P&Z Commission Advances Plan for Construction Debris Fill Operation on Brandon Road

Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | December 2, 2025

Article Summary: The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval for a map amendment and special use permit to allow a clean construction and demolition debris (CCDD) fill operation on Brandon Road in Joliet. The decision came despite a resident’s detailed objections regarding potential environmental risks to a local karst aquifer and endangered species.

Brandon Road Fill Operation Key Points:

• Proposal: The plan involves rezoning 11.5 acres from A-1 (Agricultural) to I-2 (General Industrial) and granting a special use permit to fill a depression on the site with clean construction debris to level it for future development.

• Opposition: A local resident cited a 1994 geological survey identifying sinkholes and a “karst aquifer” in the area, warning that groundwater contamination could travel quickly to nearby wells.

• Applicant Response: Attorney Nathaniel Washburn argued that filling the site with clean soil would actually create a greater buffer to protect the groundwater and that state regulators would not issue permits if the site were unsafe.

• Outcome: The commission voted to recommend approval of the rezoning and special use permit with four conditions, including compliance with IDNR recommendations regarding the Osprey and Rusty Patched Bumble Bee.

JOLIET, Ill. — The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, voted to advance a proposal that would allow a clean construction and demolition debris (CCDD) fill operation on an 11.5-acre site along Brandon Road.

The applicant, Brandon Road CCDD LLC, requested a map amendment from A-1 (Agricultural) to I-2 (General Industrial) and a special use permit. The intent is to import clean fill—primarily soil, crushed concrete, and asphalt—to raise the grade of the property, particularly the back third, to make it suitable for future industrial development.

“The best use we could figure for this kind of orphan strip… was to use it as a fill site, get it zoned industrial, and then after it’s been filled, if we find a user… we would submit plans,” said Nathaniel Washburn, attorney for the applicant.

The proposal faced opposition from resident Patricia Nugent, who presented documents citing a 1994 Illinois State Geological Survey. Nugent argued the area sits atop a karst aquifer, a geological formation characterized by sinkholes and fractures that can allow surface contaminants to travel rapidly into groundwater.

“The identified sink holes… and the karst aquifer need to be protected and not disturbed because groundwater in a karsted aquifer flows rapidly,” Nugent told the commission. She also raised concerns about potential impacts on a freshwater marsh and endangered species identified in the vicinity, including the Osprey and the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee.

Washburn rebutted these concerns, noting that the property was purchased from the Lincoln Stone Quarry and that filling the site would improve environmental safety.

“We’re actually filling the holes and putting more soils on top of it and creating a greater buffer to anything that might leech down than what is currently there,” Washburn said. He emphasized that the project cannot proceed without strict permitting from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and other state bodies.

Regarding the endangered species, Washburn stated the applicant accepted the staff conditions to conduct necessary studies and limit work during nesting seasons.

Commissioners questioned staff about county regulations regarding karst topography. Development Services Director Brian Radner stated there is nothing in the zoning ordinance prohibiting development in karst areas and that no county engineer has that specific expertise, noting that state-level permits would likely address those technical parameters.

The commission voted to recommend approval of the map amendment and the special use permit with conditions. The matter will next go to the Will County Board for final decision.