Even though the Orland Park Plan Commission studied the plan for months and recently approved the 66-acre Main Place commercial center, the Village Board will likely spend a few more weeks reviewing traffic studies, road improvement plans and environmental issues before it’s ready to vote on the project, said Mayor Dan McLaughlin.
The proposal for the commercial development at the northeast corner of 143rd Street and La Grange Road is tentatively set for a vote at the June 19 board meeting, said McLaughlin. Until then, officials said they will be reviewing comments made by residents who attended a five-hour public hearing Tuesday night.
Jack Lawlor, a representive for the owners of Orland Square shopping center, said a proposal of this magnitude needs clear planning. He urged the village to make sure the project does not adversely affect the community.
He asked the village how it would cope with the increased traffic from the commercial development being planned by Davis Street Land Company of Evanston and Opus North Corporation of Rosemont.
A study by the village’s engineering consultant found that the new development would cause traffic congestion to double in the next few years and that plans by the Illinois Department of Transportation to widen La Grange Raod to six lanes may be at least 10 years away.
“We think the appropriate thing to do is send this plan back to the Plan Commission for more review,” he said. “How much congestion can be tolerated?”
Janet Evans of the Palos Orland Conservation Committee, said her group is concerned with pollution affecting the 10,000-year-old McGinnis Slough and wetlands northwest of the development site.
“Construction site erosion is a source of pullution in lakes and streams. McGinnis Slough is something we need to protect,” she said.
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Others in the audience said they were in favor of Main Place and the possibility of upscale shops and restaurants and the $43 million in sales and property tax revenue the businesses would generate over the next decade for the village.
“Traffic along La Grange Road has been a problem with or without Main Place. It’s unreasonable to believe the land will remain undeveloped. The developers have made numerous concessions,” said Henry Rusek, who lives nearby. .
Main Place is to feature 485,000 square feet of commercial space, including a 14-screen theater, up to 35 smaller shops, a 3,000-car parking lot, 35,000-square-feet of office space, five stand-alone buildings and two department stores.