'All about compromise': Panel gives green light to revised Naper Commons
A controversial subdivision proposed on a portion of the Nokia property in Naperville has received a positive recommendation from a city advisory panel, despite continued objections from neighbors.
Plans to construct 227 single-family homes and townhouses on the 67-acre site at Naperville and Warrenville roads have been tweaked over time to address a slew of community concerns regarding the development's potential impact on the contiguous forest preserves, adjacent residences and local wildlife, said Russ Whitaker, an attorney representing Pulte Home Company LLC.
Buffers have been added between properties, native plants are incorporated into landscaping plans, and the neighborhood's layout was altered to create more open space, he said. And project leaders have been working with county and federal agencies to ensure the development won't harm the surrounding natural environment.
Their efforts paid off Wednesday, when a previously divided planning and zoning commission unanimously supported plans for the Naper Commons subdivision. The proposal now goes to the city council for final consideration.
"They've been flexible, and they've been good partners to everything that people have thrown at them, including us," Commissioner Whitney Robbins said. "I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the things that they came back with. They did everything we asked."
Among the biggest selling points for the panel was recent correspondence from Ed Stevenson, executive director of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, indicating the agency has rescinded its previous opposition to various aspects of the project. The district has worked closely with Pulte to alleviate concerns regarding stormwater runoff, vegetation, lighting and other potential effects of development, he said.
The homeowners association bylaws will contain specific language ensuring proper maintenance of the natural buffers and prohibiting the use of sodium chloride and coal tar products in the neighborhood, Whitaker said.
Pulte also consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the presence of a nesting bald eagle near the development site - an issue raised ahead of the project's initial Feb. 3 public hearing - and was told the nest's 824-foot distance from the closest property line is "well outside an area of concern," according to an email from Cathy Pollack of the agency's Chicago Ecological Services Office.
Project documents show no need to remove trees associated with any great blue heron rookery, Pollack added, addressing another fear expressed by residents.
The environmental impact of Naper Commons was the greatest sticking point for Commissioner Oriana Van Someren, who said she has now received enough assurances to feel comfortable moving the project forward.
"They went to the right authorities. They got the information we needed. I respect that," she said. "This is all about compromise, and I was happy with what they came back with."
Several neighbors said they don't believe Pulte's revised proposal adequately addresses their zoning concerns, particularly those related to the development's size, scope and proximity to bordering properties.
"We are asking you to deny the project because they failed to find a way to blend this incredible amount of density with the preexisting land uses," said Mark Daniel, an attorney representing homeowners in the adjacent Fairmeadow subdivision.
Whitaker said the property is at a unique "juxtaposition between the tranquility of the forest preserve district to the north and one of the most intensive land uses in Naperville," the Interstate 88 corridor to the south. The proposed subdivision aims to complement, not compete with, the surrounding parcels, he said, pointing to its mix of housing styles and sizes, as well as a central 2-acre park to give the community an urban feel.
"The Naper Commons property sits at a point of transition," Whitaker said, "something we have tried to embrace."