November 05, 2024
Local News

Plainfield Plan Commission moves on potential Costco site

Planner: State budget crisis could be hindering progress on property

PLAINFIELD – The Plainfield Plan Commission on Tuesday approved a site subdivision for the Boulevard property at Route 30 and Interstate 55 – the same property unofficially slated for a future Costco.

No specific development has been proposed for the property. But the Plan Commission approved of village staff’s request to subdivide the property into three lots, marking the first step to spark development on the prime real estate. The recommendation will go to the village board in a future meeting.

“This is really just a preliminary effort to pave the way and facilitate behind the scenes or functional economic development outreach efforts,” village planner Jonathan Proulx said.

The 150-acre property is primarily vacant, undeveloped or agricultural. It is bounded by the Canadian National railroad right-of-way from the east, Route 30 from the south, Lily Cache Creek from the west and Renwick Road from the north. Mink Creek cuts through half of the property.

The Boulevard property is adjacent to, and northwest of, the former truck stop property that is owned by the city of Joliet at the I-55 interchange.

The subdivision divides the property into three lots.

The first lot is 80 acres of property north of Mink Creek south of Renwick Road. The second 15-acre lot maps the footprint of Mink Creek. The third lot of 55 acres includes the “prime commercial parcel” at the interchange, according to village documents.

The village annexed the Boulevard property in 2007, and a Costco was originally slated to anchor the property, according to a listing on Loopnet.com.

The listing, last updated in 2008, suggests that Costco was a desired primary anchor tenant before the recession hit. However, village officials have stopped short of naming Costco as a confirmed tenant.

Future plans

Plan Commission Chairman James Sobkoviak said that when detailed plans for the property come through, the commission will be looking closely at environmental impact to the creeks.

“Let [the developer] be aware that we’re going to be extremely careful about the effects to those two streams,” Sobkoviak said to Proulx. “We’ll be looking at possible pollution and runoffs and whatnot.”

After the meeting, Proulx said it was difficult to know when an anchor user may be selected. He said uncertainty associated with the state budget crisis may be delaying the project.

The property has been identified as a heavy part of the village's proposed tax-increment financing district for the Route 30 corridor between I-55 and Renwick Road.

The village plans to resume the TIF district process, including holding public meetings, once it hires a permanent planning director.