Marijuana Shop At Old Darien Steak 'n Shake Fails 1st Hurdle

DARIEN, IL — A Darien committee last week unanimously rejected a proposal to change zoning to allow marijuana sales in the old Steak 'n Shake in Darien.

The alderman pushing the idea said Thursday that the Planning and Zoning Commission may have made the right decision.

At a City Council meeting in February, Alderman Eric Gustafson said the old Steak 'n Shake, 2019 W. 75th St., was an "ideal" place for a marijuana store. Darien, he said, needed to compete for marijuana shops, noting the benefit in tax money.

With the commission's 6-0 vote against the zoning change, the proposal is expected to proceed to the council's Municipal Services Committee. Then it is set to go to the full council.

In an interview, Gustafson said he could see why the Planning and Zoning Commission voted down the idea.

"If you listen to the people who were there, it may not be the right place," Gustafson said. "It's worth going through the process to see what people want in the community."

Many nearby suburbs prohibit sales of recreational marijuana, but Gustafson and three other aldermen formed a majority in 2019 to allow such businesses in town.

Darien already has other places zoned to allow marijuana shops, the alderman said.

Gustafason said he wishes the state would act quickly to issue more marijuana licenses.

"A marijuana store could bring a huge amount of revenue to the city," he said. "A store in Darien could produce more tax revenue than Walmart."

The city could use the increase in tax money to build a better public works building, Gustafson said.

"It's a dump. The roof leaks. It's not large enough," he said. "Westmont just got a brand-new building."

The City Council debated the issue of marijuana sales at a meeting last month.

Gustafson said he believes the majority of Darien residents favor a marijuana store. In a nonbinding referendum last week, 55 percent of voters in neighboring Woodridge backed marijuana sales.