Venture One Acquisitions LLC is seeking permission from Geneva to build a warehouse on the city’s east side.
Courtesy of the city of Geneva
For the second time in less than a year, the Geneva Planning and Zoning Commission is recommending the denial of a proposal to build a 719,200-square-foot warehouse on the northeast corner of Kirk Road and Fabyan Parkway.
On Thursday, the panel voted 4-1 to recommend the city reject requests from Venture One Acquisitions LLC of Rosemont. The company has asked the city to amend its comprehensive plan for the roughly 55-acre site, rezone it to light industrial, and approve a site plan.
The commission does not deal with annexations, so it did not vote on the company’s request to annex.
Commissioners had denied the same plan last August. It came before the commission again because Venture One withdrew its application before it went to the city council for final action.
Mark Goode of Venture One said there is a demand for warehouses of this size in the area.
“This does fit into your long-term comprehensive plan to be a light industrial use in this area,” Goode said.
David Wallenciak was among a few residents who spoke out against the warehouse development, saying it would be too large and generate too much truck and car traffic.
He said east-side residents do not want more diesel pollution and truck noise.
“What the residents do want is residential,” Wallenciak said. “We need affordable housing in Geneva.”
Commissioner Mim Evans said she did not want to amend the zoning or the comprehensive plan for the site.
“We talked about housing and how affordable housing and how developers are looking for much smaller sites than this,” Evans said. “We need housing in this town, even if it isn’t technically affordable housing.”
Evans said the property is large enough to be developed into a new subdivision. If the warehouse is built, it eliminates the only site left for a new subdivision.
City Planner Matt Buesing said the area has been vacant for years and is planned for commercial and industrial use.
“Residential has not been something that the city has thought would be a viable option at that location,” Buesing said.
But Evans said the housing market has changed drastically since the city’s Southeast Master Plan was adopted in 2003.
“This type of operation we are discussing here today wasn’t even in anybody’s minds at that point,” Evans said.
“My biggest concern is tying up this site with this particular kind of use and whether or not it is in the best interest – in the long run – of the city, committing to an additional warehouse type project and eliminating the ability to balance development in the city,” Evans said.
The commission’s recommendation will go to the city council on May 20.