LODA — The village’s zoning board last week approved the rezoning of land on the town’s south edge to make way for a proposed Dollar General store that could be built and open by the end of this year.
The six-member zoning board’s unanimous approval of the rezoning of the undeveloped property at the southeast corner of the intersection of U.S. 45 and Virginia Street — from R1 (residential) to B2 (business) zoning classification — followed a public hearing Thursday attended by nine members of the public, Village Attorney Dale Strough and Ty Eshleman, a professional land surveyor and Dollar General representative.
The construction of the proposed 10,566-square-foot store is still contingent upon approval by the village board, which plans to take a vote at its Aug. 9 meeting. If approved by the village board, Dollar General would obtain the necessary permits and begin construction, likely around September, Eshleman said, with completion around November or December.
This undeveloped property at the southeast corner of the intersection of U.S. 45 and Virginia Street on Loda’s south edge is to be rezoned from R1 (residential) to B2 (business) zoning classification, pending approval of the village board, to make way for a proposed Dollar General store.
Eshleman said the store’s annual income should range from $1.2 million to $1.6 million, providing some needed sales tax revenue for the village. Also, Eshleman said four to six jobs would be created — with the number depending on the shifts — and local workers would be sought.
Attendees asked whether the store would carry fresh produce — similar to the newly remodeled store on U.S. 45 in nearby Paxton — and said they would prefer that it does. While the plan is for the store to not carry fresh produce, Eshleman said he would present the village’s preference to Dollar General for consideration.
Eshleman said the entrance to the store’s parking lot would be from U.S. 45 — a plan that has already been approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Several members of the public, including village board members, had expressed concerns about heavy truck traffic using Virginia Street. There would be a fence around the store property, Eshleman also noted.
Jerry Brodesky, who owns property north of the proposed store site, said he was concerned about water runoff during heavy rains. Brodesky said his property and U.S. 45 in that area already experience flooding issues, and he is concerned the problems may only get worse with the store built and the grade running north.
Village President Carol Arseneau, meanwhile, said the village board had approved tile repairs at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, July 12, which should help address the flooding there. Even so, Brodesky suggested a contract with Dollar General that would protect the village in the event flooding persists or worsens there.
Concerns were also raised about the condition of some other Dollar General stores in the area. Eshleman said those issues normally lie with a store’s manager.
Loda officials first learned in February of the possibility of a Dollar General store coming to their town of 450 in southern Iroquois County. At the board’s Feb. 8 meeting, village officials revealed that they recently received an inquiry from engineer Rodney Parrott of Overland Engineering LLC, based in West Plains, Mo.
“Most small villages are tearing down buildings in downtown areas,” the village attorney told village trustees at February’s meeting. “You are lucky and privileged to have a retail facility coming to town. It will increase the property tax base and sales tax base.”
Trustee Jon Boone called it “a good thing for the village.”
