A neighborhood’s fight to protect a forested area from development was dealt a blow this week when the Naperville Plan Commission voted to recommend approval of a developer’s proposal for 21 homes on the former school site on the south side of the city.
Many plan commissioners said they voted for the project Wednesday because of a pre-existing annexation agreement with Naperville School District 203 stating if the land was not going to be used for a school, then it should be developed for residential use. The land was first put up for sale in June 2004.
“We are duty-bound to approve it,” said Commissioner Derke Price, who added that was the deal that was struck.
The site, dubbed Caroline Woods, formerly Woods of Walnut Ridge, by the developer, includes 11 acres on the east side of Keim Road between Shimer Court and University Drive.
The land, previously owned by District 203, was leased by the Naperville Park District and left many neighbors of the site under the impression it was always going to remain a park.
A grass-roots effort among neighboring residents to buy the land from the school district for $3.8 million, which included financial contributions from the Will County Forest Preserve District and the Park District, failed earlier this year as the school district opted for a higher bid of $5.6 million from a local developer.
In a presentation, the developer said as many of the mature trees as possible would be preserved and outlined an extensive tree preservation plan that would be managed by the development’s future homeowners association. The developer also offered to sell land at a discounted price to abutting property owners that would extend property lines of those who live adjacent to the project.
The issue will go to the City Council for final review.
