Lake Zurich panel refuses to recommend Quentin Road development
An advisory Lake Zurich panel gave a thumbs-down Wednesday night to a proposal for a development with homes, a gasoline station, car wash and retail on the southwest corner of Quentin Road and Route 22.
Given the proposal is on the borders of Kildeer and Hawthorn Woods, about 70 residents from those villages and Lake Zurich were prepared to mostly raise concern about the gas station, car wash and retail end at the planning and zoning commission meeting.
However, when the project came up on the agenda, planning and zoning commission Chairman Orlando Stratman said there was nothing more for his panel to hear from the developers because they have not been listening to suggestions from village officials on how to improve the project.
Planning and zoning commission members then voted 7-0 to recommend the Lake Zurich village board deny the proposal. The village board gets the final say on issues.
In January, a development team presented to the advisory panel a revision of an idea originally pitched to Lake Zurich officials in late 2015, which have included 68 single-family homes.
Under the new proposal, 48 houses would be built farthest from the intersection toward the Coventry Creek Estates subdivision. The gas station, car wash and retail center would be on a section of the 18 acres closest to Quentin and Route 22.
Coventry Creek Estates resident Soujanya Kotamarty organized six subdivisions near Quentin and Route 22 to fight the gas station, car wash and retail. Concerns included added traffic congestion, potential groundwater contamination and harm to the local economy if video gambling was allowed there.
“I'm ecstatic,” Kotamarty said after the planning and zoning commission's vote. “I think this is a victory for the people.”
Planning and zoning commission member Antonio Castillo credited the residents for forming the grass-roots movement and said he listened to their concerns.
“I do listen,” Castillo said. “That's one thing I do, do.”
Opposition was visible on the Kildeer side off Quentin Road, where a banner read: “NO MORE VIDEO GAMBLING. NO 24 HOUR TRUCK STOP. NO CAR WASH ACROSS THE STREET.”