Buffalo Grove may ask voters about redevelopment

Buffalo Grove may ask voters whether or not it should redevelop the Buffalo Grove Golf Course and Municipal Campus into a downtown via an advisory referendum on the April 7 ballot.

The issue will be up for discussion at Monday's village board meeting at 7:30 p.m. at village hall, 50 Raupp Blvd.

The idea for the referendum was floated by longtime village resident and activist Rob Sherman. Trustees Andrew Stein and Beverly Sussman followed up and requested the item be placed on the agenda.

The ballot question would read: "Shall the Village of Buffalo Grove continue its efforts to pursue the redevelopment of the Buffalo Grove Golf Course and Municipal Campus into a downtown?"

If the village board votes in favor, the village attorney would draft an ordinance for board consideration. Action must be taken no later than Jan. 29.

Buffalo Grove's planning and zoning commission is currently considering a proposal by developer Chuck Malk of CRM Properties to redevelop the golf course and village campus with retail, office and residential components, as well as a new village hall and police station.

The commission's next workshop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at village hall.

According to an internal memo from Stein, dated Nov. 24 and addressed to Village Manager Dane Bragg and Deputy Village Manager Jennifer Maltas, Stein requested the matter be placed on the agenda under new business. Attached to the memo is the email from Sussman, who is planning to run for village president in next spring's municipal election, seconding Stein's motion.

Also attached is the original request from Sherman to Stein, dated Nov. 20, stating, "This is the perfect use of an advisory referendum because there is considerable disagreement as to whether residents generally support or oppose the concept of redevelopment, without taking a position on whether any particular redevelopment proposal should be approved."

Stein stressed that the referendum would be advisory and said that while he doesn't support holding a referendum every time the board faces a tough decision, "I do feel that in this instance, because the golf course was refinanced through referendum, that it would be wise to ask residents how they feel."

Sussman said, "The people have the right to determine if the Buffalo Grove Golf Course and the village campus ... should be demolished and the land used for the downtown development. They live here. It's their village. It's their choice."

Sherman said that when he and his wife Celeste moved into Buffalo Grove more than 30 years ago, a lot of people wanted a downtown because it would provide additional places to shop, multifamily housing that was in short supply for empty nesters and new residents, and office space that was scarce at the time.

"Now, 30 years later, we have a glut of vacant storefronts. We have so many apartments and condos that the developers can't give that stuff away. We're in a situation now where the problems that Buffalo Grove was looking to solve 30 years ago by creating a downtown no longer exist."