Plan Commission backs 53-townhome Shermer Road plan, sends recommendation to trustees

The Northbrook Plan Commission on Oct. 21 recommended that the Village Board review and decide on Lexington Homes’ proposal to redevelop 1825 Shermer Road with 53 townhomes, forwarding staff’s draft resolution with a revised parking figure.

The commission’s recommendation follows a continued public hearing on docket PCD2406. The plan calls for rezoning the site from the restricted industrial district to the RLC (Residential and Limited Commercial) district, approval of a concept plan for a planned development, special permits for townhomes in RLC, approval of a tentative subdivision plan, and multiple variations and waivers including reduced corner-side and rear-yard setbacks and a private street with sidewalk on one side. The resolution the commission voted to forward to trustees sets the off-street parking total at 224 spaces, including 12 guest spaces, and references the applicant’s proposed site plan and exhibits.

Why it matters: The petition would change the zoning and permit a denser residential development on Shermer Road with off-site impacts to adjacent neighborhoods on Beaumont Place, Julian Terrace and Stanley Street. Commissioners and neighbors focused discussion on parking, tree removal and grading, pedestrian connections, and stormwater management.

Planning staff summarized the revisions Lexington Homes made after the commission’s Oct. 7 hearing: addition of seven guest parking spaces (three parallel on Julian Terrace and four created by an indentation on Julian Terrace), a new sidewalk on the south side of Julian Terrace, a proposed three-foot fence along the stormwater management area bordering Shermer Road and split-rail fencing near the townhomes, and a commitment to 12 Parkway trees of at least 4-inch caliper along Beaumont Place. Staff also noted that the formal parking variation originally described in the application was revised and that some parking relief may be treated as an incentive for on-site affordable housing.

Nate Weinsma, vice president for Lexington Homes, told the commission the petitioner had tried to respond to the commission’s and public’s concerns in the two-week continuance by meeting with village departments and updating exhibits. "We appreciate the opportunity to consider and attempt to respond to many of the considerations and things that the plan commission asked us to assess," he said.

Several nearby residents and a homeowners association representative spoke during the public comment period. Todd Daniels, president of the Shore Place Master Association, urged the commission and staff to authorize potential on-street parking on Stanley Street now rather than waiting until parking becomes a problem. "My suggestion would be to authorize those parking spaces on Stanley now rather than waiting for the problem to occur for years and years and years," Daniels said. Other neighbors asked about pedestrian access past parkway trees, snow storage, garage egress onto Lancaster Way, and whether the proposed replacement trees would provide similar canopy to existing trees removed during grading.

Commission discussion touched repeatedly on the number and location of guest parking spaces. Staff initially recommended preserving existing green space and deferring some of the perpendicular spaces so residents could request them later if needed, but commissioners favored keeping the additional on-site spaces. Commissioners also asked staff to clarify the grading condition along Beaumont Place and whether existing trees would be viable after regrading; Lexington Homes said many of the existing trees along the Beaumont frontage would be under several feet of fill once the site is graded and therefore would be removed and replaced consistent with the village’s landscape requirements.

On a roll call vote the commission approved the resolution to forward to the Village Board (Resolution No. 25-PC-22; docket PCD2406) by an 8-0 vote. The motion, as recorded, recommended approval of the site plan "subject to 224 spaces, including 12 guest spaces, as prepared and submitted by staff." The item is scheduled for Village Board consideration on Nov. 11.

What’s next: The Village Board will review the commission’s recommendation and may approve, deny or modify the requested rezoning, special permits and related variations. If trustees approve the concept plan, the applicant would later submit a final plan of development with detailed engineering, landscaping and construction plans that must substantially conform to the approved concept plan.