Business in County May Stack Containers Five High

Channahon Village Board members are in unanimous agreement that the cargo business on Youngs Road should not be allowed to stack containers above three high. Unfortunately, they don't have any say in the matter because the business is located in Channahon Township and variance decisions are up to the county board.

Despite that, village board members approved a resolution opposing the variance requested by Cavalea at its regular meeting Monday night. Mike McMahon, Channahon Director of Community Development, will bring that resolution to the Will County Land Use Committee at its 9:30 a.m. meeting Tuesday.

The variance request passed the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission on Nov. 1 with a vote of 4 to 2. Members Wade Beasley and Kimberly Mitchell, who is a Channahon resident, opposed the variance.

McMahon was on hand at that meeting and reported back to Channahon Village Board members that the owner, Anthony Cavalea, spoke to members of the commission.

"He mentioned that the current site is three high," McMahon said of Cavalea.

McMahon told Channahon board members that the county ordinance gives two criteria for approving a variance. The first is that the owner is facing a plight because of a unique experience. The second is that the change will not alter the character of the locality. But board members disagreed.

Although Cavalea is in an industrial area and is not in village limits, Channahon trustees are concerned that if the variance passes, it will create an eyesore that effects residents in neighboring subdivisions, especially McClintock Acres. Additionally, Channahon Village President Joe Cook has said repeatedly he would hate to see it damage the appearance of the newly opened Rock Run Rookery.

"You guys did such a great job on that Forest Preserve property there," he said.

Channahon village board members are familiar with what happens when a container business stacks their containers too high. Last year, they won a lawsuit against Integrated Industries, resulting in the . The ordinance specified containers couldn’t be stacked more than three high.

If the variance is recommended by the Will County Land Use Committee, it will move on to be voted on by the Will County Board.