Aug. 06--Two luxury auto dealerships in Orland Park have received the Village Board's approval to expand, after their officials met with residents concerned who were about the projects.
A Village Board committee last month recommended that the full board approve plans to enlarge the Acura and Porsche stores on 159th Street. But at that same meeting, several neighbors said they worried that the bigger businesses would encroach on their land and increase their problems with noise and bright lights from the dealerships.
None of those residents returned Monday night to object. Dan McMillan, chief financial officer of Joe Rizza Ford of Orland Park, which owns the dealerships, said he met with the homeowners about the construction and their complaints.
"They were worried about some spots they used for guest parking, but we're never going to take that space," he said.
The first phase of expansion would add about 11,000 square feet to the dealerships on a four-acre lot. McMillan said they plan to start the Porsche addition in the spring, followed by construction on the Acura expansion.
A second phase of construction, which would add more parking and install underground stormwater vaults, was also approved by trustees but may no longer be needed, McMillan said. The dealerships will first complete the showroom and auto service additions and then look at whether they need extra space to store more vehicles, he said.
The dealerships also agreed to make some changes to try to avoid disturbing nearby homeowners, including pointing their loudspeakers away from residential areas, looking into quieter methods of communicating with employees and choosing parking lot light fixtures that cast light downward to limit light spilling onto nearby homes.
The dealerships also agreed to try to limit pre-dawn deliveries, though McMillan said they can't always control what time the trucks arrive.
Also Monday night, Mayor Dan McLaughlin also received a "City Livability Award" sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Waste Management for Orland Park's anti-bullying campaign, including public education projects and the village's upcoming Family Day event.
lzumbach@tribpub.com
