Custom homebuilder plans subdivision near Naperville’s Clow Creek Greenway

A custom homebuilder plans to develop more than a dozen houses just down the road from a pair of churches in south Naperville.

Doug Overstreet wants to plant the homes on roughly 8 acres currently zoned for agricultural use in unincorporated Will County. The head of Overstreet Builders is asking the city of Naperville to annex the area into its boundaries.

Overstreet has proposed 14 single-family homes on the west side of Book Road, a little north of Holy Spirit Catholic and Zion Lutheran churches.

Naperville’s planning and zoning commission has recommended approval of the requested entitlements for the development, dubbed the Reserves of Saddle Creek.

Properties along Book Road were part of the county’s Rural Historic Structures Survey Project, and some of the existing structures on the 8 acres are considered “contributing” to rural and historic heritage under the “Wheatland, Plainfield, and Lockport Townships” chapter of the report.

“However, the structures are not listed as historical landmarks and are therefore not protected from the demolition,” said Anna Franco, a Naperville community planner.

The city has requested that Overstreet coordinate with Naper Settlement and Naperville Preservation, Inc., on historic preservation efforts before demolition of structures on the property. There is interest in potentially doing a photo survey or salvaging some materials, Franco said.

“Staff will likely incorporate a condition to this regard in future ordinances for the subject property and approval,” she said.

Several neighbors, however, have voiced concerns about the loss of trees and the density of the project.

“The homes that they build are beautiful, but it is something that leaves very little green space and very little buffer between homes,” Cathy Subber said.

Plans indicate more than 300 trees would be removed, and a dozen existing ones would be protected.

“These are established trees. It's a lot of trees. I am sensitive to that,” said Whitney Robbins, the commission’s chair, who asked if the builder would be willing to keep more.

The project engineer said they worked with city staff to save as many trees as possible.

As part of the development, the builder is proposing to connect the dead end of Clearwater Lane to Book Road and situate seven single-family lots on the north side of the road extension and seven single-family lots south of it.

Stormwater detention is proposed along the north property line and “provides a large green area between the single-family lots and the Clow Creek Greenway to the north,” per a city memo.

Citing city requirements, Overstreet said, “We have to create the stormwater retention, which, unfortunately, speaks for a substantial number of trees that we would be more than happy to save, but we can’t save.”

He explained that “by grading everything to bring the water to the stormwater (basin), at that point, it makes it very difficult to keep” the additional trees.

Robbins said the development team has “done a great job” working with staff and meeting requirements, especially toward the city’s master plan.

Meanwhile, the builder’s requests for annexation, a preliminary/final plat of subdivision and two deviations from Naperville’s design manual for public improvements will be heard by the city council at another meeting. Those are not reviewed by the commission.