Will County Gazette

City of Joliet Zoning Board of Appeals met April 17.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

CALL TO ORDER

Planner Jayne Bernhard explained staff and the petitioner were recommending Petition 2025-10 be tabled to the June 19, 2025 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. Ms. Bernhard explained staff was recommending Petition 2025-09 and Repeal of Petition 1995-48 be tabled to the May 15, 2025 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. Ms. Bernhard explained staff was recommending the Public Hearings for Petitions 2025-09, Repeal of Petition 1995-48, and 2025-10 not be opened by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

ROLL CALL

Present Ralph Bias, Bob Nachtrieb, Debbie Radakovich, Jim Riggs, Brigette Roehr and Jesse Stiff

Absent Ed Hennessy

ALSO PRESENT: Media Engagement and Communications Director Rosemaria DiBenedetto, Community Development Director Dustin Anderson, Interim Corporation Counsel Todd Lenzie, Planner Jayne Bernhard, Planner Raymond Heitner, Planner Helen Miller, Economic Development Specialist Emily McGuire, Legal Assistant Katy Fyksen, and Community Development Administrative Assistant Lauren Helland

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting Minutes 3-20-25

A motion was made by Brigette Roehr, seconded by Debbie Radakovich, to approve Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting Minutes 3-20-25. The motion carried by the following vote:

Aye: Bias, Roehr, Riggs, Radakovich and Stiff

Absent: Hennessy

Abstain: Nachtrieb

CITIZENS TO BE HEARD ON AGENDA ITEMS

Jori Gura spoke in opposition to Petition 2025-10.

Mr. Riggs and Ms. Roehr explained staff was recommending Petition 2025-10 be tabled to June 19, 2025 and the Zoning Board of Appeals would need to vote on the agenda item.

Louise Converse and Theresa Ashby spoke in opposition to Petition 2025-10. Timothy Broderick spoke in favor of Petition 2025-10.

OLD BUSINESS: PUBLIC HEARING

None

NEW BUSINESS: PUBLIC HEARING

PETITION 2025-07: A series of Variations on signage to allow tenant wall and monument signs, located at 2903 Schweitzer Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5)

Ms. Bernhard read the staff report into the record. Nicholas Rauch with RJW Logistics Group appeared on behalf of the petition. No one from the public spoke in opposition to or in favor of the petition. There were no questions or comments from the Board.

A motion was made by Bob Nachtrieb, seconded by Ralph Bias, to approve PETITION 2025-07: A series of Variations on signage to allow tenant wall and monument signs, located at 2903 Schweitzer Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5). The motion carried by the following vote:

Aye: Nachtrieb, Bias, Roehr, Riggs, Radakovich and Stiff Absent: Hennessy

PETITION 2025-08: A Variation of Use to allow a wholesale business, a B-3 (general business) use, in the B-1 (neighborhood business) zoning district, located at 470 S. Hammes Avenue. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5)

Ms. Bernhard read the staff report into the record. Michael Collins with Sharp Property Solutions appeared on behalf of the petition. No one from the public spoke in opposition to or in favor of the petition. There were no questions or comments from the Board.

A motion was made by Ralph Bias, seconded by Jesse Stiff, to approve PETITION 2025-08: A Variation of Use to allow a wholesale business, a B-3 (general business) use, in the B-1 (neighborhood business) zoning district, located at 470 S. Hammes Avenue. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5). The motion carried by the following vote:

Aye: Nachtrieb, Bias, Roehr, Riggs, Radakovich and Stiff Absent: Hennessy

PETITION 2025-09: A Variation of Use to allow a two-unit residence, an R-3 (one- and two-family residential) use, in the R-2A (single-family residential) zoning district and a series of Variations to allow a two-unit residence, located at 1507 E. Cass Street. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #4)

REPEAL OF PETITION 1995-48: A Variation of Use to allow the continuation of an existing pizza business, a B-1 (neighborhood business) use, in an R-2A district, located at 1507 E. Cass Street. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #4)

Ms. Bernhard explained staff was recommending the Public Hearing not be opened by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Ms. Bernhard explained staff was recommending Petition 2025-09 and Repeal of Petition 1995-48 be tabled to the May 15, 2025 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. The Public Hearing was not opened. There were no questions or comments from the Board.

A motion was made by Ralph Bias, seconded by Jesse Stiff, to table PETITION 2025-09: A Variation of Use to allow a two-unit residence, an R-3 (one- and two-family residential) use, in the R-2A (single-family residential) zoning district and a series of Variations to allow a two-unit residence, located at 1507 E. Cass Street. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #4)

REPEAL OF PETITION 1995-48: A Variation of Use to allow the continuation of an existing pizza business, a B-1 (neighborhood business) use, in an R-2A district, located at 1507 E. Cass Street. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #4). The motion carried by the following vote:

Aye: Nachtrieb, Bias, Roehr, Riggs, Radakovich and Stiff

Absent: Hennessy

PETITION 2025-10: A Special Use Permit to allow athletic fields incidental to a private high school, located at 1201 Wyoming Avenue and 1200 N. Larkin Avenue. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #2) **TO BE TABLED**

Ms. Bernhard explained the petitioner and staff were recommending the Public Hearing not be opened by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Ms. Bernhard explained petitioner and staff were recommending Petition 2025-10 be tabled to the June 19, 2025 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. The Public Hearing was not opened.

Planner Raymond Heitner responded to Ms. Roehr’s questions about the Board’s receival of additional or revised materials from JCA, neighborhood sidewalks, and stormwater.

A motion was made by Brigette Roehr, seconded by Debbie Radakovich, to table PETITION 2025-10: A Special Use Permit to allow athletic fields incidental to a private high school, located at 1201 Wyoming Avenue and 1200 N. Larkin Avenue. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #2) **TO BE TABLED**. The motion carried by the following vote:

Aye: Bias, Nachtrieb, Radakovich, Riggs, Roehr and Stiff

Absent: Hennessy

Mr. Heitner responded to Ms. Roehr’s question about the Board’s receival of traffic impact studies.

PETITION 2025-11: A Special Use Permit to allow a cellular communications tower and associated ground equipment, located at 2500 Brandon Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5)

Ms. Bernhard read the staff report into the record. Gong Lin with American Tower LLC appeared on behalf of the petition. No one from the public spoke in opposition to or in favor of the petition. In response to Mr. Bias’s question and comments about cell towers and Starlink, Mr. Lin discussed cell tower and satellite internet technology systems.

A motion was made by Bob Nachtrieb, seconded by Ralph Bias, to approve PETITION 2025-11: A Special Use Permit to allow a cellular communications tower and associated ground equipment, located at 2500 Brandon Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5). The motion carried by the following vote:

Aye: Nachtrieb, Bias, Roehr, Riggs, Radakovich and Stiff

Absent: Hennessy

OLD/NEW BUSINESS—NOT FOR FINAL ACTION OR RECOMMENDATION

None

PUBLIC COMMENT

None

ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made by Jim Riggs to approve adjournment. The motion carried by the following vote:

Aye: Nachtrieb, Bias, Roehr, Riggs, Radakovich and Stiff

Absent: Hennessy

https://joliet.legistar1.com/joliet/meetings/2025/4/2371_M_Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_25-04-17_Meeting_Minutes.pdf