A proposed 94-unit duplex residential development proposed on surplus DuPage Water Commission property is off the table in Naperville. The announcement comes amid a chorus of concerns from residents about the would-be project’s impact on the nearby environment.
The Pulte Home Company on Tuesday, Oct. 6, withdrew its petition for the proposal, which had been dubbed Naperville Ridge. Plans for the project were first announced in June and received a favorable recommendation from the Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission.
Mayor explains what petition withdrawal means
The Naperville City Council was slated to take up the commission’s recommendation at its meeting the same day Pulte’s formal withdrawal was submitted.
With the document in hand, Mayor Scott Wehrli at the top of the recent council meeting said no formal action would occur.
“Under the municipal code, a petitioner may withdraw a petition at any time before city council approval, and that withdrawal is final; the case is closed,” Wehrli said as he made what he described as a “special announcement.”
The withdrawal, Wehrli added, resets the clock on any potential future development at the site, which more specifically is situated on the south side of 75th Street, west of Gladstone Drive.
“If Pulte or any other developer wants to pursue a proposal for this property in the future, it will have to start over with a new current petition and go through the full review process from the beginning,” Wehrli said. “Nothing about tonight’s petition carries forward.”
Residents share opposition verbally and in writing
Since its inception, the Naperville Ridge proposal has drawn concern. At the Planning and Zoning Commission’s meeting in June, residents commented on the removal of trees at the site to accommodate the development, traffic impact, the would-be project’s compatibility with the surrounding area, and the density of the proposal.
Since the commission’s vote, residents have continued weighing in on the matter, sharing concerns during public forum at council meetings in recent months, even though the matter hadn’t been on the agenda.
At the most recent meeting, as the petition was scheduled for a vote, the council received 80 statements of opposition and 13 written statements. Additionally, 10 speakers were scheduled to address the proposal during public forum or within the specific agenda item at the recent meeting, though only two commented since the petition was withdrawn.
Naperville resident Rita Treonis said she was appreciative of the time and assistance city staff and councilmembers gave in response to the questions and concerns she and others have been raising.
“Community is built by going beyond the walls of your home,” Treonis said. “It grows through meeting new people and bonding over shared causes and concerns. It’s maintained by walking in a difficult room and having challenging conversations. Community thrives when we have leaders and representatives who put their heart and soul into the job, and we have all of that here.”
Fellow resident Marilyn Schweitzer also addressed the council on the plans that had been submitted.
“I’m glad this proposal has been withdrawn,” Schweitzer said. “It should never have made it this far and consumed so much of the community’s time. The problem was not simply the removal of 850 trees; the problem was the significant reduction and disturbance of ecosystems, PUD (planned unit development) deviations driven primarily by the proposed density, and a lack of overall community benefit.”
Arturas Simonaitia was among the residents providing comment through written feedback. Simonaitia shared concerns the development could have on wildlife that reside within the area.
“This 32-acre publicly-held woodland and wetland is one of the last remaining stands of mature oak forest in our area,” Simonaitia wrote. “It provides critical habitat for the state-threatened black-billed cuckoo, the federally endangered northern long-eared bat, and the proposed-endangered tricolored bat, along with countless other native species.”
Petitioner’s attorney submits letter formalizing withdrawal
Russell Whitaker III of the Naperville-based law firm of Rosanova and Whitaker presented the city with the formal petition letter, which he sent to the city on Pulte’s behalf. Whitaker described himself as the attorney for the petitioner.
“We value the longstanding partnership with the City of Naperville and are proud of what we have accomplished together,” Whitaker wrote. “While we are disappointed that Naperville Ridge will not move forward as planned, we will continue to deliver much-needed new home supply at current and future communities.”
Whitaker in the correspondence also outlined Pulte’s successes as a company, which has included multiple existing residential developments within Naperville.
“Over the past decade, Pulte has worked collaboratively with the City of Naperville to deliver six exceptional new residential communities,” Whitaker wrote. “These communities represent 1,699 new homes that helped to meet housing demand in the Naperville market.”
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