Some Naperville Plan Commissioners begrudgingly denied a proposal for a strip mall on the southwest corner of 75th Street and Wehrli Road.
East Naperville Commons would have brought a Walgreens and Starbucks to a 20,000-square-foot multi-tenant shopping center on the 3-acre parcel in unincorporated DuPage County.
This raises the age-old debate: is it better to heed the concerns of immediate neighbors or to consider the greater good of all of Naperville? Face it, commercial development creates jobs, and generates revenue for the city and schools, keeping everybody else's tax bills from going up. On the other hand, it's commendable when Naperville leaders look out for the concerns of residents. That's one of the factors that make the city such a desirable place to live.
The main objection to this development is that it is at odds with the East Naperville Sector plan that was developed in the late 1990's. I strongly agree that developments such as this need to fit in with the overall plan and if it is time to revisit the plan, then so be it and let us first do that.