Traffic, noise among concerns about Rand Road plan in Lake Zurich

Some Lake Zurich residents are working to oppose a plan to develop a gasoline station, day-care center and retail building off Rand Road, saying it would cause problems for their adjacent neighborhood.

Niki Zabel is among the Sparrow Ridge subdivision residents who intend to reiterate their opposition to the proposal Wednesday night at a continued public hearing of the advisory Lake Zurich planning and zoning commission. Several residents raised questions about the project at the start of the public hearing last month.

“My major concern about them building behind my house is basically the privacy issue,” Zabel said. “Right now, we have a ton of privacy.”

She added that significant tree removal would lead to her and others in the neighborhood getting clear views of Rand Road traffic and more noise.

However, longtime Lake Zurich developer John Alan Sfire said any fears about his proposed development are unfounded. Sfire's Fidelity Group is seeking approval for the retail center, day-care operation and gas station on a 5-acre site near Rand and Old Rand roads, just south of his Deerpath Commons mall.

While plans call for removal of many old trees to accommodate his tentatively named Sparrow Ridge Plaza, Sfire said replacements would be planted.

“We have over 1,000 new plantings on our landscape drawing,” Sfire said. “We're putting in more trees than they have there now.”

An inventory solicited by Fidelity Group shows 732 trees on the site, with some considered dying, leaning or perished. The document was submitted this month to Lake Zurich's advisory tree commission, which gave a thumbs-up to Sfire's tree preservation and landscape plan.

Zabel and her husband, Brian, have lived on Ascot Court for about 10 years. Zabel said she, her husband and two young children have tried to spread the word about their concerns while seeking neighborhood support by going door to door with letters in the Sparrow Ridge subdivision of roughly 200 houses.

Brian Zabel said he believes the retail center would draw too much traffic to what's been a quiet neighborhood with many children. An office building would be a more acceptable use, he said.

“It doesn't make any sense to put up a strip center” on a five-acre property, he said. “What about all the other vacancies around town? Maybe think of working on that first. Also, it will add more backups to an already busy corner.”

Sfire said he's been at odds before with Lake Zurich residents over development proposals, namely about 30 years ago when there were protests over the Target he built off Rand Road. He said many of the Target opponents congratulated him after he gained Lake Zurich village board approval.

He said he expects his proposal for the gas station, day-care center and retail building to end in a similar way with the Sparrow Ridge subdivision residents.

“I feel in the end, people are going to be better off than they are now,” Sfire said.

The continued planning and zoning commission public hearing is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Lake Zurich village hall, 70 E. Main St.