After hearing a range of concerns from more than a half-dozen adjacent residential neighbors, the property owner of an established gas station and convenience store was given a “no” vote from a Naperville municipal panel for the recommendation of the expansion of an ancillary U-Haul operation.
Members of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday, April 16, reviewed and held a public hearing on a requested conditional-use permit for the U-Haul proposal, attached to the operating Marathon gas station at 991 W. Ogden Ave., at the northeast corner of West Ogden Avenue and Royal St. George Drive intersection.
U-Haul has been operating at site
In a memo to commissioners, Brad Iwicki, assistant planner with Naperville’s transportation, engineering and development (TED) department, noted that U-Haul trucks have been stored at the site in recent years.
“On July 31, 2024, the property owner was issued a violation notice with the city’s code enforcement team for operating the U-Haul business without a business occupancy permit,” Iwicki wrote, noting other violations also were found at the time.
The commissioners’ “no” vote does not necessarily mean the U-Haul trucks will disappear from the property. But property owner Henry Patel cannot expand the operation until proper approvals are handed down from city officials.
“Marathon may continue to operate as a automobile service station and maintain the accessory use as a U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer, so long as the U-Haul trucks are not parked in any of the 10 code-required parking spaces and are restricted to approved parking surfaces in compliance with the municipal code,” Iwicki wrote in the memo, explaining the technicalities in play.
Neighbors weigh in with concerns
During the public hearing, commissioners heard a range of concerns from neighbors, with bright nighttime lighting and screening being the two most prevalent issues raised throughout the lengthy discussion.
“Having our homes screened from this property is our number one concern, from our residential point of view, from the street behind,” nearby resident Lacey Schnell said.
“Due to the unique situation, we implore the city to use common sense to establish requirements, above and beyond the bare minimum,” Schnell added. “City code requires that our property values, health and safety be protected.”
General aesthetics also were raised from many of the neighboring property owners. Resident Christine White said the current arrangement of parking the U-Hauls near an entryway into the residential development has taken away from the character of the area.
“(The homeowners association) spent a lot of money on this entrance, and now, when you drive in, there’s all these trucks, just blocking it,” White said. “It’s unsightly.”
Other issues — including the impact from water run off — also were raised during the hearing.
“There’s no way that water can flow off cement and not into the neighbor’s area beyond,” said Diana McClaurin, who serves as president of the Cress Creek Homeowners Association. “We get huge floods in Cress Creek, so once we get a huge water flow issue, it will be flooding the neighbors next to it.”
Commissioners share their own concerns for U-Haul proposal
When a vote was cast at the finality of the public hearing, none of the commissioners in attendance approved the proposal, meaning a favorable recommendation for the conditional-use and proposed expansion of the U-Haul operation will not be going to the city council.
Commissioner Derek McDaniel noted efforts nearly a decade ago to improve the Ogden Avenue commercial corridor, which have been fruitful in the years since with new retailers and restaurants taking root in the immediate area.
“In my view, this would be, more or less, a step backwards, if we were to approve and agree or allow this secondary use, this U-Haul, to continue,” Mcdaniel said.
Commissioner Mark Wright said he is not comfortable giving a favorable recommendation, asserting inadequate information — such as engineering and traffic analyses and landscaping concepts — were not provided.
“In this particular case, I have to say that we really don’t have enough information to make an educated decision on this and be able to pass an affirmative to the city council, or a negative to city council,” Wright said.
From his vantage point, Wright added that he saw both sides of the issue.
“I understand the business probably needs to make some sort of additional income to make it a viable business — I understand that — but I also understand the neighbor’s concerns, and I think they’re very valid concerns,” he said.
Commissioner Whitney Robbins said the commission’s “no” vote does not mean the appointed body is opposed revisiting the issue in the future.
“Hopefully, the next time, if you do come forward — and I hope you do — you have all of that information, and the neighbors behind you are feeling comfortable with what you are working with, and so are we, and we can move forward,” Robbins said, speaking to Patel.
Property owner willing to work with neighbors
After hearing the residents’ concerns, Patel said he is willing to make improvements to his property to address the issues raised during the hearing.
“If the neighborhood wants to lower the lights … we are willing to do it, so at least we can keep our business going,” Patel said in addressing one of the concerns. “We don’t want to go into a situation where the business becomes unprofitable, and we just close the door. I don’t want to get into that situation.”
Patel said his overarching goal is to be a good neighbor, concurrent with running a viable business.
“I’m looking for a solution — let’s put it this way,” he said. “I’m not looking to fight with anybody. Let’s look for the solution. We grow together, we succeed together.”
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