PHILO — Plans for a new discount store are on hold while village officials iron out details with the corporate office. Dollar General is seeking to buy a 2-acre tract south of the Philo Exchange Bank lot on the west side of Illinois 130. Store representatives have said that they would like to begin construction by Oct. 24. "That seemed a very short time frame the village was asked to make these decisions in," village attorney Paul Hendren said. Trustees have yet to decide whether to annex the property into the village. If the property is annexed, trustees will need to decide whether to change the zoning classification to commercial, as Dollar General has requested. In addition, trustees will have to decide whether to make the property a one-lot subdivision. Philo's planning commission will make recommendations on those decisions to the village board after conducting a preliminary plat review. "I don't think there's any way we could be ready by Oct. 14 (the next village board meeting) to come to you," planning commission Chair Karl Helmink said. Helmink said he would also like clarification on if the final owner responsible for the tax bills will be current property owner Jon Khachaturian or Dollar General. The planning commission has a public hearing scheduled for Sept. 24. Helmink estimated that it would be at least another month before any decisions are made.

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