Dunkin’ plans drive-thru kiosk on land in Oswego previously eyed by Scooter’s Coffee

Dunkin’ plans to build a drive-thru kiosk at the intersection of Route 71 and Washington Street in Oswego after Scooter’s Coffee dropped its plans for the property.

Scooter’s Coffee had been proposing to build a restaurant at the eastern corner of Route 71 and Washington Street partly on land the village had acquired from the Illinois Department of Transportation. But it dropped those plans because of issues with construction costs and financing, Oswego Economic Development Director Kevin Leightyn had told members of the village’s Economic Development Commission on April 3.

At the May 9 Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, commissioners recommended approval of the plans subject to the developer working with staff to revise the signage plans to more closely meet the village’s code requirements.

Commissioners also recommended the plans include pavement markings to direct traffic and that a barrier be put in place to keep motorists coming off Plainfield Road/Washington Street from cutting into the drive-thru lane. They also recommended a fence be constructed on the south side of the property to protect nearby property owners.

Village trustees will now review the plans.

“Good luck,” Planning & Zoning Commission Chairman Charlie Pajor said in addressing Zachary Blair, of the law firm Rosanova & Whitaker, who was representing the developer at the meeting. “It’s a difficult piece of property and ideally that whole corner would be better served if everything could have developed at once.”

The property is divided into two parcels. Plans call for an 800-square-foot kiosk structure to be built on the north property.

Access will be provided by a right-in/right out access point along Route 71 and a right-in/right-out access along Plainfield Road/Washington Street. Route 71 and Plainfield Road have barrier medians, so full access would not be allowed, Oswego Development Services Director Rod Zenner told commissioners.

The village of Oswego owns the southwestern property at the corner of Route 71 and Plainfield Road, known as 262 Washington St. The land was acquired from IDOT as part of the Route 71 widening project.

The 0.241-acre property was considered excess property by IDOT and it would only sell the property to the village and not a developer, Zenner said. If the plans are approved, the developer intends to acquire the property from the village to construct the proposed Dunkin facility as part of the neighboring property located at 4490 Route 71.

The proposed plan provides for consolidating the two lots into a single lot, Zenner said.