Developers to revise proposal for new Naperville subdivision on Nokia land
Developers of the controversial Naper Commons subdivision are going back to the drawing board amid concerns over how their plans for the Nokia land in Naperville would affect surrounding properties.
Pulte Home Company LLC has proposed constructing 239 single-family homes and townhouses on a vacant 67-acre parcel at Naperville and Warrenville roads. With a community park serving as the focal point, the residential development is designed to offer a unique urban environment that caters to a variety of demographics and price points, attorney Russ Whitaker said.
The project has been met with resounding opposition from neighbors and community members who fear its size and scope would be detrimental to nearby homes, traffic and the natural environment.
After hours of deliberation Wednesday, planning and zoning commissioners said they believe more can be done to reduce the subdivision's density, address community opposition and protect the adjacent forest preserve properties. Rather than take action, the advisory panel agreed to halt the public hearing until March 17, giving the development team time to work with staff members and revise the proposal.
Pulte already tweaked its plans after an initial public hearing in December, Whitaker said, reducing the number of residential lots by two, increasing open space, and adding side yards and landscaping buffers. Project leaders have been responsive to objections from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, as well as residents of the Danada Woods and Fairmeadow subdivisions, he said, and they've been working through various zoning issues with city officials.
Density and proximity are at the heart of the remaining concerns among planning and zoning commissioners, who were divided over whether they would support the project as proposed Wednesday. Some said they appreciated the revisions so far but need greater assurances that the development would not infringe upon surrounding uses.
"Overall, I think it might be just a little too much, too intense of a use for this particular piece of property," Chairman Bruce Hanson said.
Project leaders intend to reconfigure the plan to address the density issue, Whitaker said, adding that there's no magic bullet for accommodating all interested parties.
Several nearby property owners who spoke or provided written comments to the commission said their primary goal is to maintain the integrity of their neighborhood and the local ecosystem. To provide more "reasonable transitions" between land uses, they suggested creating more open space, conserving more trees and preserving a berm on Nokia's property that has been used recreationally for years, Fairmeadow resident Jen Banowetz said.
"If you build a new neighborhood at the expense of another, you live in a world that is constantly degenerating," she said. "That's hardly innovative. Naperville deserves better."