Orland Park, IL – As debate continues over a proposed Amazon retail development near Route 45, newly reviewed planning documents show the project would also result in permanent impacts to several wetlands on the site, triggering environmental mitigation requirements.
According to environmental reports submitted to the Village of Orland Park, the proposed Amazon Retail planned development at 159th Street and LaGrange Road would impact five isolated wetlands spread across the approximately 35-acre property. The site, currently a mix of farmland, wooded areas, and undeveloped land, contains wetlands regulated at the county level.
According to the project’s wetland permitting memorandum, the development would permanently impact approximately 7.4 acres of regulated wetlands. Under county rules, these impacts would require compensatory mitigation, meaning the developer must offset the loss by restoring or preserving wetlands elsewhere within the same watershed.
Project documents indicate the developer plans to purchase wetland mitigation credits from an approved mitigation bank located within the Des Plaines River watershed, a standard practice used when on-site wetland preservation is not feasible. The mitigation ratio for some wetlands would exceed a one-to-one replacement, resulting in more acres mitigated than impacted.
Developers state that alternative site designs were evaluated but determined to be not practicable, citing stormwater detention requirements, parking minimums, and roadway access standards imposed by the village. Officials concluded the proposed layout represents the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative while still meeting local development codes.
The reports also note that the wetlands on site are classified as isolated, meaning they do not have a direct surface connection to navigable waterways. As a result, the wetlands fall under county and regional oversight, rather than federal jurisdiction.
In addition to mitigation credits, plans include design elements intended to reduce environmental impact, such as stormwater management ponds, native landscaping, and permeable surfaces in select areas. No stormwater discharge is planned directly into remaining wetland areas, according to the filings.
Village staff have stated the environmental review complies with applicable regulations and will be considered alongside traffic, infrastructure, and land-use factors before any final approvals are granted.
Public discussion on the project is expected to continue at upcoming Plan Commission and Village Board meetings, where residents may comment on environmental concerns as well as broader development impacts.
