Naperville City Council Meeting: Sidewalk Program, Annexations, Dutch Bros Tabled, Employee Benefits - October 7, 2025
Naperville City Council Regular Meeting – October 7, 2025
The Naperville City Council met at 7:00 PM on October 7, 2025, in Council Chambers. The meeting included senior awards, public comment, approval of a consent agenda (with one item removed for separate discussion), two annexation public hearings, and a debate on a proposed Dutch Bros coffee shop that was ultimately tabled. All votes were 9‑0 except where noted. The meeting adjourned at 9:24 PM.
Awards & Recognitions
- Presentation of the 2025 Naperville Senior of the Year awards to Margaret Rush and another recipient (name not captured in transcript). Mayor Wehrli presented the awards.
Consent Calendar
Approved by omnibus vote (9‑0) with item I‑13 (2026/2027 Annual New Sidewalk Program) removed for separate discussion. Approved items included:
- Approval of September 16, 2025 meeting minutes
- City Council meeting schedule for Oct‑Dec 2025
- Appointments to Advisory Commission on Disabilities, Transportation Advisory Board, and Planning & Zoning Commission
- Single source procurement for Fire Station Alerting System Maintenance ($204,250, 3 years)
- Bid for Gravel, Sand and Aggregate Materials ($528,871, 15 months)
- Bid for Field Services for Tollway Substation Transformers ($147,818)
- RFQ for Streetscape Phase II Design – Jefferson and Main ($189,565.96)
- RFP for EMS Billing Software Solution ($168,268.94, 5 years)
- Cooperative Procurement for Backhoe Loader Replacement ($201,856.11)
- JOC Procurement for 4th Avenue Train Station Bridge, Stair and Signage Improvements ($113,709.19)
- Change Order #1 for 2025 Pavement Markings ($18,985.05, total award $165,473.95)
- Acceptance of public street improvements at Naper Commons Phase 3 and streetlight improvements at Naperville Wheaton Townhomes
- Ordinance declaring necessity of property transfer (ORD 25‑106)
- Ordinance authorizing IEPA loan up to $3,500,000 for lead water service line removal (ORD 25‑107)
- Ordinance for Turkey Trot 5K Run on November 27, 2025 (ORD 25‑108)
- Ordinance for Holiday Parade of Lights on November 28, 2025 (ORD 25‑109)
I‑13: 2026 and 2027 Annual New Sidewalk Program
Two speakers (Donna and Patrick Malone) requested permanent removal of their Franklin Avenue property (between Julian and Huffman) from the program, citing steep slope, existing sidewalk across the street, and potential damage to landscaping. Council discussed and staff confirmed the sidewalk program has completed over 15 miles of gaps. A motion to approve the program excluding the Franklin Avenue segment from Julian to Huffman passed 9‑0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Kevin Gould (Naperville) commended Mayor Wehrli for remarks on unity from the September 16 meeting.
- Lisa Polsby (Naperville) opposed the proposed Karis Data Center at the former Lucent site, citing noise from 48 diesel generators, high electricity usage (34 MW in phase one), and environmental risks.
- Sam Entile (Naperville) expressed concerns about SECA grant funds being used by groups whose other activities he characterized as inappropriate for taxpayer dollars.
- Bud Rein (Naperville) opposed the Karis Data Center, stating it conflicts with zoning, public health, and sustainability goals; he requested independent studies.
- Doreen Swindall (Naperville) demanded an apology and retraction from Councilman McBroom regarding his social media posts and threatened withholding of SECA funds.
- Laura Navarro (Naperville, ALMAS) corrected the record that ALMAS did not call for a boycott of a Hispanic festival; she stated SECA funds are used only for the Dia de Muertos celebration.
- Written comments: Joseph Geraci detailed allegations about his mother’s death at Monarch Landing; Robert Donato reported ordinance violations at Lake Osborne.
Discussion Items
- Councilman Holzhauer raised Aurora’s temporary moratorium on data centers and warehouses, and asked about generator testing frequency. Staff noted an independent sound engineer confirmed the proposed Karis Data Center would comply with noise ordinances.
- City Manager Krieger clarified that SECA grants are restricted to specific events and cannot control recipients’ First Amendment rights.
- Councilwoman Gibson asked about SECA fund restrictions; Deputy City Attorney Spano confirmed recipients retain free speech rights.
Reserves of Saddle Creek Annexation (Items J1‑J7)
The public hearing was opened and closed at 7:54 PM with no speakers. Council unanimously (9‑0) passed all seven ordinances:
- Annexation Agreement (ORD 25‑110)
- Annexation (ORD 25‑111)
- Rezoning to R1A (ORD 25‑112)
- Preliminary/Final Plat of Subdivision and deviation (ORD 25‑113)
- Variance (ORD 25‑114)
- Deviation from Design Manual for Public Improvements (ORD 25‑115)
Everly Trace Annexation (Items J8‑J13)
The public hearing opened at 7:58 PM. Petitioner Russ Whitaker (Rosanov & Whitaker) presented plans for 68 townhomes on 10 acres at 25013 & 20535 W 111th Street. Council discussed traffic: a trip generation analysis showed 30 trips in AM peak (7 in, 23 out) and 37 trips in PM peak (22 in, 15 out). Speakers:
- Allison Longenbaugh (Naperville) thanked the developer for adding five visitable (no‑step entry) units.
