Trustees To Vote On Controversial Timber Run Subdivision

LEMONT, IL — The Lemont village board will soon vote on a single-family and duplex development that is facing vocal opposition from some residents. The village board has discussed the proposed Timber Run development at several committee of the whole meetings and is slated to vote on it at the June 10 board meeting.

The project, which would include the construction of 42 detached single-family homes and 52-unit duplexes, is proposed by Taylor Morrison of Illinois, Inc., and the property is located at 100 W. New Ave. and 40 Timberline Drive, which is north of 127th Street and east of I-355.

At the April 15 committee of the whole meeting, several residents spoke out about concerns they had with the proposed development. Concerns ranged from safety to trees to protecting the habitat of the long-eared bat. However, one of the main concerns with the development was traffic.

According to board documents, Timberline resident Michael Gudgel said the intersection between Timberline and Evergreen drives is very dangerous, and with the new development, there would be an entrance added. Police Chief Marc Maton recommended a three-way stop sign for that intersection, and the board agreed.

Timberline resident Carrie Schmidt lives right next to the new road that would be created for the Timber Run subdvision, near where the approved 3-way stop sign will go. Her family's number one concern is safety.

"The positioning of that road is honestly not safe for the residents of Timberline Drive, the dozens of people that bike and walk/run the hill every day nor for the potential people that would be using that road," Schmidt said. "This road will be the only access point in or out of the subdivision and will be immediately across from the new entrance that is being created for Timberline Knolls."

Schmidt said her own driveway is a blind spot to drivers on the proposed road, and said she sees cars routinely blow past existing stop signs and cars often speeding above the limit of 20 mph. She said she reached out to trustees and the mayor via email and only heard back from trustee Dave Maher.

Schmidt said she also submitted a FOIA request to find the locations of moving violations and accidents in Lemont over the past five years. "The stretch of Timberline right where this entrance is going is one of the most cited ones in the village," she said. According to Schmidt, that stretch of road has had 310 citations.

"So, every time we back out of our driveway or my children exit on their bikes, we are relying on the common sense of people who like to speed up and down that hill," she said. Schmidt said she would like to see the road moved further north away from existing houses, but so far, the plans have not changed.

Timberline resident Sarah McDonald also shared her concerns about the proposed development. She lives near Heritage Woodland Sanctuary and is worried wildlife will be chased out of their habitat by the development.

"This development will chase them out of their habitat and they will either starve with nowhere to go, or get hit by a car. Someone has to speak up for the voiceless," McDonald said. "I've lived in Lemont most of my life and am disappointed by the influx of these developments. Lemont is losing its charm and uniqueness, pretty soon we'll look like every other town. These duplexes and new subdivisions detracts from what makes this town beautiful. This is one of the last open spaces left in the village, it should not be developed."

Scott Barrenbrugge of Taylor Morrison said the developer has done a study showing a 65 to 69 percent reduction of traffic. He said duplexes generate fewer vehicles than single-family homes.

According to board documents, the property was annexed into the village in 2017 for the Vistancia subdivision. Construction never began on that project, and Taylor Morrison is the current purchaser of the property.

The proposed development would have a total of 94 dwelling units. Board documents state the proposed Vistancia project was 102 acres, but this project would develop the 69.18-acre eastern portion of the site. The western 28-acre parcel would be donated to the village of Lemont for open space or future development.

The eastern portion of the proposed subdivision would have homes that would be adjacent to existing homes in the Timberline subdivision. According to board documents, the homes closest to Timberline would be single-family two-story homes with square footage between 2,400 and 3,400. The duplex homes would be located in the western portion of the subdivision and would be ranch- and ranch-with-loft-style homes between 1,600 square feet and 2,400 square feet.

At the committee of the whole meeting on April 15, Barenbrugge from Taylor Morrison said there is a demand for duplexes and it is convenient for baby boomers who are looking to downsize and millennials who are buying their first home.

There would also be a neighborhood park in the center of the subdivision after agreement of the Lemont Park District.

No action has been taken on the development. The development was also discussed at the May 6 special committee of the whole meeting and at the May 20 committee of the whole meeting. It is expected to be on the agenda for the board meeting on June 10, and the board will take a vote at that time.