Shilling Development outlines three annexation PUDs for St John Town; residents warn of traffic strain

Shilling Development presented three proposed annexation Planned Unit Developments to the St John Town Council on Nov. 5, 2025, describing product mixes, tentative densities and infrastructure considerations and saying the company would be open to inclusion in the town’s tax increment financing (TIF) district.

Jack Slager, representing Shilling Development, told the council the first proposal, Calistoga, combines four parcels the company has held for as long as 15 years and would reserve 12 acres of commercial frontage along Highway 231. Slager said the project has been revised over multiple Plan Commission reviews, would be built as a PUD with two housing products—traditional single-family and maintenance-free single-family—and would have a reduced density of about 2.2 units per acre. "We are open to this project being included in the town's TIF," Slager said.

Slager described Stone Creek as a PUD with four distinct product types at roughly 2 units per acre. He identified constraints on that site including adjacent railroad tracks, power lines and a pipeline easement and said the developer proposes a paved path along Parrish Avenue to link residents to the future downtown area. Slager estimated the open space between the easements at roughly 4 acres and said the project would be built in phases over about five years.

At the southeast corner of Calumet Avenue and 109th—referred to in the presentation as "Shoe Corner"—the developer proposed what he described as approximately 394 units on 148 acres (about 2.6 units per acre) with four housing types and a two-acre commercial outlot at the corner. Slager said a 2006 fracture-trace analysis conducted by the town identified a potential viable well site within the property; the developer has placed an outlot at that location and said the parcel could be offered to the town as a future well site. He said the annexation for that parcel would occur in two steps because the current town boundary creates only a small contiguous border.

During public comment, Rose Kleiny of 12515 Calumet Avenue, Cedar Lake, urged caution. "We keep putting that cart before the horse," Kleiny said, arguing the town has not yet solved traffic, school capacity or public-safety staffing problems and urging the council to address those issues before allowing more housing.

Council members asked specific questions about bike and pedestrian access, the width of proposed exits and the potential well site. Slager said the project entrances will accommodate left- and right-turn lanes and that the developer would perform a test well if the town requests one. The developer and staff scheduled a follow-up meeting to go over particulars.

No annexation ordinances or motions were introduced at the Nov. 5 meeting; council took no formal vote on the PUD proposals and instead heard the presentation and public comment and directed staff to continue negotiations and technical review.