- Opponents: Dipesh Parikh, Binita Parikh, Jeff Doden (also Ashwood Creek HOA president, citing 341 signatures on an online petition), Rajeev Kalsi.
- Written comments: Kelly McWhertor (overdevelopment, traffic concerns), Farid Faruqui, Yadesh Narwani. Council unanimously (9‑0) passed all six ordinances (ORD 25‑116 through 25‑120).
Dutch Bros Coffee Shop (Item L1)
This item offered two options: A – concur with petitioner to prepare ordinances, or B – deny. Petitioner Gino Galluzzo (Shore Development Group) and representatives from Dutch Bros presented a plan for a drive‑through coffee shop at 1230 S. Naper Blvd (Market Meadows Shopping Center). Key points:
- 1,179‑sq‑ft building on 0.86 acres; deviations for parking (reduction of 39 spaces) and bypass lane elimination.
- Traffic management plan including off‑duty police officers, line busters, and a contract with a third‑party traffic control company for at least 12 months.
- Dutch Bros plans to open 25‑30 stores in Chicagoland in 2026; the Naperville store would not be the first. Council members expressed concerns about traffic congestion, pedestrian safety, and enforcement of conditions. A motion to table the item to the November 4, 2025 Council meeting passed 9‑0, to allow staff to review a revised traffic plan incorporating council feedback.
Employee Benefits Awards (Items M1‑M5)
Council unanimously (9‑0) approved five recommendations from Alera Group:
- Medical Claim Administration Services to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) – not to exceed $2,897,891.05 fixed costs, 1 year.
- Stop Loss Reinsurance to BCBSIL – not to exceed $1,294,966.56 fixed premium, 1 year.
- Pharmacy Benefit Manager Services renewal with CVS/Caremark – 1 year.
- Group Life/AD&D and FMLA Insurance with VOYA – not to exceed $866,343, 3 years.
- Weight Management Program Services to CVS/Caremark – not to exceed $103,112, 1 year.
New Business
Councilman White requested a review of ADA‑accessible parking in downtown Naperville. By consensus, Council directed staff to conduct a review with input from the Downtown Naperville Alliance, Advisory Commission on Disabilities, and Accessible Community Task Force.
Key Outcomes
- All consent agenda items (except I‑13) approved 9‑0.
- Sidewalk program approved with exemption for Franklin Ave (Julian to Huffman) – 9‑0.
- Reserves of Saddle Creek annexation and related ordinances passed 9‑0.
- Everly Trace annexation and related ordinances passed 9‑0.
- Dutch Bros item tabled to November 4, 2025 – 9‑0.
- Employee benefits awards all passed 9‑0.
- Council directed staff to review downtown ADA parking – consensus.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. The October 7th, Naperville City Council meeting is called to order. Roll call, please. Orly. Here. Gibson. Here. Holds Hour. Here. Jane. Here. Kelly. Here. McBroom. Here. Cyan. Yeah. White. Here. Wilson. Here. Please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. We're gonna begin tonight with the awards and recognitions, and I'm gonna come down to the podium down there for this. Tonight it is our city's honor to present the senior citizen of the year awards. And tonight we have two very excellent recipients of this award. The first is Margaret Rush. Margaret. You can join me. It is our pleasure to honor someone whose dedication to community, compassion for others, and unwavering leadership have made a lasting impact on Naperville. Since moving here in 1994 with her husband Mark and their three young children, Margaret has embraced Naperville not just as a place to live, but as a place to serve. With no connections when they arrived, she jumped in head first, volunteering, leading, and building relationships. What began as supporting her children's school soon grew into a lifelong mission to strengthen the community around her? Her drive to help others started early. As the oldest sibling to a brother with learning disabilities, she naturally became his advocate, and that sense of responsibility never left her. Raised by parents and grandparents who believe service was a way of life, she followed in their footsteps with humility and heart. Through her work with the Naperville Newcomers and Neighbors Club, she has empowered others, fostered connections, and helped guide the organization into a very vibrant future. Her work. I I adore it. I think um a lot all the leaders here have made it just a remarkable place to live. And as um as president of newcomers, I always took that responsibility very soon, um, seriously because I wanted newcomers to be the number one. I wanted that designation. And uh, we always strive, and look at the team. It's always a team. It's always just this group effort. Um, because you can't do anything alone, right? And um, the team is just amazing. We always have support. Whenever we need it, whenever we're doing anything for the community, we have our team. And um, it doesn't matter what you're doing. If you have great people around you, it's all gonna work.
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