Lombard trustees table Pinnacle development ordinances after residents raise stormwater, traffic and scale concerns

The Village of Lombard Board of Trustees on Thursday voted to table two ordinances related to the Pinnacle planned development until the board's Sept. 18 meeting, after trustees and several residents raised questions about stormwater, open space, traffic, school overcrowding and recent construction disruptions.

Trustee Bernie Dudek, speaking remotely, asked his colleagues to postpone a final vote so he could be present in person and to give the developer time to respond to follow-up questions he said he had gathered from nearby residents. "I would like to be present for the final vote if at all possible," Dudek said, adding later, "measure twice, cut once, and it's better to be right than fast." The board then approved a motion to table ordinances 9A and 9B to the Sept. 18 meeting.

The request to continue the item followed more than a dozen public comments during the meeting's public participation period. Several neighbors said the proposed buildings are too large for the area and could worsen traffic and school overcrowding. "Where are all these kids gonna go to school that have 10 in a house? They've gotta go somewhere," said Lynn O'Donnell, a member of the Lombard Historical Society. Resident Terry Perkatt said she opposed the project and asked, "how long does he have to do this? Is it 10 years or 50 years?" — a question trustees said they would answer outside the meeting.

Several speakers raised concerns about scale and affordability. "We moved here 25 years ago and specifically decided to move into the co-op because of its diversity," said Kristen Dominguez. "The whole idea of putting these monstrosities in the middle of all of these communities…it's very frustrating." Resident Nur Hamid said the proposed pricing and home sizes are out of character with the surrounding area and expressed worries about traffic safety for children.

Developer representatives told the board they have tried to address neighbors' concerns and outlined design choices made to internalize driveways and add indoor amenities. Mark Daniel, representing the Pinnacle team, said the project includes indoor recreation and additional garage parking and noted the application included a requested deviation from DuPage County open-space standards that reduced the project's open space to roughly 5 percent. "We internalize the drive, that's why we have the variation on open space," Daniel said, adding that the development is a planned development and that its purpose is "to do that which is right."

Daniel and another Pinnacle representative also apologized for a construction incident on Aug. 29 in which contractors briefly closed and then fully cut across School Street and engaged in traffic direction, which the developer said should not have happened. The developer said it identified a communication gap, will require project managers or a site superintendent to be on site when work occurs, and that contractors must acknowledge the construction management plan in writing. "This will not happen again," the representative said.

Village staff and trustees also discussed possible traffic and parking changes if the development proceeds. Village Manager Tim Niehaus told the board the police department would recommend to the public safety committee that both sides of Fourteenth Street be marked "no parking, standing or stopping" to preserve sight lines for vehicles exiting the south end of the development; staff said that change is not necessary now but could be recommended later if the project moves forward.

Board members said they expect to take up the ordinances again on Sept. 18 and asked staff and the developer to provide additional detail on stormwater, open-space calculations and the economic differences between the previously approved 22-unit proposal and the current 11- or 22-unit options. Trustee comments included a reminder that the land is privately owned and likely to be developed, which the annexation process gave the village a chance to shape.

Votes at a glance: The board approved routine minutes and the consent agenda; it unanimously approved the motion to table ordinances 9A and 9B to Sept. 18; the board later voted to adjourn into executive session to discuss pending litigation.

What happens next: The Pinnacle ordinances will be back on the Sept. 18 agenda. Trustees asked the developer and village staff to provide additional information on stormwater, open-space calculations, traffic mitigation, construction oversight and any other resident concerns before the next vote.