NORTHBROOK, IL — The proposed redevelopment of Meadow Plaza will now go before the Northbrook Plan Commission after village trustees reversed an earlier decision to conduct the project's public hearing themselves.
The Village Board voted Tuesday night to reverse its May 26 action and send Pulte Homes' zoning application for the privately owned shopping center at 1901 Cherry Lane through the Plan Commission first.
The motion passed with one trustee, Johannah Hebl, voting no.
The change adds another stage of public review to a proposal that has drawn sustained opposition from residents concerned about the project's height, density, loss of existing businesses, traffic and its potential effect on downtown Northbrook.
Pulte's formal application calls for three six-story condominium buildings with a combined 150 residences, two commercial parcels facing Cherry Lane and a publicly dedicated riverwalk and open space. The condominium buildings would be about 68 feet tall.
Pulte Homes is a brand of Atlanta-based PulteGroup, one of the country's largest homebuilders. PulteGroup says it was founded in 1950, has built more than 875,000 homes and operates in more than 45 markets nationwide under brands that also include Centex, Del Webb, DiVosta and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods.
The application is still under staff review and has not been approved. Village officials have said that review will examine issues including stormwater, floodplain requirements, traffic, public safety, trees, school impacts, affordable housing and zoning.
Under Northbrook's current zoning ordinance, the Village Board can either retain a zoning public hearing for itself or refer it to the Plan Commission.
If the Plan Commission conducts the hearing, commissioners review the zoning application and make a recommendation, but the Village Board remains the final decision-maker. Village attorneys explained Tuesday that the commission's review is limited primarily to zoning matters, while trustees can later consider broader issues such as economic incentives, development agreements and other community impacts.
Trustees initially voted May 26 to reserve the Meadow Plaza public hearing for the Village Board.
Tuesday's discussion revealed that several trustees had understood that earlier vote differently, including an expectation that the board and Plan Commission might jointly hear the case.
Trustee comments Tuesday favored returning the project to what several described as the more traditional process of Plan Commission review followed by Village Board consideration.
Trustee Heather Ross said the proposal's zoning questions warranted the commission's expertise and an additional layer of scrutiny before the matter returned to elected officials. Another said the earlier vote had created confusion over precisely what the board had reserved for itself.
Village officials also stressed that the Plan Commission would only make a recommendation.
"The Plan Commission is a recommending body alone," Village Attorney Steven M. Elrod said during the discussion. "They do not take final action."
The vote came after another lengthy Village Board meeting attended by residents opposed to the current proposal.
During public comment, speakers raised concerns about the amount of commercial space, building height, traffic, parking, environmental issues and the future of businesses now operating at Meadow Plaza.
Others questioned the village's handling of public records requests and earlier discussions surrounding the property.
Several residents emphasized that they were not opposed to redevelopment itself but wanted a project with more commercial space and a scale they believe would better fit Northbrook's downtown.
The public debate has intensified since Pulte submitted its formal development application earlier this month.
The existing proposal sets aside two approximately 0.8-acre parcels for future commercial development. Pulte has told the village it is not interested in increasing the commercial portion of the project, with or without village incentives, according to Northbrook's updated project information. Village staff said commercial real estate professionals they consulted indicated that current market demand does not support additional market-rate retail or commercial space at the site.
The board also provided guidance on issues members want scrutinized as the proposal moves forward.
Village officials repeatedly raised questions about whether the plan provides enough commercial space.
Trustee Robert Israel noted that the property currently contains roughly 90,000 square feet of retail space while the preliminary redevelopment proposal contemplated substantially less, and asked the Plan Commission to examine whether the commercial component adequately satisfies the intent of Northbrook's zoning code.
Ross said her understanding of the zoning had changed since the board's May preliminary review: because the site is commercially zoned, she said, a developer could not simply build an entirely residential project there as a matter of right.
Ross also urged commissioners to revisit the village's 2012 Downtown Plan and explore whether portions of the existing shopping center could potentially remain.
Building height remains another major issue.
The property is zoned C-2 Neighborhood Commercial and sits within the Village Green Overlay District. Four stories are permitted under the base rules, while five stories can be considered through a special permit. Additional height can be considered through the planned-development process, and projects that fully comply with Northbrook's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance may be eligible for an additional story or up to 12 feet, subject to Village Board approval.
Pulte's proposal includes 23 permanently affordable units among its 150 condominiums.
Trustees also requested closer examination of traffic, fire-department access, stormwater retention, parking, school impacts and how the project interfaces with the river and neighboring properties.
Village President Kathryn Ciesla also addressed a question that has surfaced repeatedly during the Meadow Plaza debate: why the village continues processing a proposal despite vocal community opposition.
Ciesla said a private property owner or developer has a due-process right to submit a zoning application and have it considered.
"We cannot sit up here and prejudge," Ciesla said, adding that the village must allow the review process to take place before trustees make a final decision.
Northbrook similarly states in its Meadow Plaza FAQ that the property is privately owned and that the village cannot prevent an owner from submitting a redevelopment proposal. Any project, however, must complete the village's review and approval process before construction can begin.
The formal application is not yet considered complete. Village officials said a public hearing will be scheduled after staff substantially completes its review and Pulte responds to staff comments. The developer must also hold a public meeting before the public hearing.
No Plan Commission hearing date has been announced.
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