Board denies 46-foot PUD and directs staff to prepare 35-foot plan with retail space and design conditions

The Village of Kenilworth Board of Trustees on June 15, 2026 voted unanimously to deny a proposed 46-foot-tall Planned Unit Development (PUD) for 515–519 Park Drive and then approved directing staff to prepare an ordinance and findings supporting a 35-foot preliminary PUD with conditions. Trustee Joseph Vitu moved the motion to deny the taller proposal; the board vote was 6–0.

Mr. Michael Blue of Teska Associates told the Board the developer’s original submission included a 46-foot building with ground-floor retail but noted the zoning code allows only limited height relief and that a separate variance would be required to reach 46 feet. Trustees described the 46-foot-with-retail plan as a “non-starter” given resident opposition and the scale of variance required. After the denial, Trustee John Gottschall moved — and Trustee Matthew Lojkovic seconded — to direct staff to prepare an ordinance and findings for a 35-foot PUD without retail. Trustee Christopher Ottsen successfully moved to add a condition requiring space be made available for retail on the first floor; the amended motion passed 5–1.

Public commenters urged caution and urged adherence to the Village’s process and guidance. Brendan Appel, an attorney representing 43 petition signatories, told the Board the review process should not be shortened and asked that the public have opportunities to confer directly with the developer. Resident Jeanne Keiler urged the Board to treat ARC and Plan Commission recommendations seriously and asked for a traffic study of the Green Bay Road corridor. Developer representatives Michael Freiberger and Reed Edwards said multiple retailers declined the Park Drive site because it lacks Green Bay Road visibility and presented the 35-foot option as a compromise intended to bring high-end housing to the location.

Trustees agreed the preliminary approval would not be final: Attorney Greg Jones said approval of the preliminary PUD would send the proposal to the Architectural Review Commission and Plan Commission for further review, additional public comment and final BOT action. The conditions included provision for retail space on the ground floor, building step-backs, set-backs and alley protections; the Board asked staff and the developer to produce a design iteration and findings that reflect those conditions for subsequent hearings.