Case & News

Zoning Panel Oks Wal-Mart Plan

Tim Kane Published September 23, 2005
CRYSTAL LAKE -- With a final vote scheduled for next month, Crystal Lake officials have advanced plans for a Wal-Mart Supercenter despite concerns about its design.

The store would be the largest building in the community.

Some members of the Planning and Zoning Commission had reservations about the look of the 213,000-square-foot structure, but the group recommended that the City Council take a final vote Oct. 4.

On Wednesday, commission members initially said they wanted to delay a decision, but a lawyer representing Wal-Mart objected.

"At some point you've got to move forward," said Joe Gottemoller. "Millions of dollars are at stake just in infrastructure improvements and Wal-Mart has to determine whether they want to make the investment, and there is a time element here."

City Council members approved a preliminary plan in March for the Wal-Mart, two car dealerships and 600 townhouses on 122 acres east of the intersection of Rakow Road and Illinois Highway 31.

Copyright 2005, Chicago Tribune