Village denies church lot near I-74

TILTON Village board members voted to send a message Thursday to Vineyard Church officials that they will not rezone land the church had expressed interest in to construct a new building.

Mayor David Phillips told board members he thought the property the church was seeking is better suited to remain zoned as commercial. The land is the site of the former L&L Mobile Home Park, located on the northeast corner of Illinois Route 1 and 14th Street.

When church officials approached village board members, they had said the site fit their needs because it was located close to Illinois Route 1 and I-74.

Phillips said he was simply trying to save the church representatives time because they still had to go through a zoning board hearing in seeking to have the property rezoned and then the matter would ultimately end up in front of the village board for approval.

Phillips said he is willing to work with church officials to find another site for the church and he has already made suggestions about other sites to church representatives.

In another vote, trustees gave tentative approval for the construction of a craft distillery in the village.

Ernie Trinkle and Tyler Langston appeared before board members seeking a lot located on Hodge Street directly south of the UPS facility for the construction of a building that would house a craft distillery.

A craft distillery is a small legal still that is capable of producing distilled spirits. A craft distillery is able to produce up to 5,000 gallons of distilled spirits a year under federal law.

Trinkle told board members that 16 percent of the distilled spirits sold in the U.S. is produced by craft distilleries. The distillery would only sell to businesses with a liquor license and would be prohibited from selling directly to the general public.

The pair intend to produce rum in a 27-gallon still. The still will be fired by natural gas and would create minimal odor according Trinkle and Langston. The pair said their business would be called Bottoms Up Distillery and would market their rum under the name Rum Shine.

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Village denies church lot near I-74