Summary

Zoning Board decisions on truck parking and housing

JolietMay 21, 20263 min read

At a glance

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The Zoning Board approved variations to allow truck trailer parking at 2700 Ellis Road, approved a truck parking facility with mobile CNG fueling and above‑ground CNG tanks at 23656 S. Houbolt Road while denying container stacking at that site, and approved repeal of a four‑unit residence variation at 556 Ward Avenue.

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Zoning Board of Appeals

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TransportationPublic SafetyHousingUtilities

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What this means

The board granted exceptions that allow more trailer parking at a property on Ellis Road and approved a truck parking facility at Houbolt Road that will include mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling and above‑ground CNG tanks. The board denied requests to store and stack shipping containers at the same Houbolt Road site. The board also removed a prior zoning exception that allowed a four‑unit building on Ward Avenue, returning the property to the standard single‑/two‑family zoning rules. A "variation" is an exception to zoning rules and a "special use permit" allows a specific use that the zoning code otherwise restricts.

Key decisions

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Approved PETITION 2026-23: Variation to allow truck trailer parking on the short side of a building at 2700 Ellis Road (Council District #5).
Approved PETITION 2026-23 (separate vote): Variation to allow truck trailer parking with a double-row at 2700 Ellis Road (Council District #5).
Approved PETITION 2026-24: Special Use Permit to allow a truck parking facility with mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling as an accessory component at 23656 S. Houbolt Road (Council District #5).
Approved PETITION 2026-25: Variation of Use to allow above-ground fuel tanks for CNG fueling in the I-1 district at 23656 S. Houbolt Road (Council District #5).
Denied PETITION 2026-26: Special Use Permit to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high at 23656 S. Houbolt Road (Council District #5).
Denied PETITION 2026-27: Variation of Use to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high in the I-1 district at 23656 S. Houbolt Road (Council District #5).
Approved PETITION 2026-28: Repeal of a Variation of Use that allowed a four-unit residence (R-4) in an R-3 district at 556 Ward Avenue (Council District #4).

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Meeting information

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Zoning Board of Appeals

May 21, 2026, 7:00 PMCity Hall, Council Chamberscompleted

Agenda

Citizens who are unable to attend the meeting can email comments in advance of the meeting to publiccomment@joliet.gov.
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Approval of April 16, 2026 Zoning Board of Appeals Minutes
CITIZENS TO BE HEARD ON AGENDA ITEMS
This section is for anyone wanting to speak regarding agenda items and are allowed a maximum of 4 minutes. It is not a question and answer period and staff, and the Zoning Board of Appeals members do not generally respond to public comments. The City Clerk has a copy of the public speaking procedures; please note, speakers who engage in conduct injurious to the harmony of the meeting shall be called to order by the Presiding Officer and may forfeit the opportunity to speak.
OLD BUSINESS: PUBLIC HEARING
During the Public Hearing, members of the public will be allowed to present evidence and ask questions subject to the rules of the meeting.
NEW BUSINESS: PUBLIC HEARING
During the Public Hearing, members of the public will be allowed to present evidence and ask questions subject to the rules of the meeting.
PETITION 2026-23: A Series of Variations to allow truck trailer parking on the short side of a building with a double-row, located at 2700 Ellis Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5)
PETITION 2026-24: Special Use Permit to allow a truck parking facility with mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling as an accessory component, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-25: Variation of Use to allow above-ground fuel tanks for compressed natural gas fueling in the I-1 (light industrial) district, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-26: Special Use Permit to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-27: Variation of Use to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high in the I-1 (light industrial) district, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5)
PETITION 2026-28: Repeal of a Variation of Use to allow a 4 unit residence, an R-4 (multifamily residential use), in an R-3 (one-and-two-family residential) zoning District, located at 556 Ward Avenue (COUNCIL DISTRICT #4)
OLD/NEW BUSINESS—NOT FOR FINAL ACTION OR RECOMMENDATION
PUBLIC COMMENT
This section is for anyone wanting to speak regarding non-agenda items and are allowed a maximum of 4 minutes. It is not a question and answer period and staff, and the Zoning Board of Appeals members do not generally respond to public comments. The City Clerk has a copy of the public speaking procedures; please note, speakers who engage in conduct injurious to the harmony of the meeting shall be called to order by the Presiding Officer and may forfeit the opportunity to speak.
ADJOURNMENT
This meeting will be held in an accessible location. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact The City Clerk Office, 150 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, Illinois 60432 at (815) 724-3780.
PETITION 2026-24: Special Use Permit to allow a truck parking facility with mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling as an accessory component, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-25: Variation of Use to allow above-ground fuel tanks for compressed natural gas fueling in the I-1 (light industrial) district, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-26: Special Use Permit to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-27: Variation of Use to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high in the I-1 (light industrial) district, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5)
PETITION 2026-24: Special Use Permit to allow a truck parking facility with mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling as an accessory component, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-25: Variation of Use to allow above-ground fuel tanks for compressed natural gas fueling in the I-1 (light industrial) district, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-26: Special Use Permit to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-27: Variation of Use to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high in the I-1 (light industrial) district, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5)
PETITION 2026-24: Special Use Permit to allow a truck parking facility with mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling as an accessory component, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-25: Variation of Use to allow above-ground fuel tanks for compressed natural gas fueling in the I-1 (light industrial) district, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-26: Special Use Permit to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5) PETITION 2026-27: Variation of Use to allow container storage and stacking up to three-high in the I-1 (light industrial) district, located at 23656 S. Houbolt Road. (COUNCIL DISTRICT #5)

Zoning Board decisions on truck parking and housing

At a glance

Committees mentioned

Topics discussed

What this means

Key decisions

Timeline & follow-ups

Meeting information

Zoning Board of Appeals

Agenda

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