Carol Stream trustees critique density, traffic and stormwater in two Lees Road townhome proposals

Carol Stream — Two separate courtesy reviews for proposed townhome developments on Lees Road drew detailed questions from trustees about traffic, stormwater management, setbacks and visual design, and generated ledgers of concessions developers may need before formally applying.

Rich Garrard, attorney for Pebble Nest Management, presented a concept for 33 two‑story townhomes on roughly 3.8 acres. Garrard said the developer will provide two‑car garages, home sizes from about 1,850 to 2,400 square feet, and several units with first‑floor master bedrooms aimed at active adults. He told the board the project would dedicate additional right‑of‑way to Lees Road (described by staff as about 17 feet of new dedication), and he said the plan had been revised to eliminate an earlier request for rear‑yard variances by moving stormwater detention to the south and shifting building footprints.

On a second project — submitted by Kalasha Developers for the 3.21‑acre Hahn Farm site — attorney Robert McNees described a 42‑unit, three‑story rowhouse plan with a central green, interior drive and rooftop style aimed at younger families. McNees and project engineers said the development would include landscaping, green‑space amenities, and a proposed agreement with the Park District to deepen and reconfigure an existing detention basin and add a small playground and pavilion in the park. The developers said they would fund a sanitary‑sewer extension across park property that could benefit other nearby developments.

Trustee, resident and staff concerns were substantial and concentrated in three categories:

- Density and traffic: Trustees repeatedly said both proposals felt dense for the sites. Trustee McCarthy and others voiced worry about rush‑hour conflicts near Glenbard North High School and the lack of separate secondary vehicle access for the 42‑unit plan. The developers said a traffic study had been or will be prepared for formal submittal and that modern commuting patterns (including partial remote work) were considered in preliminary counts.

- Stormwater and detention: Kalasha's engineer said the existing park detention serves roughly 39 acres and that current ordinances require deeper detention and surface conveyance to meet post‑construction water‑quality standards. Jim Zay (resident and experienced county board member) warned trustees to scrutinize proposed stormwater arrangements; staff said final calculations had not yet been submitted and that village engineering would require compliance with current code.

- Visual compatibility and materials: Several trustees and residents questioned whether three‑story rowhouse architecture fit the Lees Road corridor. Developers said the elevations would use a mix of materials and colors and that garages were intentionally oriented to the interior to soften the Lees Road frontage.

Both project teams said they were working with staff and neighbors and had already revised plans in response to feedback; Kalasha's presenters said their plan would request one setback relief for a single corner unit and a density concession relative to the strict zoning yield, and they estimated buyer prices in the range of about $450,000 to $500,000 for base units (higher with basements or upgrades). Developers emphasized that additional public amenities the proposals funded — park improvements, sanitary sewer extension and sediment/streambed restoration — were costly and, they said, influenced the projects' financial feasibility.

No formal zoning or subdivision approvals were requested or voted on; the presentations were courtesy reviews intended to let applicants hear commission and board feedback before a formal application. Village staff asked both applicants to continue design revisions and to submit required traffic, stormwater and material specifications for full review before any vote.