La Grange Debates McDonald's Hours Request

LA GRANGE, IL – La Grange trustees on Monday approved the local McDonald's franchise's plan to replace its building and increase the drive-thru to two lanes.

But they first debated a late request from the restaurant to slightly increase its hours from what the village's Plan Commission allowed.

At the meeting, the franchise's lawyer, Jim Olguin, asked for the restaurant to have the right to open at 4 a.m., rather than 5 a.m. He also requested a midnight closing every day, not just weekends. On weekdays, the restaurant would be required to close at 11 p.m.

Earlier this year, the restaurant requested an around-the-clock schedule, but backed off after hundreds of residents signed a petition opposing such a move.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, Olguin said the restaurant would not necessarily be open during the expanded hours, but wanted the flexibility to be able to do so, based on customer demand. He said the double-lane drive-thru was especially beneficial.

"You won't have cars lingering as much," he said. "This is something that is a net positive for the restaurant and adjacent property owners because we can get cars off-site."

Trustee Glenn Thompson said he favored considering the request about hours after the village sees how everything goes following the restaurant's reopening. He proposed allowing the restaurant to bypass the requirement to go before the Plan Commission if it wanted to resubmit its request for expanded hours.

"I have to go to Countryside or Brookfield to get breakfast when I go to the airport (early). I should be able to shop in my own town," Thompson said. "We do need to be more open to business in this town."

Trustee Beth Augustine agreed, saying she, too, needs a restaurant early in the morning in La Grange. But she said she would only support such an expansion in hours if residents supported it.

However, Village President Mark Kuchler said he thought fast-tracking a request on hours was a "flat-out" bad practice. He said the Plan Commission serves an important role to hear residents as it considers requests.

Kuchler said neighbors would storm the meeting if they knew the village was even considering changing the hours from what the Plan Commission decided.

He also took exception to the proposed agreement between the village and the restaurant, noting the double-lane drive-thru.

"I do think it's increasing traffic. I do think it is potentially increasing pollution," Kuchler said. "I do think that McDonald's could do more on their building."

He said La Grange is so great that it should demand an A-level project, not settle on a B or C.

"When a business comes in and says, 'I know you don't allow double drive-thrus,' that allows us to say if we're going to bend on that, then give us some more things," Kuchler said. "I'm not sure enough personally was given by the applicant."

Trustees Tim O'Brien, Shawana McGee and Lou Gale voted against fast-tracking any future request for an expansion of hours, while Thompson and Augustine favored it. Trustee Peggy Peterson was absent.

The board unanimously approved the franchise's plan.