Developer proposes 71 townhouses for Wheeling
A development with 71 townhouses could be built on open land just west of the Prairie Park condominiums on Wheeling's northeast side.
D.R. Horton, a national residential real estate developer, unveiled a proposal last week to construct the townhouses on the 7.3-acre plot. The village board unanimously agreed the developers should take next steps in producing a formal plan, though trustees had concerns about road access and whether to allow on-street parking.
The informal feedback was the first step in a three-part approval process in Wheeling. The next steps will be for D.R. Horton to submit official applications to be reviewed the village plan commission and then voted upon by the village board.
According to preliminary plans, the 71 townhouses will be built in 13 buildings and connected by private streets constructed by D.R. Horton and maintained by a homeowner's association. The townhouses would include three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms and a garage, and range in size from about 1,750 square feet to 2,500 square feet.
The development team includes many of the same people behind the Wolf Crossing townhouses built on land previously occupied by Deerfield Moving & Storage in the 400 block of Wolf Road.
"I really think this is a worthwhile project," Trustee Mary Papantos said.
But trustees were divided on whether the village should allow several exceptions to its code that the developers have requested. D.R. Horton wants to limit vehicle traffic entering from Meadow Lane, which borders the southern edge of the property, to emergency and police vehicles responding to calls.
Its proposal includes an entrance that could be blocked with collapsible bollards. Residents would enter the development primarily through the Prairie Park condominiums, according to the plans.
A majority of the village board prefers allowing full access from the Meadow Lane.
The developers also asked the village to allow on-street parking. The village board was split on the request, with those against it arguing that streets in the development will be too narrow.
Derrick Hoffman, of D.R. Horton, said he and the other developers will use the feedback to make adjustments and return to the village with a formal plan.