Huntley considering additional residential development

Huntley officials are considering more residential development in the village by adding townhouses, apartments and single-family homes.

The Huntley Village Board on Thursday heard a development proposal from M/I Homes of Chicago. The company wants to develop land on Dundee Road behind the Huntley Village Hall for a new neighborhood with single-family homes and townhouses.

The plan calls for using 82 acres of a 139-acre property the village annexed in 2005. The proposal calls for building 150 houses and 62 townhouses at the site, which is an empty field.

Village documents show the annexation agreement allows the property to be used for mixed development, which can include residential and business construction. Village notes indicate an amendment to the 2005 annexation agreement would be needed to allow the residential development to move forward.

"Times have changed, and the property really needs to be redeveloped in a new way," M/I Homes attorney Julie Workman said during Thursday's village board meeting.

The plan M/I Homes has submitted to the village would build houses between 1,700 and 3,000 square feet. The townhouses would be between 1,400 and 2,100 square feet. The main access to the neighborhood would be from Dundee Road, which is also where the townhouses would be built, according to documents.

Workman said there are six home models future residents would be able to choose from.

M/I Homes is the 13th largest home builder in the nation, Workman said.

New living space also could be coming to Huntley's downtown area at the fire station at 11808 Coral Street. The village has been looking to sell the building after completing renovations to the Main Street fire station and building a new fire station near the Sun City neighborhood.

According to plans village trustees reviewed in a closed session Thursday, the village is considering naming Billitteri Enterprises as the new developer of the building. Their plan involves adding three stories on top of the existing one-story building. The top three floors would have 14 to 16 one- or two-bedroom apartments, while the existing bottom floor would be used for dining or commercial space.

Neither development proposal was voted on Thursday and could be brought up for further action in future meetings.