Developer proposes 53-acre annexation and light-industrial PUD at Mather Farm; council gives nonbinding direction to proceed

Developers from US Capital Development outlined a conceptual planned unit development (PUD) for the Mather Farm site and received a nonbinding straw vote from the Crest Hill City Council to proceed to the next stage of the PUD process.

Ron Mezner, the city’s consultant, explained the PUD process and said the site is roughly 80 acres with USCD under contract for about 53 acres that would be annexed and rezoned to M1 (light manufacturing). He listed required approvals for the project: annexation, rezoning, a PUD special use, a PUD waiver (proposed building height up to 50 feet instead of the 45-foot standard), and preliminary/final plats to create lots, dedication of right-of-way, and easements.

Charlie Levens, director of investments with US Capital Development, said the concept would be “an $80 million investment in the city of Crest Hill, inclusive of the potential for 200 new jobs to the area and an estimated $1 million annually in property tax revenue once fully assessed.” Developers described two rear-loaded single-load industrial buildings with truck docks buffered from the eastern frontage by design and landscaping; building footprints and flexibility meant the product could be demised to smaller users or marketed as full-building headquarters space.

Major community benefits the developer and staff emphasized included dedication at no cost to the city of a central east–west public roadway (up to an 80-foot right-of-way) with dual pedestrian infrastructure, additional right-of-way needed to widen the west leg of the Webster/Division intersection, and a proposed signalized Weber Road access that could reduce truck traffic on Division Street. Staff said those dedications increase the feasibility of long-term truck-routing improvements and make the remaining frontage parcels to the east more attractive for future commercial development.

Council members and staff pressed the developer on details still to be resolved: a traffic impact study (developers said it was near completion and would be submitted to Will County), whether Dayton Freight and Old Dominion would use the new back access (staff said Dayton Freight has been engaged and receptive but had not yet committed), how public vs. private roadway ownership would be structured, and phasing/annexation timing (developers said some frontage parcels would remain unannexed until sold).

Council gave the developer a nonbinding straw vote indicating majority interest in moving forward to prepare a formal preliminary PUD application, public hearings at the Plan Commission, and additional technical studies. Staff and the development team said an annexation agreement would be negotiated to set enforceable obligations and timeframes if the project proceeds.

What’s next: Developers will finalize and submit technical studies (traffic impact study, stormwater design, preliminary plat), meet Will County on signal approvals, and prepare a preliminary PUD application and annexation agreement; council directed staff to continue coordinating with the developer and county transportation officials.