Geneva aldermen OK next step for new warehouse project
Shaw Local News Network
Geneva aldermen this week approved the next step for a warehouse project near the DuPage Airport.
HIP VI Enterprises LLC plans to build the Fox Valley Commerce Center on roughly 75 acres of farmland at the northwest corner of Kautz Road and Geneva Drive.
At a special meeting on Monday, the Geneva City Council approved a final plat of subdivision and the first phase of a planned unit development. The vote came after the planning and zoning commission on Aug. 11 recommended approval, subject to city staff approval of the final engineering.
"The applicant is seeking to subdivide the land into a total of four lots and develop the site with three to four light industrial buildings," City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins said.
Dawkins said additional entitlements for the property, including annexation, rezoning and preliminary planned unit development subdivision, were approved in April.
"The applicant is now seeking to finalize the first phase of development for the project through their request for final plat of subdivision approval and planned unit development approval," Dawkins said.
The first phase includes improving the acres to support the entire development and constructing two buildings on Lots 1 and 2, Dawkins said.
The buildings would range in size between 266,760 square feet and 272,160 square feet on Lots 1 and 2, respectively, officials said.
Site work will be completed in preparation for the future development of Lot 3, but no finalized proposal is being considered for the lot at this time, Dawkins said.
The project site would be accessed via an existing portion of Geneva Drive which extends westward from Kautz Road and terminates at the southwest corner of the subject property, Dawkins said.
"The proposed project will not require the westward extension of Geneva Drive beyond its current terminus at the southwest corner of the project site," Dawkins said.
Hillwood Executive Vice President Don Schoenheider thanked the council and city staff for their support.
"The Webers are thrilled," Schoenheider said, referring to the property owners. "Mrs. Weber, who I think turned 106, is thrilled that we were able to get the property closed."
Second Ward Alderman Bradley Kosirog asked if there were plans for a sidewalk along Kautz Road.
"I know bicycling and ... allowing free access for pedestrians is going to become even more an issue for us," Kosirog said.
Andy Perille, vice president of development for Hillwood, said there is a bike path that will be part of a 53-foot easement along Kautz Road, which is part of a road-widening project.
David Walendziak, of the 500 block of Lexington Drive, said as more warehouses are going up on the east side, "we've been OK with that."
"We were very, very happy to see in the planning and zoning the Bullock project because it addresses our issues," Walendziak said. "We're still on guard there on the east side. We want to keep truck traffic from going across from our subdivision. We'd like to see something other than a warehouse."
The Bullock Campus, proposed for the southeast corner of the intersection of Kirk Road and Division Street, would be a light manufacturing facility, school and other supporting uses.
Community Development Director David DeGroot said they have gone through the first round of review with them and the Kane County Department of Transportation and are waiting for the applicant to resubmit.