Joliet board advances Whimsy truck-terminal petitions; denies container stacking requests
May 22, 2026 | Joliet, Will County, Illinois
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The Joliet Zoning Board of Appeals on May 21 voted to forward multiple related Whimsy Juliet LLC petitions for 23656 South Hobart Road to the city council with split recommendations: approval for a truck-parking terminal with mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling and approval for a variation to permit above-ground CNG tanks in an I-1 district, but denial of requests to permit container stacking up to three high.
Staff presented four companion cases from Whimsy Juliet LLC (representative Clayton Rule): Case 202624 (special use permit for a truck parking facility with mobile CNG fueling), Case 202625 (variation to allow above-ground fuel tanks in I-1 Light Industrial), Case 202626 (special use permit to allow container storage and stacking up to three high), and Case 202627 (variation of use to allow container stacking up to three high). Staff described the 7-acre site as unincorporated Will County, noted a petroleum pipeline bisects the rear of the property, and said the proposed facility would serve roughly 20 trucks with about 90–100 truck trips per day and include an office and around 105 trailer stalls.
John Arguellis, representing Whimsy Trucking, told the board that a southwest corner of the site is constrained by the pipeline and that stacking containers is requested to maximize usable space; he said the petitioner would accept staff's recommendation to prohibit stacking within the 200 feet closest to Hobart Road. "If we were to say, ‘okay,’ five years down the line, when these other undeveloped lands become developed...stacking would be okay," Arguellis said, arguing stacking is common in industrial areas.
During public comment, Kathleen Garthas, a former resident of the subject property, opposed the petitions and made several allegations about the property's sale and her eviction, saying she was forced from the home in January 2024 and lost belongings and access to her mother's ashes. Board members noted such claims concern civil or legal matters beyond the zoning decision.
On votes: the board voted to forward Case 202624 (truck parking with mobile CNG fueling) and Case 202625 (variation for above-ground CNG tanks) to city council with recommendations of approval. For Case 202626 and Case 202627 — the requests to allow container stacking up to three high — staff found stacking inappropriate for the current I-1 location given surrounding rural residential parcels; the board voted to recommend denial and will forward both cases to city council accordingly.
Staff outlined standard conditions that would apply if the council approves the fuel-related requests, including enrollment in the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program for trailer stalls, submission of a landscape plan meeting city standards, stormwater detention, connection to city water and sewer at development, and adherence to the International Fire Code with review by the state fire marshal and local fire officials for the mobile fueling unit.
The board advised separating each request into distinct council items so council members can consider the truck terminal, CNG fueling, and container storage/stacking independently.
Staff presented four companion cases from Whimsy Juliet LLC (representative Clayton Rule): Case 202624 (special use permit for a truck parking facility with mobile CNG fueling), Case 202625 (variation to allow above-ground fuel tanks in I-1 Light Industrial), Case 202626 (special use permit to allow container storage and stacking up to three high), and Case 202627 (variation of use to allow container stacking up to three high). Staff described the 7-acre site as unincorporated Will County, noted a petroleum pipeline bisects the rear of the property, and said the proposed facility would serve roughly 20 trucks with about 90–100 truck trips per day and include an office and around 105 trailer stalls.
John Arguellis, representing Whimsy Trucking, told the board that a southwest corner of the site is constrained by the pipeline and that stacking containers is requested to maximize usable space; he said the petitioner would accept staff's recommendation to prohibit stacking within the 200 feet closest to Hobart Road. "If we were to say, ‘okay,’ five years down the line, when these other undeveloped lands become developed...stacking would be okay," Arguellis said, arguing stacking is common in industrial areas.
During public comment, Kathleen Garthas, a former resident of the subject property, opposed the petitions and made several allegations about the property's sale and her eviction, saying she was forced from the home in January 2024 and lost belongings and access to her mother's ashes. Board members noted such claims concern civil or legal matters beyond the zoning decision.
On votes: the board voted to forward Case 202624 (truck parking with mobile CNG fueling) and Case 202625 (variation for above-ground CNG tanks) to city council with recommendations of approval. For Case 202626 and Case 202627 — the requests to allow container stacking up to three high — staff found stacking inappropriate for the current I-1 location given surrounding rural residential parcels; the board voted to recommend denial and will forward both cases to city council accordingly.
Staff outlined standard conditions that would apply if the council approves the fuel-related requests, including enrollment in the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program for trailer stalls, submission of a landscape plan meeting city standards, stormwater detention, connection to city water and sewer at development, and adherence to the International Fire Code with review by the state fire marshal and local fire officials for the mobile fueling unit.
The board advised separating each request into distinct council items so council members can consider the truck terminal, CNG fueling, and container storage/stacking independently.
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