A new miniature golf course, restaurant and family entertainment destination is proposed for Route 30 and Windy Hill Drive in Frankfort. The Plan Commission recommended approval on October 22, 2026, with several conditions. Nearby residents say they welcome the idea, but they're concerned about additional traffic traveling through their neighborhood. Now they're asking the Village to consider changes to Windy Hill Drive before the development moves forward.
Updated November 4, 2026.
Frankfort could be getting a new place for miniature golf, outdoor dining and family entertainment.
It's called Par & Plate, and the plans call for a restaurant, bar, miniature golf course, playground and other outdoor activities on roughly 3.45 acres at the southeast corner of Route 30 and Windy Hill Drive.
It's the kind of place that could be a welcome addition to Frankfort, particularly for families looking for something different to do close to home.
And interestingly enough, some of the residents raising concerns about the project agree.
They aren't necessarily opposed to Par & Plate being built. Their biggest concern is how customers will enter and leave the property, and what that could mean for the neighborhood immediately to the south.
I recently spoke with a Windy Hill resident. They explained that residents have raised concerns about traffic, speeding, operating hours and pedestrian safety, but feel those concerns haven't received enough attention.
So I went through Frankfort's development plans and the traffic study to see what they actually say.
November 4 update: The Frankfort Plan Commission voted 5–1 on October 22 to recommend approval of Par & Plate, including several additional conditions. However, the Village Board had not granted final approval as of its November 2 meeting.
What Is Par & Plate Planning to Build?
Par & Plate is a proposed family entertainment and restaurant development by J Beechy Developments, LLC.
The plans submitted to Frankfort include:
- An 18-hole miniature golf course, plus a practice hole.
- A full-service restaurant and bar.
- Outdoor dining with a covered patio.
- Two bocce courts.
- A children's playground and swings.
- Landscaped green space and walking connections.
- Approximately 80 parking spaces.
The proposed building would feature grey siding, stone accents and a contemporary design. The miniature golf course and outdoor activities would occupy much of the surrounding property.
The developer is promoting it as a family-oriented destination rather than simply another restaurant along Route 30.
You can see more about the proposed business on the Par & Plate website.
The property is already zoned for commercial use, so the developer isn't asking the Village to convert residential land into commercial property.
However, the restaurant's liquor sales, outdoor dining and recreation uses require special-use permits from Frankfort.
The Biggest Concern Is Windy Hill Drive
If you're familiar with this section of Route 30, you probably know that Windy Hill Drive runs south past the commercial properties and through a residential neighborhood before connecting with Pfeiffer Road.
The Oasis of Frankfort senior living community is already located on the west side of Windy Hill Drive.
Par & Plate would be built across the street.
According to the Village's October 22 Plan Commission packet, the Illinois Department of Transportation will not permit direct driveway access from Route 30 to the proposed development.
That means all vehicles entering or leaving Par & Plate would use Windy Hill Drive.
The plans show two driveways. The northern driveway, across from Oasis, would be restricted to right-in/right-out movements, with a channelized triangular median to prevent left turns. The second driveway, farther south, would allow vehicles to enter and leave in either direction.
And that's where residents are worried.
Someone leaving the restaurant could head north toward Route 30 or south through the residential neighborhood toward Pfeiffer Road.
The developer proposes directional signage encouraging customers to return toward Route 30. But the southern driveway would still allow vehicles to travel south.
For residents already dealing with what they describe as speeding and through traffic, that's a concern they don't want to ignore.
October 22 hearing update: The Plan Commission did not recommend closing Windy Hill Drive or creating a cul-de-sac. Village staff also indicated that IDOT has no plans to install a traffic signal at Route 30 and Windy Hill Drive.
What Does the Traffic Study Say?
The developer submitted a preliminary traffic evaluation prepared by KLOA, a transportation consulting firm, in September 2026.
The study estimates the proposed development would generate approximately 31 vehicle trips during the weekday morning peak hour and 38 during the weekday evening peak hour.
For comparison, Route 30 carries an estimated 21,800 vehicles per day, according to the IDOT traffic data used in the report.
The consultant concludes that Par & Plate would have a relatively minor impact on the surrounding road system. Village staff reports that the Village Engineer also determined that off-site roadway improvements wouldn't be necessary.
