A Buona Beef franchise will be opening up in Orland Park after a long process to board approval.

As the Orland Park Village Board gave the Chicago suburbs restaurant franchise a go-ahead with a 5-1 vote at Monday night’s meeting, board member Kathy Fenton voted no out of her displeasure with the entire Southmoor Commons development at 131^st Street and LaGrange Road.

“This has nothing to do with the business at all,” Fenton said about her vote during the meeting. “I’ve been against this entire center since it was resold.”

Mayor Dan McLaughlin did not attend the meeting, with trustee James Dodge presiding in his place.

The new Buona Beef is planned to be 3,940 square feet at the southeast corner of 131^st Street and LaGrange Road, with the drive thru lane going around the north end, and emptying out into traffic in front of It’s Greek to Me’s entrance.

Tenants and landowners now in the Southmoor development had issues with the business’ layout, specifically how the drive thru lane emptied out near entrances to other businesses.

Demetri Gofis, owner of two lots in Southmoor including the building housing It’s Greek to Me and Big Tuna, said at Monday’s meeting he hopes safety was taken into consideration when the plan was drafted.

“A lot of people are walking into these businesses in relation to their cars,” Gofis said. “If anyone’s like me I’m not completely paying attention pulling out of a drive thru.”

Trustee Ed Schussler said that exact concern was brought up during the Dec. 19 development services committee meeting, and staff found that trying to direct the drive thru exit elsewhere wouldn’t work with the development as it has been built.

“To address it as best as we could we asked that a stop sign be placed where the exit meets the common parking area,” Schussler said. “Hopefully people will stop where they are supposed to stop.”

Trustee Carole Ruzich said she patronizes the businesses in Southmoor frequently, and with simple changes to walking habits, people will be able to avoid cars coming out of the drive thru.

The amount of available parking was also a concern brought up by Gofis on Monday, as did Schussler at the Dec. 19 meeting.

Development Services Director Karie Friling said Monday that Buona Beef is within code for parking spots, and that one land parcel in the development could be converted into more parking if the need arises.

Buona Beef Vice President of Development John Iovinelli said after Monday night’s meeting that construction will hopefully begin in late spring, and barring unforeseen circumstances, the restaurant could be open by the end of 2012.

At the Dec. 19 meeting, both Schussler and Fenton described disappointment with features of the Southmoor Commons as a whole. Both said the development fell short of what was promised by the initial developer. Friling said at the time that she is working with owners to address aesthetic issues, and other concerns.

Miroballi Shoes Taking New Balance’s Former Space

While the new 10,000 square-foot plaza is being built to hold Miroballi Shoes at 144^th Place and LaGrange Road, along with space for three other tenants, the Orland Park shoe store will be taking a temporary home.

The New Balance shoe store at 16131 LaGrange Road has moved across the street to a retail space behind Mimi’s Café. Miroballi Shoes will use New Balance’s old space, likely starting in February, until they can move into their new facility further north.

READ ON for more government stories.