Wheaton City Council members Monday unanimously approved a planned unit development to allow construction of a new Walgreens store at 2191 Roosevelt Rd.

The store at the corner of Roosevelt and County Farm roads will replace the existing Burger King. The 14,800-square-foot drug store will have a drive-thru pharmacy with access on the north side of the building, with 44 parking spaces located east and south of the building.

Wheaton's planning and zoning board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the project earlier this summer.

"We're quite happy to have you in Wheaton," Councilman Phil Suess said Monday.

Traffic consultant Javier Millan told zoning board members at a June meeting that 44 parking spaces fall short of the required space, according to the city's zoning ordinance. The ordinance requires five parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area for drug stores.

Using the ratio in the ordinance, the proposed store would have 74 spaces. However, Millan said a 44-space lot would be adequate, based parking areas at other Walgreens stores.

Developer John Mc Linden told City Council will create at least 35 new permanent jobs in the city. He said the opening date depends on developers can lay asphault on the property.

"June 1, conservatively, hopefully we'll be open," he said.

---------

Get the news delivered to your inbox.

For a different take, like us on Facebook.