An Oswego Village Board review of a concept plan for a gas station and quick service restaurant at Plainfield and Woolley roads ended up triggering a discussion about video gambling in the village.

The developer is seeking a video gambling license at the location, officials said.

“I am not in favor of moving forward with a gaming license at this time until we decide what we are going to do in general on gaming licenses,” Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman said during the recent discussion of the concept plan for the project.

The 3.47-acre property proposed for the gas station was annexed into Oswego in 2005 as part of the Ashcroft Place residential development. The parcel has remained vacant pending development. The site would require rezoning for commercial use, village officials said.

The developer is proposing to build a gas station and a multi-tenant building for a convenience store and a quick service restaurant with a drive-thru as well as two additional spaces for lease, Oswego Community Development Services Director Rod Zenner said in a report to trustees. The entire building would be 4,000 square feet.

No formal vote was taken on the concept plan.

”I like the concept plan for the gas station and the quick service restaurant business. I am just not in favor of the gaming,” Kauffman said.

The Village Board is looking at ways to regulate video gambling in town, which was an issue in the last election.

Some trustees had concerns over the potential loss of revenue if the gas station isn’t approved.

”If we are not going to move forward without the gaming license,” Trustee Kit Kuhrt said, “then are you willing to lose another gas station?”

Kuhrt referenced a gas station proposal in Oswego that he said eventually went to Montgomery.

Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo acknowledged there was a proposal for a gas station but the developer’s decision to go to the next town over had nothing to do with gambling.

Gas stations do generate local gas tax and sales tax money that produce “a noticeable boost” to village revenue, Di Santo said.

The petitioner for the newly-proposed project was not present to address the Village Board about whether the gas station project hinged on the approval of a video gambling license.

Village staff has informed the petitioner that video gambling may or may not be a “hot button” issue for the development. According to village staff members, the developer said they would be open to considering proceeding without gambling.

The core component of the business is the gas station and quick service restaurant, village staff said.

The developer can be informed that the Village Board is supportive in general of the gas station and quick service restaurant use, but that the jury is out on the gambling, Di Santo said.

”All we look for in a concept plan is feedback to provide,” Di Santo said.

”I am in favor of the concept plan. I am not in favor of gaming licenses,” Trustee Karin McCarthy-Lange said.

Trustee Karen Novy agreed. Other board members said they were open to gambling and the concept plan.

A vote on the concept plan was not necessary, Di Santo said.

“That gives us enough information to report back to the petitioner that there appears to be unanimous support for the gas station and restaurant use but there is not at this point a majority on the gaming use,” Di Santo said.

Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.