CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Option A: Concur with the petitioner and direct staff to prepare ordinances and an OAA agreement approving the requested entitlements for Dutch Bros at 1230 S. Naper Blvd. - DEV-0068-2025; or
Option B: Deny the requested entitlements for Dutch Bros at 1230 S. Naper Blvd. - DEV-0068-2025.
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Anna Franco, AICP, Community Planner
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BACKGROUND:
The petitioner and property owner, SDG Market Meadows LLC, is requesting approval of a major change to the Market Meadows Planned Unit Development (PUD), deviations to eliminate the required bypass lane and reduce the required parking spaces in the PUD, and a preliminary/final plat of subdivision to construct a Dutch Bros drive-through coffee shop on the triangular shaped parking area north of the US Bank at 1230 S. Naper Boulevard. Dutch Bros is a popular drive-through coffee chain with 900+ locations nationwide and this location would be the one of the first Dutch Bros in the Chicagoland region. Please see the procedural history for the Dutch Bros entitlement requests, to date:
Procedural History
1. The Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) conducted a public hearing for the petition on August 20, 2025. At the conclusion of the public hearing, the PZC’s vote to approve DEV-0068-2025 failed with a vote of 4-4.
2. In September, the petitioner held on-site meetings with the Mayor and members of the City Council to discuss the requested entitlements. The Mayor and Council members expressed concerns related to Dutch Bros generated traffic and safety. After, the petitioner updated the proposal with alternative Traffic Management Plan options.
3. The petitioner proceeded to the October 7, 2025 City Council meeting without the alternative Traffic Management Plan options. Due to the failed Planning and Zoning Commission vote, the petition proceeded without ordinances and with an option to either concur with the petitioner and direct staff to prepare ordinances and an Owner’s Acknowledgement and Acceptance Agreement (OAA) approving the requested entitlements, or deny the requested entitlements for Dutch Bros.
At the October 7 meeting, the City Council stated multiple concerns with the Traffic Management Plan options and general safety within the Market Meadows Shopping Center. The item was tabled to the November 4, 2025 meeting with the recommendation that the petitioner return with a revised Traffic Management Plan that both addresses City Council’s concerns and has been reviewed by City staff.
DISCUSSION:
The petitioner has submitted a revised Traffic Management Plan for the proposed Dutch Bros drive-through coffee shop. The Traffic Management Plan is formatted as a letter to City Council and includes responses to City Council questions and concerns. The revised plan has been reviewed and approved by staff and a summary of the changes to the previously submitted plan (dated February 19, 2025) is outlined below.
Traffic Management Plan Changes
1. Stabilized vs. Grand Opening Traffic Management Plan: The Traffic Management Plan has been separated into two plans; a Stabilized Traffic Management Plan and a Grand Opening Traffic Management Plan. The Grand Opening plan is similar to the previous Traffic Management Plan in that it provides 26 off-site stacking spaces in the southernmost Jewel drive-aisle with traffic controllers stationed at the beginning and end of the off-site stacking area. The Stabilized Traffic Management Plan does not include designated off-site stacking and traffic controllers, and directional signs along the southernmost Jewel aisle are removed.
2. Traffic Routing: The plan continues to route ingress Dutch Bros’ traffic to the Naper Boulevard entrance to the Market Meadows shopping center through the use of directional signage but now de-emphasizes the use of Market Avenue to exit the shopping center by routing exiting traffic to Naper Boulevard, rather than to Market Avenue. This change will avoid conflict with Jewel customers and traffic. Dutch Bros proposes to achieve this with a permanent left-turn only sign near the exit of the Dutch Bros drive-through to discourage exiting traffic to use Market Avenue as a primary exit.
3. Primary and Secondary Ingress/Egress: The plan now designates primary and secondary routes for vehicular ingress/egress traffic, with primary routes using Naper Boulevard for ingress/egress and secondary routes using Market Avenue for ingress and 75th Street for ingress/egress.
4. Crosswalk Striping: The petitioner has slightly increased the width of the existing striped crosswalks in front of the Jewel store to help slow vehicle speeds and heighten driver awareness of pedestrian traffic. According to the petitioner, this work was completed in October 2025.
5. Traffic Counts: The number of vehicles per day for each adjacent public roadway has been added to the plan.
Recommended Enforcement Options
If the City Council directs staff to prepare ordinances approving this project, staff recommends the following enforcement options be included in a future OAA to correct issues and find solutions in the event Dutch Bros is not operating as agreed upon. These actions are listed in order and would be progressively applied in the event compliance is not reached.
1. Collaboration with the owner and developer to adjust the Traffic Management Plan including, but not limited to, parking and/or operational adjustments and timely implementation of corrective measures (a Corrective Action Plan) with right of appeal to the City Council.
2. Ordinance violations and citations/fines.
3. Ability to lien the Subject Property for failure to timely pay fines and/or attorney’s fees and costs.
4. A legal action to enforce the terms of this Agreement and/or the City Code.
5. Revocation of one or more deviations.
6. Revocation of the Major Change to the PUD.
These enforceability options will be utilized if Dutch Bros cannot meet the conditions the City establishes in approval ordinances. Draft conditions of approval are provided in the attached Dutch Bros Staff Memo from the October 7, 2025 City Council Meeting and are subject to change upon review by the City Attorney. These conditions will be finalized and included with an approval ordinance, if directed by the City Council.
Key Takeaways
• The petitioner requests approval of a major change to the Market Meadows PUD, deviations to eliminate the required bypass lane and reduce the required parking spaces in the PUD, and a preliminary/final plat of subdivision to develop the subject property with a Dutch Bros drive-through coffee shop on the triangular shaped parking area north of the US Bank.
• The petitioner has provided a revised Traffic Management Plan to address City Council concerns. The plan has been reviewed and approved by staff.
• Staff supports the action outlined under Option A, which is to concur with the petitioner and direct staff to prepare ordinances and an OAA agreement approving the requested entitlements for Dutch Bros.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Revised Traffic Management Plan (Dated October 27, 2025)
• Previous Traffic Management Plan (Dated February 19, 2025)
• Dutch Bros Staff Memo from the October 7, 2025 City Council Meeting
• Written Public Comment
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A