Village board approves concept plan, rezoning and special permit for 53-townhome project at 1825 Shermer Road with recommendations on affordable units and storm

The board considered a multi-part application from Lexington Homes for a 53-townhome project at 1825 Shermer Road. Director McEwen presented the concept plan and noted two primary requests coming before the board: (1) a waiver of the subdivision-code requirement to bury overhead utility lines at the site, and (2) a request for exceptions to the village's affordable-housing requirements that apply under the 1988 zoning code. Staff explained the application is being reviewed under the 1988 code because it was submitted in 2024 and that final approvals will return at a later final-plan stage.

Under the village code presented by staff, the project requires eight affordable units (15% of the project). The developer has proposed modifications to unit locations and the applicant previously offered one tier-1 unit; the housing committee had suggested two tier-1 units. Trustees debated the distribution of affordable units and the parking layout, including five guest spaces and four perpendicular spaces sited near a stormwater-management area. Planning staff noted the perpendicular spaces are intended as natural stormwater-management spaces and recommended against installing those perpendicular spaces; staff said the parking requirements differ under the new code but the project remains subject to the 1988 code in this review.

Trustees voiced a preference for removing the four perpendicular spaces adjacent to the stormwater area and asked staff to work with the developer to seek at least two tier-1 affordable units in the final plan if possible. After discussion, a motion to approve the rezoning ordinance, special-use ordinance and the resolution approving the preliminary plan (with the board's recommendations on parking and affordable units) was made, seconded and approved on roll call.

Why it matters: The approvals move a long-stalled redevelopment forward on Shermer Road and include board guidance to balance affordable-housing goals with development feasibility. The board explicitly preserved final review authority at the time of the final plan: if the final plan does not meet the board's recommendations, the rezoning or special-use approvals would not become effective.

Next steps: Staff will work with the applicant to reflect the board's recommendations in the final plan; the final-plan approval will be brought back to the board and may include revised unit distributions and parking arrangements.