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Commission recommends concept plan for Hummel Trails Neighborhoods 5–9 despite debate over lot sizes and density trade‑offs
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Summary
The commission recommended approval of a concept plan for Hummel Trails Neighborhoods 5–9 (about 197 acres, ~450 lots) after the developer revised lots and connectivity; commissioners disagreed over moving 81 units north from Neighborhoods 12 and 13 and the minimum lot sizes on the northern edge.
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a revised concept plan for Hummel Trails Neighborhoods 5–9, a 197‑acre expansion of the Hummel Trails master plan that would add roughly 450 single‑family lots and adjust unit allocations across the development.
Mike Schoppe of Schoppe Design and Turnstone Development presented changes made since a January 2025 review: many lots were widened (more than half now at a minimum of 75 feet where practical), several units were removed from the earlier plan, and road and pedestrian connectivity to parks and bike paths was improved. The revision also absorbs property extending to Douglas Road into the concept plan.
A central point in the presentation was a plan to ‘recapture’ approximately 81 units that were removed in the Neighborhoods 12/13 design by reallocating density to the north side of Woolley Road — including adding Neighborhood 5 — while attempting to keep overall development density within the comprehensive plan’s guidance. Schoppe said the adjustment was a response to market changes and prior approvals on adjacent parcels and noted the revised master plan would still show an overall density comparable to earlier proposals.
Several commissioners raised concerns that moving density northward effectively ‘robs’ the village’s effort to reduce density on the south side (a recurring phrasing was that the approach ‘robs Peter to pay Paul’). Commissioners pressed for stronger buffers at the northern edge and asked whether lot widths on the northern tier could be increased to reduce the visual and planning impact on future adjacent development. The presenter said the team would consider widening the northern tier and other buffer strategies where feasible without losing the targeted unit gains.
After discussion the commission moved to recommend approval of the concept plan; roll call recorded majority support and the item will proceed to the village board for further review and potential amendments.