Story posted Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Concerns Over Noise, Dust From Lurvey's Expansion
By DWIGHT ESAU Journal & Topics Reporter
For Lurvey's Garden Center, a lot will depend on the noise and dust.
These two issues are currently the main obstacles to a resolution of the center's request for a Planned Unit Development that will permit it to expand its operations across from Maine East High School.
The long-time landscaping and garden center at 2550 W. Dempster St., Des Plaines, wants to expand and remodel two buildings on its property in the next year or so. Right now, they want to expand an existing landscaping service facility and streamline its wholesale operations. Later, they plan to expand their existing retail nursery and garden center that is located close to Dempster Street.
The city is considering the request as a Planned Unit Development, which permits the inclusion of conditions and limits on the company's operations.
Seven of the eight city aldermen attended a June 18 meeting of the city council's Community Development Committee, chaired by Ald. Rosemary Argus. The committee is planning to develop some recommendations on the issue to the city council in the next few weeks.
The only action taken at the meeting was to ask a testing consultant to conduct additional noise and dust tests on the property, on dry days. "Some testing for noise and dust was done on a recent day when it drizzled, and we need further testing in dry weather to get realistic results so we can make proper decisions," said Mike Conlon, the city's director of community development.
Neighbors living on Seminary and Prairie avenues behind the Lurvey property have complained about the noise and dust generated by trucks coming and going and forklifts operating on the Lurvey property. They have asked the city to assure them that the proposed expansions will not worsen these problems.
"We have asked that Lurvey's erect a 10-foot-high sound wall along Prairie Avenue and add plantings to deaden the noise, and to pave a large portion of their yard to relieve the dust problem," Conlon said. "We believe final test results will permit us to move forward with final action on this development."
"With almost all of the aldermen present at the latest committee meeting, it was virtually a committee-of-the-whole meeting," Conlon said. "The council is pretty well informed on this matter."
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