Glen Oak Plan Moves Forward Despite Lingering Concerns

Updated, 2 p.m.

Despite lingering concerns from several residents, a revised plan for the long-delayed Glen Oak Estates was greeted favorably by village officials during a public hearing Monday night.

Jim Brown, planning and economic development director for the Village of Lemont, informed the village board Monday that Glen Oak's current developer, Anthony Perino, has submitted a revised site plan that addresses both residents' concerns and the Planning and Zoning Commission's conditions.

Plans for the site, which is located 131st Street and Parker Road, have been in the works since the mid-1990s, according to village officials. 

An annexation agreement for Glen Oak Estates, also known as Leona Farm, was approved by the village in 2007. The plan, which was owned by Montalbano Homes at the time, called for 250 single-family homes on approximately 131 acres.

The approval was met with public opposition and lawsuits, as residents expressed concerns over high density, small lot sizes, open space, drainage and detention areas.

The new plan, which was put together after a public hearing May 18, calls for 240 total units—93 on 12,150 square-foot lots, 78 on 10,125 square-foot lots and 69 on 7,500 square-foot lots. However, Brown said the amended plan could drop to 237 total units.

Under the revised plan, the development would include about 47 acres of open space.

"We're fairly close to ironing out all of the details for an amended annexation agreement," Brown said Monday.

As part of the process for adopting an amended annexation agreement, the proposal went before the Planning and Zoning Commission in May and then before the Village Board during a Committee of the Whole meeting last month.

About two dozen residents attended Monday's public hearing, with nearly half voicing continued concerns over the proposed development.

In response to several residents who questioned the development's impact on traffic patterns, particularly in the area near Derby Road and 131st Street, Lemont Mayor Brian Reaves said the village was planning to conduct a traffic study to determine if new traffic lights would be necessary.

The other primary concern was the issue of drainage areas and storm water management.

According to village officials, final engineering is not complete. However, as many as three engineers will be working on the design, including one for the developer and one for the village. The other will be Lemont Township Highway Commissioner Sig Vaznelis.

"The plans will be stamped off by three engineering firms before anything is done," Reaves said.

Resident Mary Squire said she was disappointed by the plan's density.

"I'm really concerned what this is going to do to our property," she said. "One of the reasons I moved out there was to get away from the little sardine cans and cookie cutter [properties]. I want to go on the record and state that I do respect that you've told them to go back to the drawing board, but they need to go back another time."

Reaves said last month that he and the board think the development is a "phenomenal project" and that they "love the latest plan."

Though the village board is expected to vote on the amended annexation agreement in the near future, Village Administrator Ben Wehmeier said a date has not been set.