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Naperville panel supports North Central College plans to buy Little Friends site

A specific use hasn't been determined and a site plan has yet to be drawn up, but members of a Naperville panel say they support rezoning the Little Friends property to facilitate its sale to North Central College.

The planning and zoning commission voted 7-1 Wednesday in favor of the college's request to change the 4-acre site at 140 N. Wright St. to a "college and university district."

If the measure receives final approval from the city council, North Central will be positioned to close on the property by January 2020, allowing the Little Friends nonprofit to move to a larger campus in Warrenville.

"Prior to making a substantial investment in acquiring this property, North Central needs the assurance from the city that future development of the Little Friends property for college purposes is appropriate and acceptable," said Kathleen West, an attorney representing the college.

How exactly North Central will use the land, which is a roughly 5-minute walk from the Old Main building, is up in the air. The college earlier this year began seeking public input, West said, and is exploring options for addressing its future needs.

Because the property is in the city's historic district, any proposed demolition or construction would require approval from the historic preservation commission in the form of a certificate of appropriateness.

Still, the uncertainty of the college's plans prompted Commissioner Andrew Margulies to vote against rezoning the property. He said he worries the land will be developed into something that "doesn't necessarily work" with the surrounding neighborhood.

"I have no problems with the (college) taking over the land. It makes total sense," he said. "But without knowing what's going to go there ... I can't support that."

Several residents also expressed concerns over how a new use for the site will affect traffic, street parking and quality of life for adjacent homeowners. Though North Central has been a good neighbor to the historic district, they said, the Little Friends property is different in that it's separate from the main campus and bordered on all sides by homes.

"There are many aspects of a college and university district that may or may not be suitable to that particular block, since we don't know what the use is," said Carol Schmidt, who lives across the street.

If the sale goes through, Little Friends will operate at the Naperville property until June 2020, but "a switch doesn't get flipped" when the nonprofit leaves, said Jim Godo, the college's assistant vice president for external affairs. North Central intends to keep the community involved throughout the development process.

Because the college has a track record of being a respectful community asset, most commissioners said they're confident officials will come up with a plan that enhances both the neighborhood and their institutional mission. Commissioner Bruce Hanson said he's also comforted by the multi-layer approval process required in the historic district.

"I think the fact that the college is as thoughtful as it is, is an asset and an ally for all of the residents there," Hanson said. "The very detailed consideration of (their) comments as this continues along the pathway is going to be very important."

Little Friends, which serves people with autism and developmental disabilities, typically sees about 250 people on the property every day. For whatever programming is implemented, North Central anticipates a similar number of visitors, West said, noting the college plans to work with the city to address potential parking and traffic issues.

Little Friends is hoping to move to a roughly 71,000-square-foot building on Diehl Road in Warrenville - 20,000 square feet bigger than the Naperville space.

"I'm grateful for the agreement with North Central College that allows Little Friends to fulfill its vision," Little Friends CEO Mike Briggs said. "In my view, this is a win-win opportunity for two long-standing and respected Naperville organizations."

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