TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dustin Anderson, Director of Community Development
SUBJECT:
title
Ordinances Associated with 23656 S. Houbolt Road:
Ordinance Approving the Annexation of 23656 S. Houbolt Road (A-1-26)
Ordinance Approving the Classification of 23656 S. Houbolt Road to the I-1 (Light Industrial) Zoning District (A-1-26)
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BACKGROUND:
The petitioner and property owner, Whimsy Joliet LLC, is requesting approval of the annexation, classification to the I-1 (light industrial) zoning district, and approval of an annexation agreement for the 7-acre site at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. The purpose of the request is to develop the site with a truck parking facility for use by the petitioner’s freight carrier company, Whimsy Trucking. The I-1 district permits clean manufacturing, warehousing, and wholesaling activities. Trucking facilities are allowed as special uses in the industrial zoning districts. The petitioner is also requesting mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling and container storage and stacking as components of the proposed facility, which require additional variation of use and special use approvals.
The 7-acre subject site is within unincorporated Will County and currently has County A-1 (agricultural) zoning. The site previously contained a farmstead and is currently vacant. The site is located on the west side of Houbolt Road, which was reconstructed into a four-lane road several years ago when the Houbolt Road Bridge was completed over the Des Plaines River to provide a connection between Interstate 80 and CenterPoint Intermodal Center. The Houbolt Road right-of-way adjacent to the site was annexed into the City in 2021 and provides contiguity to the site for annexation.
The area surrounding the subject site is a mix of incorporated City of Joliet and unincorporated Will County. The surrounding incorporated City properties have industrial zoning: two nearby sites at 3600 Houbolt Road and 3901 Houbolt Road are zoned I-1 (light industrial), and the surrounding CenterPoint properties are mainly zoned I-TC (intermodal terminal - industrial park), which permits warehousing, logistics, and manufacturing uses. The property at 3600 Houbolt Road was annexed in 2023 and is currently under development with a warehouse facility. The site at 3901 Houbolt Road, which is also owned by the petitioner, was annexed in 2022 and contains a truck terminal for Whimsy Trucking. The surrounding unincorporated Will County properties contain rural residential uses and are zoned County A-1 (agricultural).
Whimsy Trucking provides transportation services related to intermodal freight hauling, transferring, and storage. They have headquarters in Mount Prospect, Illinois and several yards in the Chicagoland area. The Whimsy terminal directly south of the subject site at 3901 Houbolt Road includes maintenance, parking, and dispatch operations. The proposed truck parking facility at 23656 S. Houbolt Road would include a 3,000-square-foot office building, employee parking, and around 105 trailer parking stalls. According to the petitioner, the proposed facility would serve around 20 trucks from Whimsy’s fleet. The petitioner estimates that there would be around 90 to 100 truck trips total to and from the site per day. The facility would be surrounded by a security fence with an access gate for trucks entering the site. There would be one entrance off Houbolt Road.
The petitioner is requesting mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling as an accessory component of the facility. The mobile fueling station would resemble a standard utility trailer and be placed in a designated location on site. The fueling station is intended for use by the petitioner’s fleet and would not be open to the public. The mobile fueling request requires approval of a Variation of Use to allow above-ground fuel tanks in the I-1 (light industrial) district. The petitioner is also requesting container storage and stacking up to three containers high at the proposed facility. This request requires approval of a Special Use Permit and Variation of Use because container storage is allowed as a special use in the I-2 (general industrial) district.
The annexation will include an annexation agreement that addresses water and sanitary sewer connections as well as recapture fees for utilities and roadway improvements from the reconstruction of Houbolt Road. Future development will be required to comply with the City’s Zoning Ordinance requirements, including but not limited to the landscape and screening regulations, the non-residential design standards, and the parking standards. The site will be required to connect to City water and sewer at the time of development. Water and sewer connection fees and development impact fees will be required. All public improvements will be required per the Subdivision Regulations and the requirements of the Public Works and Public Utilities Departments. If the Special Use Permit for a truck parking facility is approved, the trailer parking stalls will be subject to the payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) program per the terms of the approved ordinance.
Approval of the requested annexation and classification to the I-1 (light industrial) zoning district will allow a 7-acre property to be developed as an industrial site within the City of Joliet and to connect to City utilities. The requested zoning classification to the I-1 zoning district is consistent with the surrounding City zoning and land uses. The site has direct access to Houbolt Road, which was recently reconstructed to facilitate intermodal truck traffic through the area.
PLAN COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING:
The Plan Commission held a public hearing on this matter at their meeting on May 21, 2026. John Argoudelis, attorney, represented the petition. One person spoke in opposition to the petition. Meeting minutes are attached.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLAN COMMISSION:
Jeff Crompton moved that the Plan Commission recommend approval of the annexation, classification to the I-1 (light industrial) district, and approval of an annexation agreement, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road.
Michael F. Turk seconded the motion, which passed with six (6) aye votes and no nay votes. Voting aye were: Cox, Crompton, Martin, Radakovich, Turk, and Hammac. Voting nay were: none. Absent were: Eulitz.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff concurs with the recommendation of the Plan Commission and recommends that the Mayor and City Council approve the following:
1. Ordinance Approving the Annexation of 23656 S. Houbolt Road
2. Ordinance Approving the Classification of 23656 S. Houbolt Road to the I-1 (Light Industrial) Zoning District
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