Palos Heights is asking residents to weigh in on the future of downtown Olde Palos.
During the Jan. 6 City Council meeting, the first of the new year, Mayor Robert S. Straz said the city’s downtown planning consultants will be holding focus groups later this month and encouraged residents to take part.
“MKSK, as many of you know, is doing the downtown business development plan,” Straz said. “The planning consultants are conducting a series of focus groups on Monday, January 12, and Tuesday, January 13, to help people provide input on what’s going on in the downtown area.”
Straz said the focus groups will include residents, business owners, property owners, and real estate professionals, and that city staff has been reaching out to people who may be interested in participating.
“So, if you’re interested in obtaining one of these focus groups and partaking, please reach out,” Straz said, noting that residents who cannot attend in person can still provide feedback through a survey on the city’s website. He urged residents to “come out and share your ideas.”
A proposed auto repair shop on 135th Street was also discussed.
A proposal to allow an automotive service center at 6350 W. 135th St. drew extended public comment from nearby residents and business advocates.
Forest Ridge resident Ryan Carberry, who said he lives directly behind the site, warned the council that an auto repair business would bring noise into what he described as a quiet residential neighborhood.
Carberry said sounds from air compressors, power tools, engines, and metal work could start early in the morning and continue into the evening, disrupting nearby homes and quality of life. He also raised concerns about increased traffic, safety, and the impact on property values.
Speaking in support of the proposal, Rush Darwish said the owners are new entrepreneurs who initially struggled to navigate zoning and permitting requirements.
Darwish, president of the Arab-American Business and Professional Association, said his organization is working with the owners to ensure they comply with city requirements and urged the council to give the business an opportunity to move forward.
Noor Alayan spoke on behalf of the business, which operates as Chicago’s Elite Automotive. She identified herself as a co-owner and a public high school teacher and said concerns raised by the zoning board had already been addressed, including plans for indoor-only operations and a ventilation system to manage fumes and odors.
“All of our work will be indoors,” Alayan said, adding that sound would not carry beyond the building.
Her husband, Amer Alayan, is listed as the formal applicant for the project.
Despite those assurances, the council voted down the request on a 5–2 vote. Aldermen Jeffery Key, Patrick Scully, Jack Clifford, Dan Brennan, and Robert Basso voted “no,” while Aldermen Michael McGrogan and Brent Lewandowski voted in favor. Ald. Heather Begley was absent.
The next scheduled Palos Heights meeting is Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.
I worked at an automotive business. All summer and on nice days, the doors will be open and it will be noisy, very noisy.