Plainfield Board Advances Plans To Annex Keller Farm, Build Houses And Townhomes

PLAINFIELD, IL — The plan to annex more than 150 acres of unincorporated farmland into Plainfield — with a proposal to build single-family homes and townhomes in its place — is moving forward.

The Village Board met Monday night to hold a public hearing and vote to begin drafting the ordinances needed to annex 152.9 acres of farmland at the northwest corner of Lockport Street and Wallin Drive. Trustees approved the motions 4-2, with only Patricia Kalkanis and Brian Wojowski opposed.

With the Board's approval, the village attorney will prepare the ordinances needed to authorize the execution of an annexation agreement and annex the farmland, known as Keller Farm. Trustees also voted to direct the attorney to prepare an ordinance granting approval of a special use for planned development for a mixed-use development of up to 405 residential units and about 9 acres of commercial land.

The portion of the property is currently occupied by a farmhouse and several agricultural structures owned by Keller's Farmstand, which sells sweet corn, apples and a variety of other fresh fruits and vegetables.

RELATED: Plainfield Farm Poised To Sell, Could Become New Subdivision

There could be a proposal in the future to tear down the farmstead, but until then, Keller's Farmstand will continue to operate, Director of Planning Jonathan Proulx told Patch on Monday.

The project is not fully green-lit, though. Once the ordinances are drafted, they will be brought before the Village Board, likely on Aug. 21, for final approval, Proulx said.

"This is the culmination of an effort that has been going on for a year and a half plus," he said at the meeting.

Road Improvements 'Needed For A Long Time'

The plan for the proposed Keller Farm subdivision includes building 322 single-family detached houses, 83 townhouses in 18 buildings, two parks, "extensive" walking trails and stormwater management areas, Patch reported.

With a new housing development comes additional traffic, and the annexation agreement includes terms to improve streets in the area.

The agreement calls for Lennar to complete, at its expense, three-lane cross-section improvements to Wallin Drive between Presidential Avenue and Lockport Street, including turn lanes into the Sixteen30 apartments and the proposed development. Left-turn lanes will be added leading to the proposed townhome entrance, and a southbound right-turn lane will be added onto Lockport Street, replacing the shared through and turn lane.

"We're proud of the road improvements that we're offering," said John McFarland, with Lennar Corporation. "We think it will be a community benefit as well as a benefit to Keller Farm. We think it will streamline some traffic in the area based on how our subdivision is laid out and what we're doing."

During the public hearing portion of the agenda item, only one person went up to the podium and voiced his support for the project. No trustees commented on the annexation request.

Trustee Richard Kiefer, who led the meeting in Mayor John Argoudelis's absence, said he was "really happy how this evolved."

"Particularly, I like the explanation of the infrastructure that's going to be going in, particularly on Wallin and the intersections at [Route] 126," he said. "I think those have been needed for a long time, so I'm glad to see that's getting jump-started."