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Economic&Community Development <br /> DATE: 9/17/2018 <br /> MEMO: No. 18-34 <br /> TO: Honorable Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe and City Council <br /> FROM: Billy Tyus,Interim City Manager <br /> Raymond Lai,AICP,Economic and Community Development Director <br /> SUBJECT: <br /> Amendments to Zoning Ordinance(Ordinance#3512,as amended)regarding Truck Stop Establishments <br /> SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: <br /> Staff recommends approval of the amendments to the City of Decatur Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance #3512, as amended) as <br /> proposed. <br /> The City Plan Commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval of this petition at the September 6,2018 meeting;the minutes of <br /> the meering are attached. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> The Illinois Video Gaming Act,230 ILCS 40/1,et seq., (the"Act")was signed into law in 2009,legalizing the operation of video <br /> gambling machines in"any licensed retail establishment where alcoholic liquor is drawn,poured,mixed,or othenuise served for <br /> consumption on the premises,"including bars,truck stops,and fraternal and veteran organizations("Establishments")throughout <br /> the state. <br /> Under the Act(230 ILCS 40/5),a"Licensed Truck Stop Establishment"is defined as a facility(i)tt�at is at least a 3-acre facility <br /> with a convenience store,(ii)with separate diesel islands for fueling commercial motor vehicles,(iii)that sells at retail more than <br /> 10,000 gallons of diesel or biodiesel fuel per month,and(iv)with parking spaces for commercial motor vehicles. <br /> "Commercial motor vehicles"has the same meaning as defined in Section 18b-101 of the Illinois Uehicle Code. <br /> However,"Licensed Truck Stop Establislur�enY'is not specifically defined in our City's Zoning Ordinance. There are uses under <br /> certain terms that may be easily confused with or claimed to be similar to a conventional truck stop. Thus,"self-claimed"truck <br /> stops could be located in urbanized areas or neighborhoods of inner city,attracting heavy truck traffic which is considered <br /> detrimental to the condition of city streets. Also,they could operate under the disguise of those other uses and qualify for <br /> placement of video gaming ternunals under the"Act". <br /> A conventional truck stop would typically be located near interstate highways,particularly adjacent to interchanges. It generally <br /> occupies on larger acreage. Imier city or urbanized areas away from interstate highway interchanges are not conducive to ideal <br /> locarions for truck stops. <br /> In order to avoid heavy truck traffic along city streets and to prevent ambiguity in interpretation of the Zoning Ordinance,staff <br /> recommends that licensed truck stop establishments be limited to locations within one-half mile of exisring interchanges along <br /> Interstate 72,or the interchange of U.S. Business Highway 51 and U.S. Highway 51,within Decatur City limits. Further,it would <br /> only be allowed as a Conditional Use in B-2 Commercial District and a Pernutted Use in M-1 Itrtense Commercial—Light <br /> Industrial District. In doing so,larger tracts of land must be assembled to meet the minimum size of t1u-ee(3)acres and the users <br /> are more likely to be commercial motor vehicles or trucks in the outskirt of the City. <br /> POTENTIAL OBJECTIONS: No objectors spoke at the Plan Commission meeting. <br /> INPUT FROM OTHER SOURCES: N/A <br /> STAFF REFERENCE: Any additional quesrions may be forwarded to Raymond Lai at 424-2727 or rlai@decaturil.gov <br />