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The trucking facility would be located on Renwick Road if the company receives a special permit Aug. 6.
The Plainfield Village Board recently postponed a vote on a proposed trucking terminal on Renwick Road, amid public concerns about the project.
Trucking company GP Transportation Co. is seeking a special-use permit to build a trucking facility at a 32-acre site near Interstate 55.
The company plans to build on contiguous sites at 22419 W. Renwick Road, 22531 W. Renwick Road and 22537 W. Renwick Road on land Plainfield resident Patrick Collins owns.
The vote, originally scheduled for Monday, was postponed until Aug. 6, Plainfield Director of Planning Jonathan Proulx said. The board also will hold a public hearing on the project July 23.
“Based on the feedback and the magnitude of public concern and public involvement, the trustees have asked to defer the full consideration of the project,” Proulx said.
Renwick Road resident Jeff Sniegowski has created a Facebook page with an online petition, which, he said, has collected 800 signatures against the GP Transportation Co. project.
“It struck a chord. They’re sick of the traffic already,” said Sniegowski, noting that people from around the Plainfield area are against the plan. “Everyone who travels Renwick Road knows what we’re talking about.”
The terminal would be located immediately behind Sniegowski’s home. He said an access road to the site would be 30 feet from his property line.
Alexander Domanskis, attorney for the trucking company, said the company would look at putting up a berm or sound wall near the residential area.
Sniegowski said he and two of his immediate neighbors have been rear-ended in the past four years after slowing down to turn into their driveways.
“There are accidents on that road all the time,” he said. “We’re sick of hearing the sirens already. That’s the way it is now.”
A staff analysis estimated there could be 116 truck trips during weekday morning peaks and 115 trips on weekday evening peaks, according to June 19 plan commission documents.
Sniegowski pointed to estimates provided by GP Transportation indicating the facility when fully built could generate 692 inbound trailers and 608 outbound trailers daily.
Some residents have also raised environmental concerns, due to the location of the Lake Renwick Preserve to the north.
“We actually already have orders for three electric trucks,” Domanskis said. “We’re doing all that we can to reduce [environmental effects] and we’re actually part of Environmental Protection Agency programs to avoid that.”
Domanskis said the company would move its headquarters from Darien to Plainfield. The company also has a location in Lemont.
“Most of what will be there will be an office facility that people will drive to in normal cars to do the logistics work,” Domanskis said.
In all, the company plans to build a modern office facility, a truck maintenance facility and two parking lots. It will also pave the location, and create a “safer entrance and exit at the western end of the property,” Domanskis said.
Jake Melrose, Plainfield’s economic development manager, said the current access point is dangerous due to limited visibility.
“There’s significant improvements and widening of Renwick Road that would be required as part of the project,” Melrose said.
Domanskis said the property currently is used for trucking and storage, and the GP Transportation site would “be a substantial improvement.”
“This is not a brand-new revelation. All they’re going to do is move their driveway west from where they came,” Collins said.