Costco revisions sent to Morris City Council

MORRIS – Costco Wholesale is one step closer to adding a meat packing facility in Morris.

The Morris Development Review Committee approved Thursday a revised expansion plan from Costco to build a meat packing facility for hot dogs, meatballs and sausage west of its two current distribution facilities – one of which is dry, the other refrigerated.

The plan is tentatively approved until an intergovernmental annexation agreement is approved between Morris, Grundy County and Costco.

The first plan was approved in April 2014 by the committee but the city found several aspects that need to be addressed, Morris Building and Zoning Officer Bill Cheshareck said.

“We have to be prepared for future expansion, whether Costco expands more after this, or if they sell additional land,” Cheshareck said. “We don’t want to re-do things afterward. We have to make sure the water and sewer are correct to accommodate this growth and any more future growth.”

The site will use 200,000 gallons of water a day and will need to treat all of it. Oils, fats and grease bring about the need for an on-site treatment facility. Cheshareck said the city was concerned it would clog the treatment facility, so Costco agreed to build its own lift station.

"The sanitation is being taken serious because it is a meat packing plant," City Attorney Scott Belt said.
The issue of an on-site lift station does not fall under Development Review Committee jurisdiction, Belt said. The lift station will be owned and operated by Costco.

The proposed lift station will be a 50’ x 50’ building. The building would be between the detention basin and the truck parking area on the west side.

At a public hearing held last year, some neighboring residents expressed concern with being surrounded by industrial developments. No one from the public spoke Thursday to the DRC, and officials said there will be an 80-acre parcel between the building and homeowners.

“There should be no problem there,” Belt said.

The plant’s design has increased since coming before the committee a year ago. The proposed plant would be 362,192 square feet, up from 308,000 square feet. The additional space would be on the east side of the property and closer to the existing plant than in the original plan.

Talks between Morris and Costco explored the possibility of adding right-of-way to Lisbon Road for the entirety of the 140-acre site Costco intends to use, Belt said. The matter has been discussed with Grundy County, and County Engineer Craig Cassem is aware of possible road work that would be paid for by Costco.

“Lisbon Road is and will always be a county road,” Belt said.

Costco also agreed to add black chain-link fencing, similar to what is along Route 47, to this portion of the property, between the roadway and a 25-foot easement agreed upon for utilities. Cheshareck said there will be about 125 feet of green area between the road and fence.

A bike path along the ComEd power grid that runs through the property was discussed last year, but it was agreed that an 8-foot wide asphalt bike path would be installed by the developer along Lisbon Road instead, which borders the property to the west. City Engineer Mike Hoffman previously has expressed concern about lighting, and Costco has agreed to install L.E.D. lighting to avoid glare.

As with its other projects, Costco will receive a property tax abatement for the plant’s property.