Comment now on Naperville plan

After reviewing Naperville's Downtown 2030 draft land use plans, I have some significant concerns. The plan envisions increasing the area of the downtown and the allowable building height to 60 feet. However, north of Benton Avenue to Douglas Street is to be a “Special Study Area" allowing for even greater height and density, similar to the Water Street redevelopment initiative.

Frankly, I question the wisdom of building in the Water Street district, an 85-foot-tall, 7-story hotel/parking deck complex, with 5-story buildings along the Riverwalk, especially after narrowing the street nine feet. The thought of having another such development north of Benton, especially on Washington Junior High School's doorstep, fills me with dread.

To the west, the plan envisions crossing Eagle and allowing for home-to-office conversions in the residential area surrounding Naper School. I feel allowing any kind of commercial development to cross Eagle will destabilize both the residential property owners there, as well as Naper School.

The downtown has been wonderfully successful, and my family uses it often. But the one incontrovertible fact is that the traffic congestion is horrific, and I am saddened by the city's recent unwillingness to accept some reasonable limitations to development in the downtown to help minimize the inevitable increase in congestion.

I believe that, at the very least, the downtown needs to end on the east side of Eagle, and that the area north of Benton should not turn into another Water Street. Some thoughtful planning about maintaining the charm and scale of the downtown, as well as providing some minimal buffer to protect the students of both affected schools, would be welcome as well.

I encourage residents to comment before Oct. 6 on Naperville's Downtown2030 webpage and attend the Oct. 20 plan commission meeting to share their views in this matter.

Thom Higgins

Naperville