Amazon Special Use Permit Request Goes To Skokie Plan Commission

SKOKIE, IL — Despite concerns about the effect on traffic in the area, village staff recommend the Skokie Plan Commission approve a request for a special use permit for an Amazon package delivery hub on Linder Avenue at Howard Street.

The permit request had been due for review by plan commissioners on May 6, but the hearing was delayed until Thursday so that Amazon "could address staff concerns with the site plan, inadequate parking, the traffic impact study, and comments and concerns received from the public," according to a memo to the commission from Planning Supervisor Steve Marciani.

Amazon is currently operating at the 7539 Linder Ave. site with a temporary occupancy permit, Marciani said.

According to a statement submitted on behalf of the online retail behemoth, its facility "consists of a package delivery service that will provide customers access to a [four-]hour delivery window. This facility will utilize flex drivers for delivery. Flex drivers use their own vehicles to deliver packages."

All deliveries will be carried out by independent contractors, it said. There will also be 140 employees who work at the building.

Marciani said engineering staff determined that the 209 parking spaces included in Amazon's revised site plan are sufficient, but the aisle width needs to be slightly increased.

"The timing and responsibility for implementing mitigation measures should be Amazon's responsibility, and not the Village's as stated in their response and in the [traffic impact study," the memo said.

Though the study relied on nearly 2-year-old data, staff determined it was "clear that the development will impact surrounding traffic and operation of the nearby streets," it said.

The impact study determined the facility will add more than 3,000 additional trips per day to the facility, the staff memo said.

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As one of the conditions for approval recommended by staff, Amazon would have to provide a study to determine whether a new stop light is warranted.

The study would have to be completed by Sept. 30, and if the study justifies it and village officials agree, Amazon must pay to install the new traffic signal within a year of the village board approval.

Representatives of Amazon and its landlord, California-based developer Panattoni, have not responded to requests for information about the project.

According to an owner of a neighboring parcel on Linder Avenue, Amazon has already restricted access to their property.

In February, "all that could be seen from our office windows was Amazon's trucks. They were constantly blocking our driveways and blocking our loading dock. This is a huge concern for us moving forward especially as we have purchased and invested in a new building," he said in an email to village staff.

According to Marciani's memo, planning staff generally support the special use permit request, "but we have concerns that the applicant did not respond to the neighbors' input and the public as requested," it said.

"It is Staff's expectation that these concerns will be address[ed] at this public hearing."