421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD  
WHEATON, IL 60187  
DU PAGE COUNTY  
Development Committee  
Final Summary  
www.dupagecounty.gov  
Tuesday, January 6, 2026  
10:30 AM  
Room 3500B  
1.  
CALL TO ORDER  
10:30 AM meeting was called to order by Chair Sam Tornatore at 10:30 AM.  
2.  
ROLL CALL  
Vice Chair Yoo arrived at 10:31 AM  
Covert, Krajewski, Martinez, Ozog, and Tornatore  
Yoo  
PRESENT  
LATE  
3.  
4.  
CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS- CHAIR TORNATORE  
No remarks were offered.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
Glenn Nelson from the Glen Ellyn Woods Subdivision spoke in opposition to the petitions for  
7-Eleven on Park Blvd, 7-Eleven on Lloyd and Penny's Place. He added that he also submitted an  
electronic comment.  
Brian Armstrong, attorney for SMM Management, Inc. and Lucky 7 Bistro spoke next.  
He spoke first on SMM Management's petition. The Zoning Board of Appeals voted to  
recommend approval. This location has been licensed before the other gaming establishments in  
the area and before the County imposed the 1,000 foot separation. The door to door measurement  
from the subject property to the church is over 1,000 feet, but less than that to/from property  
lines. Without approval of the variation, the facility will not be able to operate.  
Mr. Armstrong spoke of Lucky 7 Bistro, which the ZBA also recommended to approve. There  
are other gaming facilities within 1,000 feet, however they are incorporated into Addison and the  
Village has no separation requirements. Construction was started on this location in 2023, more  
than a year before the County passed the separation ordinance.  
Jonathan Lippner, attorney for the 7-Eleven Store petitions gave some background information  
on the stores. They have been operating video gaming since 2022 with proper state and liquor  
licensces. In 2024 the stores were informed that their licenses would not be renewed by the  
County. Mr. Lippner feels that standards of variation were met at the Zoning Board of Appeals  
hearing. The ZBA recommended to deny the petitions, stating that there was an inadequate  
showing of hardship or practical difficulty of which are not mentioned in the standards.Mr.  
Lippner feels these three stores are no different from the other stores that received a  
recommendation to approve.  
Mike Thiessen, attorney for Penny's Place spoke on behalf of the petitioner. When they went to  
the ZBA hearing they did not realize that there were items that needed to be proved up. They had  
a building and zoning inspection in June 2025, after the ordinance had been put into place and  
none of those items were mentioned. They are asking to reapply or be ruled existing  
non-compliant.  
Greg Smaistrla, Glen Ellyn Woods Civic Association President spoke in opposition to all the  
gaming petitions on the agenda. He informed the Committee that within his neighborhood are six  
gambling locations. These are not needed in DuPage County and causing issues for the  
community.  
***Electronic comment can be found at the end of the packet.  
5.  
MINUTES APPROVAL  
5.A.  
26-0108  
Development Committee - Regular Meeting - November, 18, 2025  
Final Meeting Minutes Summary 11-18-2025  
Attachments:  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Yeena Yoo  
Mary Ozog  
Covert, Krajewski, Martinez, Ozog, Tornatore, and Yoo  
6.  
REGULATORY SERVICES  
6.A.  
26-0155  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract to Veritext LLC DBA Atkinson-Baker, a  
Veritext Company, to provide court reporting services, as needed for Building & Zoning,  
for the period of December 24, 2025 through December 23, 2026, for a contract total not  
to exceed $24,213.75; per renewal of bid #24-120-BZP. First of three optional twelve  
month renewals.  
Veritext - FY26 PRCC  
Veritext - Bid Tab  
Attachments:  
Veritext - Signature Pages  
Veritext - Contract Renewal  
Veritext - Vendor Ethics  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Sadia Covert  
Yeena Yoo  
Covert, Krajewski, Martinez, Ozog, Tornatore, and Yoo  
6.B.  
