Controversial Hinsdale Development Suffers Big Setback

HINSDALE, IL — In mid-September, Hinsdale Village President Tom Cauley advised against a "knee-jerk reaction" to a controversial retiree development on the northwest side of town. The alternatives, he warned, could be worse.

This week, however, Cauley changed his view, apparently in response to a mountain of feedback from neighbors near the proposed project at Ogden Avenue and Adams Street.

At the Village Board's virtual meeting Monday, Cauley recommended against referring the proposed project to the village's plan commission for further review.

"Yes!" one woman could be heard shouting in the videoconference.

Cauley said he had received up to 40 phone calls and more than 100 emails about the development proposed by Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies. The residents opposed the project, saying it was too dense and would create traffic bottlenecks at Ogden and Adams. Cauley said he agreed with those arguments.

Cauley also said neighbors were fine with the concept of independent and assisted living on the property. It would be on the site of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a non-denominational Christian organization that is selling the property.

Cauley cautioned that the property was zoned, in part, institutional. That means a government entity could erect a four-story structure, meaning even denser development than what Ryan was proposing.

He doubted the property would be vacant for a long time.

"It's too big a parcel of land. It's too coveted a parcel of land," Cauley said. "They're going to sell it to someone, and it will be developed."

He advised residents to figure out what they could accept on the property.

The trustees agreed with Cauley. One of them, Gerald Hughes, said the board should provide Ryan more direction. He said the company had been good to work with.

"I would be getting a little frustrated if I were the developer because I would feel like I was shooting at a moving target," Hughes said. "Let's put some effort into what our targets are here. What is our target density?"

Dave Erickson, a Ryan vice president, told the board the company had changed its plan a number of times to reduce density since its first proposal in January. And he said he agreed with Hughes.

"If the village could provide some direction, that would be very helpful," he said. "It has been somewhat of a moving target over the last nine months. We're happy to continue the process."

He said Ryan would continue to seek common ground with neighbors. An open house is set for Monday in the Community House. Residents can register on the developer's website.

Cauley said he was a little concerned with the village providing guidance to a developer, saying he sees the board as a legislative body.

"I have seen the Village Board in the past get invested in projects where the board is driving the projects, and I don't think that works out well for the residents. I don't think it works out well for the developer, and I certainly don't think it works out well for the village board."

Erickson said his company would withdraw its latest proposal.

During public input, residents said they preferred single-family housing for the land in question. Many have posted signs in their yards against the Ryan project.

Ryan was proposing a 267-unit senior development, which would mostly have been on the northwest side of Ogden and Adams, near Oak Brook village limits. In September, the plan commission rejected a 46-unit single-family housing subdivision on the northeast side. Proposed by Burr Ridge-based McNaughton Development, it drew the opposition of Cauley.