Residents raise concerns heard about proposed Lenny's Gas N Wash

Lenny's Gas n Wash has petitioned to move in on the land currently occupied by the Walona Motel off of Route 30 in New Lenox.

The petition has raised concerns among residents who live in the area of the proposed project. In a public hearing at Monday's village board meeting, six residents voiced their concerns. Safety, noise, lighting, flooding and traffic were the main concerns.

The gas station would have a full service car wash, diesel pumps, main fuel pumps, a convenience store and drive-thru. It is to be a match of the one on Harlem Avenue and 194th Street in Tinley Park. The car wash would operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. but the gas station would be open 24 hours.

There are two proposed access points that are both on Walona Avenue, which dead ends into the Walona Softball Field parking lot. The proposed location would also back up to the homes on Charlotte Court.

The gas station would help service the south side of area as one between Wolf Road and Walmart in New Lenox.

Another concern was traffic.

The residents also expressed concern for the safety of children in the area who ride their bikes or play in the street. The residents who live on Charlotte Court's concern was expressed for those drivers who try to use their street to turn around.

"It's going to cause a lot of congestion and a lot of noise," resident Nathan Chamberlain said. "We have small children that play in the area, we like to get sleep and the noise from the vacuums is loud. It's much louder than the current space that attracted us to the area."

Chamberlain and his wife also were concerned with the semitrailers that would now be using their residential street.

Rob Holycross and his wife, Kathleen, raised the issue of the project interfering with their drinking water, as it is in unincorporated New Lenox. If this project was to be moved forward, Holycross said, he would want to see that area brought into the village at "developer's cost."

"We're the ones being inconvenienced," he said.

Brian Hertz, the civil engineer for the project, said the underground tanks are regulated and permitted by the State Fire Marshall's Office, and double to triple wall tanks are used prevent potential leakage. The tanks are also inspected a few times each year.

Other construction would have to be done to the land to allow for building to take place.

The item was up for first read at Monday's meeting, and Mayor Tim Baldermann said it would come back again for another read after more inspections and communication was done.

"It is up to the petitioner to work through the process and we'll notify the public when to come back," Baldermann said. "We'll let you know what staff was and what was not able to work out."