DC-O-0001-26  
ZONING-25-000042 – ORDINANCE – 7-Eleven (Park Blvd): To approve the following  
zoning relief:  
1. Conditional Use to allow a video gaming terminal establishment in a B-1 Local  
Business Zoning District.  
2. Variation to allow a video gaming terminal establishment within 1,000 feet of a place  
of assembly and school.  
3. Variation to allow a video gaming terminal establishment within 1,000 feet of an  
existing video gaming café restaurant/video gaming terminal establishment.  
(Milton/District 4) (If the County Board seeks to approve the Variation zoning relief it  
will require a ¾ majority vote {14 votes} to approve based on the recommendation to  
deny by the Zoning Board of Appeals)  
ZBA VOTE (to Deny): 6 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 Absent  
Development Committee VOTE (Motion to Approve Failed): 1 Ayes, 4 Nays, 1 Absent  
Paul Hoss explained to the Committee in 2019 when the County Board approved video  
gaming there were no Zoning regulations in place. The default requirement came from  
the State of Illinois requirements. In order to meet all the State requirements, facilities  
needed to get a pour liquor license from the County in unincorporated areas. Almost all  
the petitioners here today received a liquor license to pour, which allowed them to get  
their gaming license from the state. However, they never received any Zoning approval,  
because they were already existing . In 2023 the County recognized that several facilities  
with video gaming but were not in compliance with local Zoning regulations. Regulations  
were added to the Zoning and Liquor Control Codes in 2024. The petitions before you  
today are those that applied for the gaming and liquor licenses, which were denied by  
Zoning. They were either not in the correct zoning district or too close to protected uses  
such as daycares, schools and places of assembly.  
Member Martinez inquired why only two of the video gaming cases were recommended  
to approve, while they all look similar. The ZBA found in the two cases that were  
recommended to approve, the applicants established a hardship, practical difficulty or  
unique circumstance that were land use related.  
Vice Chair Yoo inquired how far each location is located from protected uses. Mr. Hoss  
reviewed the distances of property line to property line for each subject property.  
Member Covert left the meeting at 11:19 AM  
Z-25-000042 7-Eleven (Park Blvd) Cty. Bd. (01-13-26)_Redacted  
Attachments:  
RECOMMENDED TO DENY (DEVELOPMENT ONLY)  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Brian Krajewski  
Mary Ozog  
Krajewski  
Martinez, Ozog, Tornatore, and Yoo  
Covert  
NAY:  
ABSENT:  
6.C.  
DC-O-0002-26  
ZONING-25-000043 – ORDINANCE – 7-Eleven 26139 (Maple Ave): To approve the  
following zoning relief:  
1. Variation to allow a video gaming terminal establishment within 1,000 feet of a place  
of assembly and daycare.  
2. Variation to allow a video gaming terminal establishment within 1,000 feet of an  
existing video gaming café restaurant/video gaming terminal establishment.  
(Lisle/District 2) (If the County Board seeks to approve the Variation zoning relief it will  
require a ¾ majority vote {14 votes} to approve based on the recommendation to deny by  
the Zoning Board of Appeals)  
ZBA VOTE (to Deny): 6 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 Absent  
Development Committee VOTE (Motion to Approve Failed): 2 Ayes, 3 Nays, 1 Absent  
Z-25-000043 7-Eleven (26139 [Maple]) Cty. Bd.  
(01-13-26)_Redacted  
Attachments:  
RECOMMENDED TO DENY (DEVELOPMENT ONLY)  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Brian Krajewski  
Yeena Yoo  
Krajewski, and Tornatore  
Martinez, Ozog, and Yoo  
Covert  
NAY:  
ABSENT:  
6.D.  
DC-O-0003-26  
ZONING-25-000044 – ORDINANCE – 7-Eleven 34077 (Lloyd Ave): To approve the  
following zoning relief:  
1. Conditional Use to allow a video gaming terminal establishment in a B-1 Local  
Business Zoning District.  
