By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – Electric vehicle-maker Tesla, a competitor to Rivian, is a step closer to opening a sales and service center, which would be the first in Illinois outside the Chicago area.
The Bloomington Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday unanimously recommended the city council approve a special use permit for Tesla to operate the facility at 420 Olympia Dr. in the Towanda Barnes Business Park.
City Planner Katie Simpson told the board that the project complements Bloomington’s comprehensive plan dealing with transportation and air quality.
“Promoting the special use which facilitates the location of an electric vehicle sales and service helps the community promote more sustainable transportation,” said Simpson.
It’s too soon to say when Tesla will open the sales and service center, according to Tesla’s regional sales manager Laura Pritchard.
No one voiced opposition to the project at Wednesday’s board meeting, although a nearby property owner was concerned the site might become an eyesore someday if Tesla moved out, and some other business came in.
“They are a company that seems to be responsible. We don’t think they’re going to fill their lot with junk cars to put them on a re-sale lot. But, we’ve seen some businesses in town that that’s exactly what happened when the original owner left and a new owner came in,” said Omar Lehr, a member of the 1618 Olympia Drive Condominium Association.
“The visual quality at least was negatively impacted when the new owner came in,” Lehr said.
The special use permit would expire six months after the property becomes vacant, according to city staff, so a new business would also have to obtain a city permit.
The city council votes on Tesla’s request at its August 12 meeting.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
