Lake Zurich, Kildeer near deal on Rand Road project

Lake Zurich and Kildeer may be several steps closer to a compromise on a commercial development proposed for a Route 12 property.

The development is targeted for roughly 45 acres on the northeast corner of Cuba Road and Route 12. It would be anchored by a 103,000-square-foot Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse and a 150,000-square-foot Meijer grocer replacing a J.C. Penney department store, per a revised concept plan shown Wednesday night. The proposal includes a possible restaurant and roughly 257,000 square feet of retail space.

The property backs up to Lake Zurich residents on the north and Kildeer homes on the east.

The plan was received favorably by officials from both towns.

"I think it's moved a long way to where it needs to go and I am relatively comfortable, myself," Lake Zurich Mayor John Tolomei said.

Tolomei said he would have to take the plan back to his entire village board for discussion.

One of Lake Zurich's primary concerns with the previous proposal was granting full access to the property from Old Rand Road, which officials say could exacerbate existing traffic problems at the intersection of Old Rand and Route 12.

Lake Zurich requested that Kildeer shift some of the traffic burden toward Cuba Road.

The new concept plan offers three access points to the proposed development that would include a right-in, right-out from Route 12 with no left turn out onto Route 12 because of a barrier median. It also calls for full access to the site from Cuba Road with only a right out onto westbound Cuba, directing traffic away from neighborhoods, and possibly limited access from Old Rand Road as well.

Lake Zurich officials also partly got what they wanted with the amended site plans that provide 100- to 300-foot building setbacks from residential areas with a natural buffer.

The developer's previous concept plan included the possibility of turning Cuba Road into a one-way street or a cul-de-sac just east of Route 12 with limited access to the state highway for area residents.

The plan now calls for improvements such as two additional left-turn lanes from Cuba Road onto Route 12 and an extra lane in either direction along the entire frontage of the property.

Kildeer Village President Alan Stefaniak said there is consensus among his board members to move forward with the project, tweaking it along the way.

Officials also discussed two other commercial developments proposed for the northwest and southwest corners of Quentin Road and Route 22 that lie on the border between both towns.

The developers have been sent back to the drawing board to create new concepts for those properties, Tolomei said.

Those plans will have to be vetted by Kildeer before either party can move forward on their respective projects.

"I think we're going to have to come to a consensus on all three parcels," Stefaniak said.

The villages also have agreed to split the sales tax revenue from all three properties.