2. Variation to allow a video gaming terminal establishment within 1,000 feet of a school  
and daycare. (Milton/District 4) (If the County Board seeks to approve the Variation  
zoning relief it will require a ¾ majority vote {14 votes} to approve based on the  
recommendation to deny by the Zoning Board of Appeals)  
ZBA VOTE (to Deny): 6 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 Absent  
Development Committee VOTE (Motion to Approve Failed): 2 Ayes, 3 Nays, 1 Absent  
Z-25-000044 7-ELEVEN 34077 (Lloyd Ave) Cty. Bd.  
(01-13-26)_Redacted  
Attachments:  
RECOMMENDED TO DENY (DEVELOPMENT ONLY)  
RESULT:  
Yeena Yoo  
Mary Ozog  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
Krajewski, and Tornatore  
Martinez, Ozog, and Yoo  
Covert  
AYES:  
NAY:  
ABSENT:  
6.E.  
DC-O-0004-26  
ZONING-25-000045 – ORDINANCE – SMM Management, Inc.: To approve the  
following zoning relief:  
1. Variation to allow a video gaming terminal establishment within 1,000 feet of a place  
of assembly and daycare.  
2. Variation to allow a video gaming terminal establishment within 1,000 feet of an  
existing video gaming café restaurant/video gaming terminal establishment.  
(Lisle/District 2)  
ZBA VOTE (to Approve): 6 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 Absent  
Development Committee VOTE (Motion to Approve): 4 Ayes, 2 Nays, 0 Absent  
Member Covert returned to meeting at 11:37 AM  
Z-25-000045 SMM MANAGEMENT Cty. Bd.  
(01-13-26)_Redacted  
Attachments:  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Brian Krajewski  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Yeena Yoo  
Krajewski, Ozog, Tornatore, and Yoo  
Covert, and Martinez  
NAY:  
6.F.  
DC-O-0005-26  
ZONING-25-000046 – Penny’s Place – Blackhawk: The Zoning Board of Appeals  
recommended to deny the following zoning relief:  
1. Conditional Use to allow a video gaming café restaurant in a B-1 Local Business  
Zoning District.  
2. Variation to allow a video gaming café restaurant within 1,000 feet of a place of  
assembly and school.  
3. Variation to allow a video gaming terminal establishment within 1,000 feet of an  
existing video gaming café restaurant/video gaming terminal establishment.  
(Milton/District 4) (Generally located southeast of Butterfield Road and Park Boulevard)  
ZBA VOTE (to Deny): 6 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 Absent  
The petition was withdrawn prior to a vote being taken.  
Z-25-000046 Pennys Place Dev Com (1-6-26)_Redacted  
WITHDRAWN  
Attachments:  
RESULT:  
6.G.  
DC-O-0006-26  
ZONING-25-000048 – ORDINANCE – Lucky 7 Bistro: To approve the following zoning  
relief:  
Variation to allow a video gaming café restaurant within 1,000 feet of an existing video  
gaming café restaurant/video gaming terminal establishment. (Addison/District 1)  
ZBA VOTE (to Approve): 6 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 Absent  
Development Committee VOTE (Motion to Approve): 4 Ayes, 2 Nays, 0 Absent  
Z-25-000048 Lucky 7 Bistro Cty. Bd. (01-13-2026)_Redacted  
Attachments:  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Brian Krajewski  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Yeena Yoo  
Krajewski, Ozog, Tornatore, and Yoo  
Covert, and Martinez  
NAY:  
7.  
OLD BUSINESS  
Member Covert thanked Chair Tornatore for allowing her to leave to Chair the Technology  
Committee and return to the meeting She added that people are going through hard financial  
times and gaming facilities are contributing to this.  
8.  
9.  
NEW BUSINESS  
No new business was discussed.  
ADJOURNMENT  
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:42 AM