Hinsdale Neighborhood 'Terrified' About Project: Official

HINSDALE, IL — A number of Hinsdale residents have expressed opposition to a proposed development on the northwestern side of town, the village president said this week. According to the village, a Burr Ridge firm is proposing a single-family residential development in that area.

Proposed by McNaughton Development, the housing would be on the north side of Ogden Avenue, just east of North Adams Street. At Tuesday's Village Board meeting, President Tom Cauley said he would be a "strong no" on the project. He did not explain why and didn't immediately return a message for comment.

Over the last two weeks, Cauley said he had received a half dozen emails about the development. He also said a person stopped him on the street "at a socially acceptable distance" and raised concerns, he said. Many of the concerned residents live on Bonnie Brae, which is just north of Ogden.

"A flyer was distributed on one version of that proposed development that terrified many of the residents in the area," Cauley said.

He said it was important for the village to detail the process of considering projects. The village usually has developers meet with the village president and Trustee Luke Stifflear, who heads the board's zoning committee, so they can give the developer a good idea about what the board as a whole would accept, Cauley said. Typically, he said, the big issues are density and height.

Then developers are encouraged to go the board to get feedback before projects are referred to the separate Plan Commission. But the developer can go to the commission first, which is what McNaughton is doing, Cauley said. The developer did first meet with Cauley and Stifflear.

"We told him emphatically we did not think it would get board approval," Cauley said.

McNaughton Development did not immediately return a message from Patch on Friday. According to its website, the firm focuses on luxury homes.

Another developer, Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies, is planning a 262-unit apartment complex for senior citizens just across Adams Street from the site of McNaughton's proposed project. Ryan followed the traditional path of going to the village board first. "The board had indicated, subject to public comment, that they think the project is a good one," Cauley said.

The senior project would be on the site of the Institute in Basic Principles, which is described as a non-denominational Christian organization. That building would be torn down.