Land Use Committee: ‘Clean Fill’ Proposal Stalls After Unauthorized Tree Removal Sparks Environmental Concerns

Will County Land Use & Development Committee Meeting | February 5, 2026

Article Summary: A request to rezone land for a “clean fill” operation in Joliet Township stalled in committee after it was revealed the applicant cleared acres of trees during a restricted season, potentially impacting protected species. The committee voted 3-3, failing to recommend the rezoning and special use permit.

Brandon Road CCDD Key Points:

• The Proposal: Brandon Road CCDD LLC requested a map amendment from Agricultural (A-1) to Industrial (I-2) and a special use permit for a Clean Construction and Demolition Debris (CCDD) fill operation on 11.5 acres south of the Brandon Road and Zurich Road intersection.

• The Controversy: The applicant admitted to clearing trees on the property in December, violating an Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recommendation to avoid tree removal between April and October to protect the endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee and Osprey habitats.

• Opposition: The Will County Farm Bureau and the Will County Environmental Network opposed the project, citing risks to a nearby Karst aquifer and the destruction of habitat before required studies were completed.

• The Outcome: The motions for both the map amendment and the special use permit failed on 3-3 votes.

JOLIET – A proposal to turn vacant land along Brandon Road into a fill operation for construction debris faced a major setback Thursday, February 5, 2026, after the Will County Land Use and Development Committee learned the developer had cleared a wooded area despite state recommendations to preserve it for potential endangered species habitat.

The applicant, Brandon Road CCDD LLC, represented by attorney Nathaniel Washburn, sought to rezone approximately 11.5 acres from Agricultural (A-1) to General Industrial (I-2) to operate a Clean Construction or Demolition Debris (CCDD) facility. The site is located just south of the Brandon Road and Zurich Road intersection in Joliet Township.

Tree Clearing Controversy
The central point of contention was the removal of trees on the property in December 2025. An EcoCAT (Ecological Compliance Assessment Tool) report from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) had flagged the area as potential habitat for the federally endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee and the state-listed Osprey. The IDNR recommended that no tree clearing occur between April 1 and October 1 and requested a habitat survey.

Objectors, including the Will County Environmental Network, presented photos showing the trees had already been removed.

“It’s all those trees. Every single tree that you see there inside that red box is gone. It’s not, ‘Oh, sorry, we made a mistake,’” said a representative for the Environmental Network. She argued that the habitat assessment required by county staff as a condition of approval was now moot because the habitat had been destroyed.

Attorney Nathaniel Washburn admitted the trees were removed but described it as an “inadvertent” error caused by a scheduling delay with their tree service, Homer Tree Service.

“My client certainly acknowledges that, you know, it was a bit of a faux pas in terms of the timing,” Washburn said. He argued that at the time of the tree removal, there was no special use permit in place prohibiting the action, only a recommendation from the state.

“We recognize an error was made. We do sincerely apologize for that,” Washburn added, offering to provide enhanced landscaping as mitigation.

Environmental and Zoning Concerns
Beyond the habitat issue, objectors raised concerns about the site’s geology. The Environmental Network presented data suggesting the site sits atop a Karst aquifer—a fractured bedrock system that allows groundwater to flow rapidly. They argued that placing fill material in such an area could threaten local water supplies if contaminants were introduced.

Washburn countered that the site is a “narrow bowling alley strip” of land sandwiched between heavy industrial uses, including an asphalt plant and a quarry, making it unsuitable for residential or agricultural use.

“It is in fact a narrow bowling alley strip of property that is configured the way it is due to the crisscrossing easements, pipelines, and other developments,” Washburn said.

Committee Deadlock
The committee was split on how to proceed. Member Sherry Newquist (D-Steger) expressed frustration with the “ask for forgiveness rather than permission” approach regarding the tree clearing.

“It just seems like we’re going to buy this and we’re going to make money off of it… with the idea that we have as a county board to make these changes to the zoning,” Newquist said. “I don’t think that we should overlook the fact that that is what’s happening here.”

Committee Chair Frankie Pretzel (R-New Lenox) noted the industrial character of the surrounding area, pointing out the site is only 30 feet from existing industrial zoning.

“We’re talking a lot about trees… We can’t put the trees back. They’re no longer there,” Pretzel said. “I’m looking at it is does this make sense to change the map from agricultural to industrial.”

The committee voted on the map amendment and the special use permit separately. Both motions failed on a 3-3 tie. Voting against the project were members Newquist, Brooks, and Mitchell. Voting in favor were members Pretzel, Ogala, and Ortiz.