Commons Property Manager Nico Scardino said he heard nothing Thursday to dissuade him from moving ahead with filing the plans.
While some prospective tenants have been talked to, none have yet committed, he added.
Bartlett Village President Kevin Wallace said he hoped the property owners found it useful to learn early how concerned the board is about the traffic and parking issues.
"Just because a business wants to do something, it doesn't necessarily mean it's good for the community," he said.