Wu’s House modifies parking proposal to Palos Park council

By Jeff Vorva

Wu’s House restaurant was rejected once in a bid for extra parking space, but is trying again.

The eatery, which is located at 12300 S. LaGrange Road, is seeking an extra 82 spots — many on land next to the business. Citizens expressed concerns during a Plan Commission meeting and the request was shot down by a unanimous 4-0 vote, according to Commissioner Mike Wade.

But Wu’s revamped its request due to the residents’ concerns and presented it to the village council at Monday night’s meeting at the Kaptur Administrative Center.

It was an informational session as the council did not act on the proposal but voted unanimously to bring it back to the committee for another vote at a future meeting.

Attorney Marcia Owens, representing Wu’s, gave a presentation of the amended requests.

Originally, Wu’s was seeking a variance from the rear setback to the nearest portion of a retaining wall to the north of the business. That request has been reduced to and pertains only to the retaining wall.

A request for a waiver of parking lot landscape island requirements has been taken off the table.

There will be a new system for stormwater management and Owens pointed out that there will be a 96 percent reduction in stormwater discharge than from what Hackney’s (the restaurant that was previously on the property) was releasing.

The plan also calls for 41 trees to be removed.

Owens said that the Army Corps of Engineers approved the site plan.

She also said that additional parking will lessen the number of cars circling the lot to find a space and reduce the number of cars entering and exiting the lot with the valet service.

A plan to use nearby Fitzjoy Farms for additional parking was an option but Owens said that cars would need to be removed by 9 p.m. and that wouldn’t be a practical alternative.