Cuba Road closing on table in Kildeer

A segment of Cuba Road in Kildeer could be closed to through traffic under a shopping center proposal being considered by that village.

The idea is heightening tensions between Kildeer and Lake Zurich, which are already butting heads over details of development of a Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse and a J.C. Penney department store.

The development site consists of 45 acres at the northeast corner of Route 12 and Cuba Road. Cuba Road could become a one-way street or a cul-de-sac there with limited access. The road would not be accessible from Route 12.

It's a bad idea, said Kildeer resident Ira Woolwich, who lives in Bishop's Ridge subdivision off Cuba Road, northeast of Route 12.

"It would affect us a lot because if you want to go north on Rand Road, effectively you'd have to cut through neighborhoods," he said. "It would cause a big disruption there, not to mention the traffic that uses Cuba Road to go through Lake Zurich to Barrington. I don't know how the police and fire services would get to us."

Woolwich said many area residents don't yet know about the road closure idea.

"It's all conceptual at this time," Kildeer Village President Alan Stefaniak said.

At the center of the dispute is a 14-year-old boundary agreement between the villages that spells out a 50/50 tax revenue sharing plan among other details.

For months, leaders of both villages have discussed how to provide access to the site from Old Rand Road by reconfiguring its intersection at Route 12. Talks have since broken down.

In December, Kildeer officials said the village began exploring an alternative idea to close Cuba Road just east of Route 12 near the Atrium Garden Center and use it to provide access to the project.

"It's come about because Lake Zurich has not been willing to come to terms with us over an access point by reconfiguring Old Rand Road and has asked for more than what they are entitled to under the boundary agreement that currently exists," Stefaniak said.

Lake Zurich wants to extend that boundary agreement, which expires in 2013, and make the 50/50 revenue split permanent.

"Now they want to have input into what goes into the site also," Stefaniak said. "People have tried to develop this property for almost 20 years and every time somebody tries to develop it, Lake Zurich stands in the way."

Lake Zurich Mayor John Tolomei said Kildeer is the one being unreasonable.

"By the time the project is built and running, Lake Zurich will have very few years left to gain in any of the revenue sharing part," Tolomei said. "They want to essentially keep the whole thing to themselves."

Tolomei said Kildeer is also asking his village to deannex a portion of Lake Zurich so it has more land for the shopping center project.

"We just don't see any real benefit to us to go through the trouble of changing Old Rand Road," Tolomei said.

Closing Cuba Road would be an inconvenience for not just Kildeer but Lake Zurich residents, he said.

"It will put more traffic onto already overcrowded roads," Tolomei said, speaking of Quentin and Rand roads.