But there's something important missing from the analysis.
The study doesn't provide existing traffic counts specifically for Windy Hill Drive or estimate how many additional vehicles would continue south through the residential neighborhood.
That matters because a relatively small increase compared with Route 30's traffic doesn't necessarily tell us what the impact would be on a neighborhood street.
The report also doesn't include a separate weekend peak-hour forecast. For a business combining miniature golf, dining and family entertainment, weekend traffic seems like a reasonable question to ask about.
None of that proves Par & Plate will create a major traffic problem. But it does leave some neighborhood-specific questions unanswered.
Residents Say They Welcome the Development, but Want Some Compromises
During my conversation with a Windy Hill resident, they repeatedly made one point clear.
Residents understand the property is commercially zoned. They also recognize that a family entertainment destination could be a good addition to Frankfort.
What they're asking for is more consideration of the people who live along Windy Hill Drive.
They described residents attending a Village meeting and raising concerns about additional traffic, the restaurant's proposed operating hours, liquor sales and outdoor noise.
They said neighbors asked whether the business could close earlier, suggesting 8 p.m. during the week and 10 p.m. on weekends.
Residents also raised possible traffic solutions, including speed bumps, additional traffic controls and restricting through traffic on Windy Hill Drive.
According to the resident, those suggestions did not receive the response neighbors had hoped for.
That's their account of the meeting, and I haven't independently verified every exchange they described. But the underlying traffic concern is documented in the development materials.
The applicant's summary of a May 7, 2026 neighborhood meeting at the Frankfort Public Library identifies concerns about southbound traffic, existing street parking, a blind curve, lighting, privacy and fencing.
In other words, the neighborhood's concerns aren't something that appeared out of nowhere this week.
Those concerns continued at the October 22 Plan Commission hearing. Residents raised questions about speeding, congestion at Route 30, visibility along curves, outdoor noise and potential flooding near the detention swale.
One resident again raised the possibility of closing access to the residential neighborhood. The Commission did not recommend that change, and Chair Markunas directed residents to bring their concerns to the Village Board.
What Is the Windy Hill Petition Asking For?
Residents have been circulating a petition titled Windy Hill Neighborhood Traffic Concern.
Its main request is for Frankfort to consider closing or reconfiguring part of Windy Hill Drive to prevent vehicles from using the residential neighborhood as a through route between Route 30 and Pfeiffer Road.
One possible solution described in the petition is creating a dead end or cul-de-sac.
That would be a significant change, and it would need to be evaluated for neighborhood access, emergency vehicles and other traffic impacts.
But the residents' reasoning is straightforward. They want people visiting the commercial businesses along Route 30 to use the main roads rather than traveling through their subdivision.
The petition also claims that neighborhood traffic has increased by more than 25%. I haven't been able to independently verify that figure or obtain the underlying traffic survey cited in the petition.
And it's important to separate existing traffic problems from the potential impact of Par & Plate, which hasn't been built yet.
Read the Windy Hill Neighborhood Traffic Concern petition
Residents had hoped to submit the petition to Frankfort before the end of October. I haven't independently confirmed whether it has been formally submitted.
Has the Developer Addressed Any of These Concerns?
Yes. The development team has proposed several measures in response to concerns raised during the May neighborhood meeting.
These include a restricted northern driveway, directional signs encouraging drivers toward Route 30, additional landscaping, fencing and lighting intended to limit spillover onto neighboring properties.
The developer also proposes keeping the existing walking path along the southern portion of the property.
Those are meaningful details, and they show that at least some neighborhood concerns have been incorporated into the proposed design.
At the October 22 hearing, the Plan Commission also recommended a 10% increase in evergreen planting material along the southern property line to provide additional screening for nearby residents.
The applicant also agreed to remove promotional slogans from exterior signage. A request for a landscape berm along the southern property line was not adopted because of concerns that it could interfere with drainage into the existing swale.
But there is a difference between encouraging customers to drive north and physically preventing them from driving south.
That distinction is at the center of the residents' request.
Another question raised during my conversation involved whether the business could eventually add video gaming machines. Village staff confirmed during the October 22 hearing that Frankfort has opted out of video gaming. No gaming machines are included in the proposal.
For now, the documented proposal is a miniature golf and family entertainment facility with restaurant and bar service.
