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Rolling Meadows rejects senior housing at former Dominick's site

South Bay Partners will not be bringing a senior housing development to the former Dominick's along Kirchoff Road. The future of the highly visible property is still unclear, but one option may be the city buying the parcel itself.

After hearing from residents who are against the project for several weeks, the Rolling Meadows City Council on Tuesday rejected a plan from South Bay by a vote of 5-1. The proposal would have changed the property's zoning from commercial to residential to allow the Texas-based developer to build a four-story community for about 300 residents in various states of independent- or assisted-living units.

It has been controversial because of its rental prices and the feeling in the community that to lose the Dominick's property would be the end of Rolling Meadows' downtown.

Several council members commented on the high level of emotion in the community over the past month, including a deluge of unhappy emails and calls, and insinuations that the council was being bribed or not acting with the city's best interests in mind.

The vote came before a packed city council chambers after more than an hour of public comment, including speeches from some residents saying they would vote out their aldermen if they voted for the project.

The former Dominick's in Rolling Meadows will not house a senior housing community after the city council on Tuesday rejected a project for the site.

Alderman Robert Banger Jr., the sole vote in favor, said he felt there was a “silent majority” being drowned out by a very vocal minority that had created Facebook groups and flooded the city with information sheets about the project with inaccurate data.

The big question for the council now: If not this project, what is next for the 11-acre property that has sat empty in the middle of Rolling Meadows' downtown since 2004?

Two possibilities - floated by Alderman John D'Astice late in the meeting - may mean the city will take a much more active role in the development of the property in the future.

D'Astice asked for a discussion on a proposal for the city to create a full-time economic development position with an annual salary of $100,000 for a minimum of three years to be dedicated to finding something to do with the property.

He also asked the council to discuss entering into negotiations with Clark Street Development, who has owned the property since 2012, to allow the city to buy the long-vacant parcel. It is unclear how much the property costs or where in the city budget money would come from for the purchase.

“Once we own it we have the power to make decisions on how it is developed,” D'Astice said. He encouraged the room full of residents to keep holding the city council accountable on those decisions.

Mayor Tom Rooney said both of those proposals will need to be further discussed by the city council at an upcoming committee of the whole meeting this fall.

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