Manhattan Township Recommends Denial of Bruns Road Rodeo Permit Amid Neighbor Objections

The Manhattan Township Board unanimously recommended that Will County deny a permit for a large-scale commercial rodeo on Bruns Road, following a contentious public hearing where neighbors cited a history of noise complaints and the applicant admitted to failing to properly notify them of the meeting.

Luis Gonzalez, representing his mother who owns the property at 13745 Bruns Rd., presented an application for a Temporary Use Permit (#TUP-25-003) to host a rodeo on July 19, 20, 26, and 27, 2025. The event, planned to run from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. each day, would feature paid admission, on-site food sales, a liquor permit, and a DJ. Bleachers would be reinstalled to accommodate up to 300 people, with potential attendance climbing as high as 400.

The proposal unraveled during the April 8 township meeting when Clerk Kelly Baltas questioned whether adjacent property owners were notified by certified mail, as required by the county’s public hearing procedure. Mr. Gonzalez admitted he had not sent certified mail, claiming instead to have notified neighbors in person. However, when Baltas asked neighbors in attendance—including Justin Fleck, Charles Williams, and Tim Shanahan—if they had received notice, they stated they had not. Baltas also reported speaking by phone to another neighbor, Steven Reed, who confirmed he had not been notified.

Following Gonzalez’s presentation, residents voiced numerous concerns. They referenced a long history of issues with past rodeos at the residence, including 21 noise complaints filed with the Will County Sheriff’s Office since 2016. Neighbors also expressed alarm over potential traffic disruptions from 300-400 attendees on the residential and agricultural road. Other objections included the commercial nature of the event, the management of animal waste from 60-70 horses plus cattle, and the lack of adequate fencing to contain the animals.

The board found the application to be riddled with ambiguity and unresolved issues. In a motion to object made by Trustee Paul Woodcock and seconded by Trustee William ‘Bill’ McGrath, the board cited a lack of specific details on attendance numbers, bleacher construction, the liquor permit, and the number of Will County Sheriffs to be hired for security.

The board’s formal letter of objection to Will County Land Use will list the “overabundance of past noise complaints, unresolved building permit violations, and lack of proper notification of adjacent property owners” as primary reasons for its unfavorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously, with Trustee Eileen Fitzer absent. The final decision rests with the Will County Board.