The developers of two proposed office complex projects defended their plans at a recent South Barrington Village Board meeting, even though both got positive recommendations from the Plan Commission.
In the end, trustees voted to accept the Plan Commission’s recommendation for preliminary plans to add five more buildings to the five-unit South Barrington Office Center on Higgins Road.
Before the vote, Steven Elrod, attorney for Stonegate Properties Inc., told the board the developer would not comply with the commission’s recommendation to add more landscaping.
Also, since the village’s density regulations are so restrictive compared with those in neighboring Hoffman Estates, Elrod said Stonegate wants the village to pay the cost of beginning the new Bartlett Road sewer line. He also asked the village to waive the sewer connection fees. Trustees referred the requests to the Finance and Public Works Committees.
Also at the meeting, representatives of Kennedy Real Estate Development asked the Village Board to accept a Plan Commission recommendation to approve the preliminary plan for a 16-unit office complex on Barrington Road just north of Village Hall.
The recommendation was tabled at the Village Board’s May meeting and not included on this month’s agenda.
If trustees are unwilling to talk about the 32-acre project or accept the development proposal for the property, which is already zoned for office use, Kennedy attorney Robert Kenny said the landowner could seek to detach from South Barrington and annex to Hoffman Estates.
Property owner William Rose said he would not seek the detachment, but if he sells the land, he could not stop the new owners from taking such action.
Village Trustees Todd Swim and Joseph Helsing said they found some aspects of the project unacceptable.
Village President Michael Neben agreed to put the Plan Commission’s recommendation on the Village Board’s Aug. 12 agenda.
