Pulte's 266-home subdivision makes it past West Chicago plan commission

The West Chicago plan commission has endorsed a modified proposal for a new housing subdivision near the St. Andrews golf course, but neighbors are still balking at the size of the development.

Pulte Homes is asking the city for permission to build 266 houses on the south side of Smith Road between Route 59 and Klein Road.

The city's plan commission unanimously supported the project after the homebuilder revised plans to reduce the number of zoning code variations originally requested. Its recommendation now goes before a development committee on April 11 and ultimately to the city council for a final vote.

Pulte has been on a building spree in the Western suburbs, snapping up some of the last large undeveloped properties in Naperville and Wheaton for new homes. Construction is underway on Trillium Farm, a Pulte development on the site of a former garden nursery near West Chicago, with homes already selling for an average price of over $500,000.

On the city's north side, Pulte is looking to create a development of single-family houses, to be called The Preserve at West Branch, on vacant farmland. The nearly 112-acre site is owned by Jemsek-Hinckley family members, who also operate the St. Andrew's Golf and Country Club to the south.

But many residents in the area say the planned subdivision would clash with the rural character of surrounding neighborhoods and could cause environmental harm to the Klein Fen - a rare wetland - in the West Branch Forest Preserve.

"What may be good for Pulte's pocketbook is not necessarily good for this special, unique area of West Chicago, the fen, the traffic, the wildlife and the existing adjacent homeowners," Nancy and Robert DeNapoli said in a written message to the plan commission.

They chose to move to the area 27 years ago for the open feel and the opportunity for wildlife sightings.

"In this area's history, there were more families in the unincorporated area west of Fair Oaks (Road) that had horses and would ride the trails in the West Branch forest preserve," the DeNapolis wrote.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has indicated the state-endangered yellow-headed blackbird is a protected resource within the vicinity of the property, but it has determined "adverse effects from the proposed development are unlikely," according to a city memo.

Neighbors also fear the subdivision would cause traffic problems.

"Smith Road is busy enough. Cars cut through here to miss the stoplights on Route 59 and Army Trail," Dave and Connie Ahmann told the plan commission. "The speed limit is 30 miles per hour, and our streets are not patrolled to keep these cars from speeding as it is."

Barbara Laimins, chair of the plan commission, acknowledged the concerns about traffic and density.

"But I do believe that both staff has protected the interests of West Chicago, and Pulte surely doesn't want to create a disastrous situation that would harm their reputation," she said.

The development would have an entrance off Smith Road and another off Klein Road. By having two access drives, traffic would be "distributed in a more efficient manner and minimize the overall impact" on any road, said Javier Millan, a principal with KLOA Inc., the project's traffic consultant.

Pulte eliminated three lots from the original plan. The builder also dropped requests for setback and lot coverage deviations, satisfying concerns raised by city planners.

Homes around the perimeter of the site would sit on at least 12,000-square-foot lots, as required under a 2008 annexation agreement with the city. Most of the lots would average 8,507 square feet in size. Developers are finding that buyers prefer a slightly smaller lot to maintain, said Matt Brolley, who runs entitlements for Pulte in Illinois.

The development also sits within Elgin Area Unit District 46. The superintendent has submitted a written letter of support for the project, Brolley said.

Pulte plans to set aside about 5 acres for a park, which would be maintained by the West Chicago Park District, in the center of the development.