After Initial Rejection and Tense Debate, Board Reconsiders and Approves Contested DuPage Township Business

Article Summary: In a rare reversal, the Will County Board approved a special use permit for a landscaping business in a residential area of DuPage Township after the measure initially failed. The debate centered on whether to grant a special use permit or require a more permanent map amendment to industrial zoning, highlighting a conflict between following zoning precedent and addressing a unique land use situation.

DuPage Township Zoning Key Points:

• Applicant: Roberto Mendoza of 17438 Bluff LLC sought a special use permit for a landscaping business at 17438 W. Bluff Road.

• The Vote: The measure failed on an 11-11 tie vote before board members moved to reconsider, ultimately passing it 14-8.

• The Debate: Members debated honoring zoning precedent versus making an exception for a property largely surrounded by industrial parks, with supporters arguing it mirrored an adjacent property and protected homeowners from permanent industrial zoning.

JOLIET, IL – A special use permit for a landscaping business in a residentially zoned area of DuPage Township was approved Thursday after a dramatic reversal by the Will County Board, which had rejected the proposal just moments earlier.

The request from Roberto Mendoza of 17438 Bluff LLC initially failed on an 11-11 tie vote, with County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant casting the tie-breaking vote against it. However, following a brief recess and a motion to reconsider, the board approved the permit on a 14-8 vote.

The debate highlighted a fundamental zoning dilemma. Opponents, including board member Sherry Newquist, argued that granting a special use permit for a commercial business in a residential zone was a dangerous exception.

“This is not something that is ever permitted in residential,” Newquist said. “And it makes it increasingly difficult to hold the line for future residential special use permits.”

The Land Use and Development Committee had previously recommended denial, favoring a map amendment to industrial zoning instead.

However, supporters argued the property was a unique case—an “island surrounded by industrial properties,” as board member Daniel J. Butler described it. The property is adjacent to industrial parks in Romeoville and Woodridge, and its direct neighbor operates a similar business under a special use permit granted in 2016.

“He’s just asking to be given the same rights as his neighbor,” said board member Jacqueline Traynere, who supported the permit. “I’m about fairness.”

Attorney John Simpson, representing the applicant, argued that a map amendment would permanently zone the property as industrial, making it difficult to ever revert to residential use and potentially harming nearby homeowners. By granting a special use permit, the business use would end if the property is sold.

Ultimately, a majority of the board was persuaded that the special use permit provided a necessary buffer for nearby residential subdivisions while accommodating the business in a practical way.