A commercial property in Park Ridge’s South Park neighborhood will be rezoned for residential development after all.
The Park Ridge City Council voted 4-3 Monday to approve multi-family residential zoning for a 7,980-square-foot piece of property at 425 Talcott Road, currently home to Green Tech Plumbing.
The vote came more than a month after a motion to rezone the property, located east of South Park’s six corners intersection, failed due to a 3-3 tie vote on the council. After that failed vote, 7th Ward Ald. Marty Joyce motioned for the measure to be reconsidered, as he was absent on June 4 when the council had initially voted.
Jim Brown, director of community preservation and development for the city of Park Ridge, said under the zoning ordinance, the maximum number of units that can be constructed on the property is four. The building can also be no taller than 35 feet, City Planner Jon Branham told the Park Ridge Planning and Zoning Commission in May.
Property owner Chris DiFranco had requested the zoning change, but did not present a proposal for a specific type of residential development.
The property is sandwiched between two multi-family buildings, one of them a large home that was converted into apartments.
Voting against the rezoning were 2nd Ward Ald. Nicholas Milissis, 4th Ward Ald. Roger Shubert and 5th Ward Ald. Charlie Melidosian.
Melidosian expressed concerns about the impact more residential units may have on area schools. More residences with children will also add to the taxpayer expense of educating them, he said.
“I’m sympathetic to the property owner and what he’s trying to do, but as an alderman I think it’s going to put an undue burden on our taxpayers” due to additional student costs, Melidosian said.
Last year, a growing student population in Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 came into play during discussions of a proposed multi-family development on the site of Mr. K Garden and Material Center, 1440 Higgins Road. The Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council voted against a proposal to build 19 townhouses on the two-acre property.
