The Homewood Planning and Zoning Commission will continue a public hearing at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 3, on two issues related to the redevelopment of the former Calumet Country Club.
The commission is considering a request to rezone the property from public land and open space to limited manufacturing use. W&E Ventures has requested the change in order to pursue the development of a warehouse/fulfillment operation. Also on the agenda is a proposal to amend the village’s land use plan to account for the possible change in use of the former golf course.
The hearing began on Feb. 11 with a presentation by representatives of the developer. They described the plans for the project, which would involve creating a fulfillment center served by an estimated 300 trucks per day.
Commission members then asked questions and made suggestions intended to minimize the impact of the operation on nearby residential areas, including Governors Park, which is across 175th Street from the site.
Questions from residents began at the first meeting and extended through two additional meetings, one Feb. 17 and one Feb. 25. So far, the three meetings have lasted a total of more than 10 hours. Residents will be able to continue asking questions on Wednesday.
A group of Homewood and area residents, South Suburbs for Greenspace Over Concrete formed recently and has been conducting protest demonstrations during and between village board and Planning and Zoning Commission meetings.
The process will also include time for comments from residents before the commission makes a recommendation. The final decision on the two issues will be made by the Homewood Board of Trustees.
The board is adhering to a settlement agreement with the property owner, Diversified Partners. The company sued in 2019 to have the property disconnected from Homewood after village officials refused to support the fulfillment center plan. The village has until May 12 to comply with requirements of the agreement, which also includes establishing a TIF district on the site.
The public hearing on Wednesday will be conducted via video conference on Zoom. Members of the public can access the meeting by dialing 1-312-626-6799, then entering meeting ID 991 8481 1606 and passcode 573 812.
The public hearing also can be accessed online on Zoom. For online access, go to the website zoom.us, click “Join a Meeting” and enter the above meeting ID and passcode.
Members of the public may participate in the public hearing in person at the village hall first floor board room, although capacity may be limited to maintain social distancing as recommended by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control. Everyone entering the Village Hall must wear a face covering.