James Investment Co. of Northbrook, a developer whose plans for a sprawling golf course community were rejected by the South Barrington Plan Commission, may be staging a comeback in this affluent community.
Developer Kenneth James has asked to address the Village Board at its monthly meeting Aug. 14, said Village Manager Bruce Trego.
“Ken James has asked to get on the agenda . . . to address the board on a new concept” for the 615-acre tract owned by Klehm’s Nursery on the west side of the village, Trego said.
James was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
At the July village board meeting, James Investment, without explanation, withdrew its petition to build 990 units on the Klehm property. The tract is a long, narrow triangle bounded by Higgins Road, Illinois Highway 59 and Bartlett Road.
According to Trego, James now wants to propose a scaled-down development of about 600 units. He will seek feedback from board members at a 6:30 p.m. Committee of the Whole meeting, which precedes the village board meeting Aug. 14.
“There will be only discussion, no action taken. It will simply be informative,” Trego said.
The developer’s original plans to build 1,080 townhouses and single-family homes clashed with the village’s zoning requirement of a minimum of 1 acre per home.
During negotiations with the village, the developer reduced the density to 990. That proposal was rejected by the plan commission. James then proposed 600 units, but apparently failed to sway the Village Board and withdrew a petition before the board had a chance to vote on the proposal.
South Barrington’s approximately 3,000 residents live mostly in million-dollar, custom-built homes on lots ranging from 1 to 2 acres.
The acreage is needed to support individual well and septic systems, because South Barrington does not have a public sewer system.
After James Investment withdrew its petition, South Barrington resident John Anderson applauded the move as a victory for residents such as himself who had protested the density of the project.
“By taking a strong stance, we have enhanced our control of that parcel,” Anderson said at the time. “A developer is going to look at the history of the property and is going to come in with something closer to what South Barrington wants.”
Meanwhile, another developer has said he is negotiating to buy the Klehm property and that he is working on plans for a resort community of about 660 single-family homes and townhouses.
Joseph Elias, of Planned Development & Construction in South Barrington, said he is a builder primarily of custom homes in South Barrington, Lake in the Hills, Algonquin and Hoffman Estates.
Elias said he is waiting to get a contact to buy the property before he files a petition with the village.
Over the last three years, Elias has approached village officials about four times to “test the waters” about his proposal, Trego said, but the plans never progressed beyond rough sketches.
Elias is proposing a maintained community that would include a fitness center, tennis courts, day spa, banquet facility and pool, but not a golf course.
