Gurnee OKs permit for assisted-living facility
Gurnee village board members Monday night approved an assisted-living facility for seniors in a residential subdivision where it has been in business about two years without a state license.
Theresa’s Home Care on Cunningham Court in the Chelsey Crossing townhome development received the special-use permit it needed in a 5-0 village board vote. Theresa’s Home Care had been up for a final vote Jan. 10 but asked for a postponement and revised its plan.
After receiving Gurnee village board feedback two weeks ago, Theresa’s cut the number of clients it’ll serve from 24 to 20. At one point, a request was made to allow 30 residents in the 6,000-square-foot, single-family house near Hunt Club Road.
Before the vote, Trustee Cheryl Ross told operator Theresa Bicok that she and other officials initially had a negative reaction to the proposal because it hasn’t had a proper state license or any village permits since it started in January 2009.
Gurnee officials became aware of Theresa’s Home Care after village paramedics were called there and noticed the operation was unlicensed in May 2009.
Ross and two other trustees visited Theresa’s Home Care before Monday’s vote. Ross said she gave only 15 minutes advance notice for her visit.
“Very clean,” Ross said. “Very well-run. The people are taken care of.”
Theresa’s Home Care must obtain a license from the Illinois Department of Public Health under the agreement with Gurnee. A cease-and-desist order would have been isused to Theresa’s if the village board had not approved the special-use permit Monday evening.
Attorney John Wojteczko said Theresa’s will be making upgrades to the house to comply with state licensing requirements, such as installing an elevator and indoor sprinklers. Other plans call for converting two second-floor rooms into space for a library and television viewing.
Wojteczko said there will be eight staff members for every one resident at Theresa’s, above the nursing home standard of 12-1. He also said parking won’t be an issue at the facility with the extra residents, in part because there few visitors.
“We really don’t generate any more traffic than a single-family dwelling,” Wojteczko said.
Some proponents spoke highly Monday night of the care their parents are receiving at Theresa’s. However, at the Jan. 10 meeting, some Chelsey Crossing neighbors expressed concern about the village special-use permit and state license being sought after opening.
On Jan. 10, Bicok told the village board the oldest resident in her unlicensed home is 102 years old. She said there are at least seven residents in the facility, above the state threshold of three who would be allowed without a license.
Another senior project is proposed for Gurnee’s west side on roughly 12 acres on Hunt Club Road near Washington Street near Theresa’s. If built, the 100-unit Thomas Place development would be geared for the 55-and-older set.