After several plan changes, proposed multi-family apartment development moves forward to the Village Board
HUNTLEY — Woodstock Hotel, Inc./ Huntley Development LLC, has submitted a development application for a proposed 297-unit multi-family apartment complex to be located within the Huntley Crossings Resubdivision, generally located east of the Huntley Crossings access drive at the southeast corner of Route 47 and Powers Road.
According to the June 27 Board Meeting agenda packet, the proposal also sets aside approximately 7.4 acres of commercial “outlots” for future development along the existing north/south access drive.
The proposed plan includes nine two-story multi-family buildings featuring 22 total units each, including two studio apartments, ten one-bedroom apartments, seven two-bedroom apartments, and three three-bedroom apartments. The proposed three-story multi-family buildings feature 33 total units, including four studios, 14 one-bedroom apartments, 12 two-bedroom apartments, and three three-bedroom apartments.
Rent is expected to range from over $1,000 for a studio to over $2,000 for the one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment options. Amenities for the apartment residents include a multi-season activity space, community garden, lounge and grill area, pickleball courts, a clubhouse pool, and a dog park.
Following the Aug. 24, 2023, Village Board Concept review, some changes were added to the plan. To screen the development from the nearby Lighthouse Academy property, village staff has included a condition noting that an opaque fence must be installed on the property to provide a buffer.
Trustees also emphasized the need for alterations to the color scheme of the original plans. The new proposed plans provide an altered design featuring darker brick along the base of the buildings and lighter brick on the upper floors to provide contrast from the dark Nichiha panels.
Some final comments at the conceptual review asked the petitioner to include fencing around the dog park area, which the petitioner agreed to do and has included that change in the proposed plans.
The petitioner had to make more changes to their initial plans following the April 8 Plan Commission meeting. Two residents of unincorporated Rutland Township with proximity to the project site provided testimony primarily concerned with the buffering between their properties and the proposed development.
Additionally, the Plan Commission asked questions and provided input related to the project, including considerations relating to the overall density of the project and the number of parking spaces on the site. It was then decided to continue the petition to a special meeting on April 29.
In response to the testimony heard at the April 8 public hearing, the petitioner agreed to modify the lot line between the residential and commercial parcels within the PUD to add 49,416 square feet to the residential parcels. This increased the maximum allowed residential density from 278 to 293 units.
The petitioner also reduced the number of proposed units from 312 to 308. Lastly, the number of parking spaces increased from 544 to 694 spaces. The initial parking total did not account for the spaces in front of the garage units, which added 108 spaces.
Despite the changes made, at the April 29 special meeting, two additional residents of unincorporated Rutland Township expressed concern about the impact on Powers Road within Rutland Township. The petitioner was able to provide information and testimony to address the concerns of the public and the Plan Commission, including the history of the site, the justification for specific site design elements, and the changes made to the proposal.
After further discussion, the petitioner offered to remove a single floor from one of the proposed three-story buildings to reduce the unit count by 11. Once the changes were made, the Plan Commission unanimously recommended the approval of the proposed plans.
The Village Board will be tasked with approving and authorizing the execution of a Development Agreement for a residential development and approving amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.
