DuPage Co. OK's controversial Oakbrook Terrace development
A controversial mixed-use development near Oakbrook Terrace received a unanimous thumbs up from the DuPage County Board on Tuesday.
The proposal by developer Robert Krilich calls for more than 1,500 residential units, commercial components and a Holiday Inn on 82 acres off Butterfield Road near Ardmore Avenue. The property was once a part of Oakbrook Terrace, but Krilich voluntarily de-annexed after years of wrangling with city officials.
City and nearby park district officials objected to the proposal because of the expected density. The county board's development committee reduced the residential density by nearly a third during the approval process, but Oakbrook Terrace officials don't believe that goes far enough.
After the vote, City Manager Martin Bourke hinted at legal action to halt any more progress.
"Obviously, the city has some legal rights because our residents are not getting the protection they deserve from their county leaders," he said.
The county's zoning board signed off on the plan after three lengthy hearings, followed by the board's development committee, which held two hearings on the proposal.
Both Bourke and outgoing Mayor Thomas Mazaika complained the county was moving too quickly with the proposal because drinking water service and police protection hasn't been settled.
"The city has always anticipated development of this property, but has wanted to see it appropriately developed," Mazaika said. "We want to ensure that service issues are fully addressed before the county commits itself to a plan that is substandard."
But board member Kyle Gilgis, who heads the board's development committee, argued on behalf of the proposal.
"I've never met a developer who worked through so many compromises," she said. "The petitioner brought several proposals before Oakbrook Terrace and each time it was rejected. If you're sitting on 82 acres and you want to develop it, what choice do you have when the municipality keeps denying it and not giving you any guidance?"
City officials said Krilich hasn't applied for zoning changes with the city since 1972.
"The development committee chairwoman is delusional," Bourke said.
The Lakes of Royce Renaissance project would feature two 18-story residential complexes along with a bevy of townhouses, apartments and a 500-unit senior living center. The project also calls for retail components for residents and visitors to the area. Krilich's team said it would cost close to $750 million to develop the property as currently designed. Any deviation from the current design plans would require the developer to return to the board for approval.
Krilich gained notoriety when he was convicted of fraud and racketeering after rigging a hole-in-one contest to pay off a bribe. He spent more than a decade in federal prison before being released a few years ago. He now lives in Florida.