11-13-2008, 08:05 AM
Wow, somebody really likes Dunkin Donuts... read on.
City planners reject Dunkin' Donuts site
November 13, 2008
By DAN MORAN <!-- e --><a href="mailto
MORAN@SCN1.COM">DMORAN@SCN1.COM</a><!-- e -->
WAUKEGAN -- Though the development he represents features a Starbucks, attorney Robert Pugliesi insisted Tuesday that he has nothing against the idea of building a Dunkin' Donuts right down the block.
"I cannot emphasize this enough," Pugliesi told members of the Waukegan Development Commission, "our objections are in no way directed at Dunkin' Donuts. Our objections are founded on good planning standards."
Members of the commission appeared to agree, as they voted 5-4 against recommending a pair of measures that would put a Dunkin' Donuts adjacent to Fountain Square of Waukegan.
At issue was a request by the FSOW Real Estate Holding Company -- which owns a strip mall on the south end of Fountain Square that currently includes such businesses as Buffalo Wild Wings and Officemax -- to trim parking spaces near the building in favor of a drive-through lane.
Representatives for FSOW argued that a Dunkin' Donuts doesn't need much in the way of parking, saying that more than 50 percent of its customers use the drive-through, and 70 percent of its traffic comes through between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. -- before most surrounding businesses open.
"What we're seeking to do is use an unused area of the parking lot," said attorney Bernard Citron, who noted that the total number of spaces would be reduced from 332 to 315.
Commission chairman Pete Couvall spoke in favor of the project, admitting up front that "I'm a Dunkin' Donuts junkie" and saying he rarely sees cars parked outside two other Waukegan locations.
"The one on Lewis Avenue, I'm there three or four times a day, and the parking lot is hardly ever used," Couvall said. "Everything is drive-through, and this (site) is in much better shape."
But commissioners Dexter Reid and Michael Melius argued against setting a precedent by allowing a business to negotiate lower parking standards.
"Look at three restaurants (at Fountain Square) -- Chili's, Sweet Tomatoes and Potbelly's. You go down there at peak hours, you can't find a parking space," Reid said. "My issue is setting a precedent, and since we're talking about parking, that's a concern I have."
Melius also said he's "not real happy with that whole site or what's out there" around Fountain Square, saying there are too many "little developments" like restaurants and banks.
"I anticipated more retail," Melius said. "It's still in the creation stage, but I don't know how many banks we can have out there ... I'm not knocking Dunkin' Donuts, (but) I'm a little concerned that we're changing the direction of things."
The proposed Dunkin' Donuts would go in a 2,000-square-foot slot on the east end of the FSOW strip, which sits west of Waukegan Road and south of Fountain Square Place. Fountain Square's parent company, Shaw Development, originally owned that parcel of land and sold it to FSOW.
The Dunkin' Donuts proposal will now go before the City Council's Judiciary Committee on Dec. 1, and would then have to go before the full council for a final yes or no.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1276706,5_1_WA13_DUNKIN_S1.article">http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article</a><!-- m -->
City planners reject Dunkin' Donuts site
November 13, 2008
By DAN MORAN <!-- e --><a href="mailto
MORAN@SCN1.COM">DMORAN@SCN1.COM</a><!-- e -->WAUKEGAN -- Though the development he represents features a Starbucks, attorney Robert Pugliesi insisted Tuesday that he has nothing against the idea of building a Dunkin' Donuts right down the block.
"I cannot emphasize this enough," Pugliesi told members of the Waukegan Development Commission, "our objections are in no way directed at Dunkin' Donuts. Our objections are founded on good planning standards."
Members of the commission appeared to agree, as they voted 5-4 against recommending a pair of measures that would put a Dunkin' Donuts adjacent to Fountain Square of Waukegan.
At issue was a request by the FSOW Real Estate Holding Company -- which owns a strip mall on the south end of Fountain Square that currently includes such businesses as Buffalo Wild Wings and Officemax -- to trim parking spaces near the building in favor of a drive-through lane.
Representatives for FSOW argued that a Dunkin' Donuts doesn't need much in the way of parking, saying that more than 50 percent of its customers use the drive-through, and 70 percent of its traffic comes through between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. -- before most surrounding businesses open.
"What we're seeking to do is use an unused area of the parking lot," said attorney Bernard Citron, who noted that the total number of spaces would be reduced from 332 to 315.
Commission chairman Pete Couvall spoke in favor of the project, admitting up front that "I'm a Dunkin' Donuts junkie" and saying he rarely sees cars parked outside two other Waukegan locations.
"The one on Lewis Avenue, I'm there three or four times a day, and the parking lot is hardly ever used," Couvall said. "Everything is drive-through, and this (site) is in much better shape."
But commissioners Dexter Reid and Michael Melius argued against setting a precedent by allowing a business to negotiate lower parking standards.
"Look at three restaurants (at Fountain Square) -- Chili's, Sweet Tomatoes and Potbelly's. You go down there at peak hours, you can't find a parking space," Reid said. "My issue is setting a precedent, and since we're talking about parking, that's a concern I have."
Melius also said he's "not real happy with that whole site or what's out there" around Fountain Square, saying there are too many "little developments" like restaurants and banks.
"I anticipated more retail," Melius said. "It's still in the creation stage, but I don't know how many banks we can have out there ... I'm not knocking Dunkin' Donuts, (but) I'm a little concerned that we're changing the direction of things."
The proposed Dunkin' Donuts would go in a 2,000-square-foot slot on the east end of the FSOW strip, which sits west of Waukegan Road and south of Fountain Square Place. Fountain Square's parent company, Shaw Development, originally owned that parcel of land and sold it to FSOW.
The Dunkin' Donuts proposal will now go before the City Council's Judiciary Committee on Dec. 1, and would then have to go before the full council for a final yes or no.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1276706,5_1_WA13_DUNKIN_S1.article">http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article</a><!-- m -->