What Hours and Operating Restrictions Are Proposed?
The October 22 hearing also provided additional details about how Par & Plate would operate.
The applicant committed to the following operating hours:
- Sunday through Thursday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Winter: Reduced operating hours are anticipated.
Those hours are later than the 8 p.m. weekday and 10 p.m. weekend closing times some nearby residents had requested.
Other operating restrictions discussed at the hearing include:
- Outdoor music: Ambient music would be subject to the Village's 55-decibel property-line noise limit. Live outdoor bands would require a separate special-use permit.
- Lighting: Site lighting must be turned off within one hour after closing.
- Playground: Equipment must be set back at least 10 feet from property lines.
- Outdoor dining: Umbrellas must use neutral colors and cannot display commercial advertising.
- Restaurant layout: Building permit plans must show a physical wall or partition separating the bar area from the main dining room.
These details were included in the Plan Commission's review and favorable recommendation. Final Village Board action remains pending, so they should not yet be treated as conditions of an adopted Village Board ordinance.
Where Does Par & Plate Stand Right Now?
On October 22, 2026, the Frankfort Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5–1 to recommend approval of the Par & Plate subdivision plat and three special-use permits.
The special-use requests cover a full-service restaurant with liquor sales, outdoor recreation exceeding one acre and outdoor seating.
Commissioners Jakubowski, Knieriem, Morris, Toepper and Chair Markunas voted in favor. Commissioner Rappold voted against the recommendation.
The favorable recommendation included additional conditions involving landscaping, signage, lighting and site design, along with the requirements outlined above.
One modification also preserved provisions for the 10-foot access easement along the southern property line rather than eliminating that easement as originally proposed.
During the hearing, Chair Markunas encouraged developer Jake Beechy to be a good neighbor to nearby residents.
But the project has not received final Village Board approval.
As of the November 2, 2026 Village Board meeting, Par & Plate had not appeared for a final ordinance vote. The Plan Commission's recommendation is an important step, but it is not the same as final approval.
Several additional steps also remain, including final engineering review for stormwater drainage and utility easements, resolution of required cash-in-lieu fees involving a Red Maple preservation tree and Route 30 sidewalk frontage, and building permit review.
No confirmed construction start date has been established.
I'll continue tracking the project as it moves toward a final Village Board decision.
The Bottom Line
Par & Plate could be a nice addition to Frankfort. Miniature golf, outdoor dining and family activities are the kinds of amenities many local families enjoy.
And the Windy Hill residents I've heard from aren't necessarily arguing otherwise.
They're asking a different question.
Can Frankfort welcome a new commercial development while also taking reasonable steps to protect the residential neighborhood next door?
The developer has proposed changes intended to reduce neighborhood impacts. The traffic consultant believes the surrounding road system can accommodate the project.
The Plan Commission has now recommended approval with additional conditions for landscaping, lighting and other site details. But the underlying traffic access plan remains largely unchanged.
The available traffic study still doesn't quantify how many additional vehicles could travel south through Windy Hill Drive, and residents want that concern taken seriously before the project moves forward.
They've proposed several possible solutions. Whether those solutions are practical, or whether other measures would work better, is something Village officials would need to evaluate.
With the Plan Commission's recommendation complete, the next major decision belongs to the Village Board.
And I think that's a reasonable thing for any homeowner to expect when a new development is proposed near their neighborhood.
What do you think? Would you welcome Par & Plate in Frankfort? And should the Village consider additional traffic controls or changes to Windy Hill Drive before the project moves ahead?
Sources and reporting note: Village of Frankfort October 22, 2026 Plan Commission/ZBA revised packet, including the Par & Plate staff report (PDF pages 29–35), development plans, September 16 KLOA traffic statement (PDF pages 163–171) and applicant-prepared May 7 neighborhood meeting summary (PDF pages 173–174). November 4 update based on the October 22 Plan Commission meeting findings and November 2 Village Board agenda review, as summarized from municipal records. Additional information from the Par & Plate website, the Windy Hill neighborhood petition and an October 28 interview with a neighborhood resident. Statements about residents' experiences and requests are attributed to those sources. The Plan Commission's favorable recommendation is not final Village Board approval. Final ordinances, construction timing and any additional operating conditions remain subject to verification.