Naperville annexes land for new townhouses

Naperville City Council members this week gave the go-ahead for a 10-unit townhouse development.

The townhouses would sit on just under an acre of land at the northeast corner of Mill Street and Bauer Road. Council members voted 9-1 to approve the project, rezoning to allow for the townhouses and to annex the property into the city.

Neighboring residents opposed the project, saying it was too dense, would increase traffic and was not in keeping with the surrounding property uses. The city's planning and zoning commission offered a split 5-4 vote recommending approval of the project in July.

"The proposed development is way too dense," said Mark Hinterlong, adding all but one tree would be removed from the property. "Ten two-story townhouses does not fit the character of our neighborhood."

Caitlin Csuk, an attorney representing the developer, said the project fits in with various uses near the intersection, including a church, Nike Park and another townhouse development.

"The general area continues to see growth, and the proposed use is also complementary to the Cress Creek townhouses located to the southwest of the property," she said.

Council members said they did not believe the development would negatively impact traffic in the area.

The townhouses would range in size from 1,562 square feet to 1,607 square feet. Each would have three bedrooms, with the larger units having the master bedroom on the first floor, a feature Csuk said is in demand.

The project includes 24 parking spaces - two for each unit and four for guest parking.