Village Denies Midwest Motors' Request

Village trustees denied a request for a text amendment that would have allowed a used luxury car dealership to open shop in Libertyville during Tuesday's board meeting.

Ben Ripstein, owner of Midwest Motors Inc., wanted to open his business near Route 45 and Tempel Drive, an area that is currently zoned I-1, or an industrial area. Village trustees said they were worried allowing Ripstein's request would open a "Pandora's Box."

Village officials fear allowing Midwest Motors to open in an industrial zone may allow other used-car companies that are sub-standard in appearance to open up in areas that are also zoned I-1.

In its report, .

Libertyville trustees shot down the measure for good, voting 4-0 against it, with Donna Johnson and Drew Cullum unable to attend Tuesday's meeting.

Richard Moras and the rest of the village board stated they wanted to make it abundantly clear they aren't anti-business.

"We don't want to open Pandora's Box," Moras said. "I don't necessarily see this as a direct competition (to Libertyville's existing dealerships), but I fear a text amendment change could have long-term consequences." 

According to village documents, the Plan Commission "did not find the proposed text amendments to be consistent with Libertyville's comprehensive plan or the direction of the zoning code." Had the text amendments been approved, used car sales would have become an allowed use in an I-1 district. 

Ripstein countered by saying there are already retail businesses in an I-1 district, and because his dealership sells used Lamborghinis, Porches, Ferarris, BMWs and other rare autos that would be housed indoors on marble floors, it would have minimal impact on the integrity of future uses in the I-1 district.

"These are very high value automobiles I am selling," Ripstein said. "If my business was in any district, you wouldn't even know what it was from outside. My store would have six full-time employees, two daily truck deliveries and two weekly test-drives on average.

"That's why I picked Libertyville, it's such a warm, welcoming community."

Other dealerships object, threaten relocation

During the meeting, Glenn Bockwinkel, owner of Libertyville Acura, spoke on behalf of the existing car dealerships along Milwaukee Avenue.

"We strongly object to any change in the zoning code," Bockwinkel told trustees. "We're worried that other used-car operations would come into the village. We're not looking to, but if this plan goes through and is approved, some dealers (on Milwaukee Avenue) may relocate."

Ripstein repeatedly stated his business would not be in direct competition with local dealerships because he sells luxury cars. But existing dealers say they are worried they would lose additional business in the future, due to smaller "mom-and-pop used-car dealers" who could then come and go as they pleased in the I-1 district.

"We all pay real estate taxes, sales tax, and pay an average of $60,000 a month in advertising," Bockwinkel said. "We're worried other used-car operations would flood into the village (in the I-1 district) in a time when the economy is having trouble."

Midwest Motors may go to Vernon Hills

According to Ripstein, his dealership, which is currently located in Volo, Illinois, will bring in an estimated $6 million in sales revenue in 2011.

Ripstein touted the potential increase in sales tax revenue his business could have brought the village, and pressured board members to put the issue to a vote, despite trustees and Mayor Terry Weppler informing him that the vote would probably not "have the outcome he was looking for."

They also told him he was welcome to have the issue revisited at the Plan Commission level, as a special-use permit, instead of requesting for several zoning code text amendments.

"We want to help, we really do," Trustee Moras said. "But I'm not convinced that this is an appropriate use for an I-1 district, and I'm very concerned about the precedent it could set."

Ripstein again pressured trustees to vote on the matter, and when they unanimously voted against his request, Ripstein was visibly upset.

"Libertyville is just making more mistakes again," Ripstein said after the vote. "How they lost the Mall, how they lost Gregg's Landing ... Libertyville continues to lose opportunities.

"It's unfortunate it keeps going that direction. I'm going to find a new home in Vernon Hills, right next to the Acura store, so I can have a full row of (Acura) MDX's right out front, and I'll use my resources to succeed in that manner."

Correction: The article previously incorrectly attributed a quote to Waukegan-based attorney Jim Babowice. It was Ripstein's attorney who said he knew trustees wanted to "make sure we're not opening the village to the Mundelein types of used-car lots we currently see."