New Lenox, Illinois Development News

Lincoln Estates Development and Rezoning Moves Forward

The council considered an ordinance authorizing the execution of a development agreement and a rezoning of property for Lincoln Estates. Lenar Homes, represented by Caitlyn Chuck, Dave Lawler, Mark Paul, and Brad Moore, proposed rezoning approximately 99 acres at the southwest corner of Illinois Highway and Nelson Road from R2A to R2. The proposed density is 1.98 units per acre, which is below the comprehensive plan's recommendation of 2 to 3.5 units per acre. The development will include 196 single-family homes, with lot sizes averaging 11,163 sq ft, exceeding the minimum R2 requirement of 9,375 sq ft. The plan includes two access points from Illinois Highway and one from Nelson Road, 27 acres for storm water management, and dedication of 11 acres to the park district for a park with amenities like a jungle gym, pavilion, and parking. Walking trails will also be extended. The homes will be from the Hartford and Landmark series, with various styles and elevations to avoid monotony. Several waiver requests were discussed, including subdivision code waivers for lot widths and frontage on cul-de-sacs. A development agreement clause requests a one-year protection from negative impacts of future code changes. The developer also requested a guarantee of water and sewer capacity for 10 years and a waiver of transportation fees in exchange for water and sewer main improvements and road widening on Nelson Road and Illinois Highway. Staff had no objections to the rezoning and subdivision code waivers, but the board expressed reservations about waiving transportation fees.