No Delay Expected For Burr Ridge Project: Official

BURR RIDGE, IL — In response to possible public notice issues, a top Burr Ridge official said Thursday he expected no delay in the consideration of a major expansion of a senior living community. The Village Board is slated to take a final vote on the King-Bruwaert House project at its meeting Monday.

On Wednesday, village trustees received an email from a woman who contended the village sent notifications about the expansion project to former owners of properties on Woodgate Drive and South County Line Road.

In the email, Karen Muehlhausen of Nahele Properties said the village had failed to send her public meeting notices at least three times because of an address error. The hearing notice sign at King-Bruwaert faces west, she said, so "I could not read it without pulling in their driveway and stopping."

But once she found out about the project, Muehlhausen said she reviewed the plans and her questions have been answered, adding she hoped the expansion of the detention pond proved effective.

In response to a Burr Ridge Patch inquiry, Evan Walter, the village's assistant administrator, said he did not anticipate a delay in voting on the project because of Muehlhausen's concerns, noting her questions were answered and she had no objections.

In a follow-up email, Patch asked Walter whether officials agreed with Muehlhausen's contention that the village made mistakes in its notifications. He did not reply. But Village Administrator Doug Pollock said in a later email, "We rely on the Township Assessor for current property owners of record. There is also a sign posted on the property. In this case, all proper notices were provided."

At the board's meeting last week, officials told members that notifications had been sent within 750 feet of the King-Bruwaert property before two previous meetings. The state only requires residents within 250 feet be notified, according to the village.

"We feel on the staff side that we went above and beyond on what we had to do. We did that because it was such a large project," Walter said.

At the meeting, officials asked King-Bruwaert representatives whether a delay would be detrimental.

Jim Moyer of SAS Architects said the organization needed zoning approval by the beginning of May to meet the state's schedule for approving the project's certificate of need. King-Bruwaert, he said, wanted to start the construction schedule at the beginning of next year.

"We have already been a bit delayed because of the COVID-19 issue," Moyer said.

In an email this week, Trustee Zach Mottl told Patch that he had been informed of issues with notifications to nearby residents. He said he had been told there was trouble taking part in the board's meeting last week, when the project was last discussed. He showed Patch an email from a resident with that concern. The meeting was held remotely because of the coronavirus.

"They said they couldn’t participate in the public hearing, which is perhaps why there were no public comments on it," Mottl said. "The residents said that the link the village emailed out actually went to the prior meeting. So they kept trying to join the live meeting via the link but could not."

Founded in 1933, King-Bruwaert House operates a three-story Georgian-style retirement home with 78 residential suites, providing assisted living, memory care and skilled care services. The house also includes a geriatric clinic, fitness areas, a main dining room and a bistro. South of the King-Bruwaert House are 24 acres with 58 cottages.

The 144,000-square-foot expansion project is expected to include a new building as well as additions to two existing structures. The new building is slated to feature a fitness center, a grill-style dining room, a bar and lounge, a game room and event space to accommodate up to 200 people.

One of the additions will include an employee lounge, 14 memory care rooms and 14 skilled nursing rooms.