New rowh ouses may be coming to Mill Creek near Geneva

One of the bigger changes in recent years to the Mill Creek subdivision near Geneva is on track to proceed after a preliminary committee vote by Kane County Board members Tuesday.

The board's development committee unanimously approved a plan to build 17 single-family row houses next to the Mill Creek Swim Club. Shodeen, the developer of Mill Creek, originally envisioned the site for commercial development, going so far as to install parking that would accommodate commercial use. That was 20 years ago. Shodeen has not been able to attract commercial tenants to the unincorporated site.

The developer now wants to move forward with residential development of the site, just off South Mill Creek Drive and Branford Lane. Residents on the other side of South Mill Creek Drive have filed objections to the plan, which originally called for 19 row houses. Those objectors did not show up to comment before the committee's vote Tuesday morning. Kane County Development Director Mark Van Kerkhoff said the objections mostly centered on concerns about increased traffic, safety and parking congestion.

County board member Drew Frasz, who represents Mill Creek residents, said he is satisfied none of those concerns will ring true once the row houses are built.

"It's obvious putting commercial there was not the best idea," Frasz said. "I'm satisfied this is not going to be a safety issue. Traffic should not be any more than if the commercial was there. The homes are a nice quality product that already exists within the subdivision. So it would be difficult to come up with a compelling reason to deny it."

Frasz said the houses would be priced between the high-$200,000s to mid-$400,000s.

The committee attached a stipulation to the approval that asks Shodeen to get a letter from the Mill Creek Water Reclamation District signing off on being able to handle the additional houses. Shodeen and the district have not always seen eye-to-eye. The developer sued the district a few years ago seeking at least $100,000 for payment of 160 million gallons of reclaimed wastewater used to irrigate the Mill Creek and Tanna Farms golf courses each year.

Shodeen Vice President David Patzelt said he did not expect any problems getting the water reclamation district on board.

"When any reclamation district or sanitary wastewater system gets within 90 percent capacity, you are put on a watch list," Patzelt said. "The Mill Creek Water Reclamation District is not yet on that watch list. That gives you at least an idea that there is at least 10 percent capacity left."

The full county board will vote on final approval of the plan in January.

Mill Creek hasn't seen similar significant development since the county board voted in 2013 to allow construction of 268 apartments and 15,000 square feel of commercial space.