Board tables Villas of Hidden Valley Planned Unit Development after resident concerns about density, park site

The Village Board of Trustees on Wednesday voted to table consideration of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) application for the Villas of Hidden Valley after residents raised concerns about the number and appearance of units and about a proposed park location next to 150th Street.

Why it matters: The proposal would rezone two parcels from local business (C-2) to an attached single-family residential district (R-6a) and create a 48-unit villa/townhome development on roughly 20 acres. Board members said they want more time to reconcile neighbors’ safety and amenity requests with the developer’s engineering constraints before acting.

Developer and resident concerns Jim Marth, the project’s developer, told the board the proposal includes roughly 2.3 units per acre (he described the project as below the ordinance limit), about 7.6 acres of open space plus an outlot for a park, and “we do offer 6 different elevations” to reduce the cookie‑cutter appearance residents criticized. Attorney Matthew (Matt) Klein spoke for the applicant during the meeting and said the firm would work with the village on details.

Neighbors who live directly behind the site told the board they favor single‑family uses instead of commercial, but they said the number of units shown and the similarity of building elevations would create a “cookie‑cutter” look out of character with Hidden Valley. Mark Vizz, who lives in Hidden Valley, asked the board to reject the ordinance “not as a no‑ever vote, but a no‑not‑yet vote” while the developer and village address design, safety and buffering issues. A neighbor, Pam Hammond, said the planned units sit too close to existing single‑family back yards.

Parks, safety and engineering constraints Rose Reinders, Trustee and chairing discussion, and Trustee Kurt Mason both said they favored rezoning the site for residential use rather than commercial but wanted changes before final approval. Reinders told the developer she had no problem with the materials and massing as shown at the preliminary stage but asked for more detail about entrances and buffers for the existing homes. Mason and other trustees pressed the developer about the proposed Outlot E park site, which borders 150th Street. Parks staff and trustees said the committee had recommended taking cash‑in‑lieu rather than a small on‑site park because they are concerned about safety for small children adjacent to a busy, four‑lane road.

Public safety staff told trustees the plan had been reviewed by the fire department and engineering; traffic reviewers said the proposed access met minimum standards for the layout presented, but trustees asked for additional detail and asked whether the project needs a right‑turn lane at the Hidden Valley entrance. Trustees and staff repeatedly noted drainage and detention pond placement limit how much the plat can be altered without re‑engineering.

Board action and next steps After extended discussion the board voted to table the ordinance, preliminary plat, map amendment and the PUD application to the April 23 board meeting to allow trustees, staff, residents and the developer to meet and address outstanding items. Trustee Rose Reinders moved to table the item and the motion carried.

Why it was tabled: Trustees said they want a brief working session with the developer and nearby residents to (1) review park siting and cash‑in‑lieu options, (2) confirm elevation and façade variety (developer said there are multiple brick/stone/brick‑color choices and six elevation styles), (3) verify access and emergency vehicle turn radii, and (4) confirm any final lot line shifts after detention pond engineering. Staff said one interior lot in Hidden Valley Estates might be available for purchase and that staff would research whether an alternate park site could be found nearby.

What happens next: The applicant will remain on the April 23 agenda. Residents who asked to be briefed on follow‑up were invited to coordinate with the village manager’s office so trustees can convene a short meeting before final action is scheduled.

Ending The developer and trustee Reinders agreed to a short neighborhood meeting before April 23; the board did not vote on any entitlement at Wednesday’s meeting and took no final action on zoning or final plat approvals.