Possible Autumn Ridge Housing Development Referendum Up For Board Vote

HOMER TOWNSHIP, IL —Whether a referendum on whether a proposed senior housing community is developed in Homer Township that would add 93 single-family homes and 20 duplexes will be discussed Thursday at a special meeting of the township board.

The Autumn Ridge development would be built on 40 acres of land that has been owned by the township since 2001. The property, which is the site of the former Welter family farm, was purchased for $2 million as part of a preservation project for open spaces.

The issue has become a heated topic in recent weeks when opponents of the projects flooded the township hall to speak out against the development of the land. Township Supervisor Steve Balich announced last week that the project is being paused until voters can determine whether they want to see the project move forward.

The township board will discuss the issue at a special meeting on Thursday and if passed, a referendum will be placed on the November ballot, according to Homer Township Clerk Vicki Bozen.

Balich believes that the project will be good for the township and told Patch that the majority of the opposition comes from residents of neighboring subdivisions. But adding more affordable housing who are ages 55 and older and who wish to remain living in the township provides a win-win for those involved.

But voters need to decide in November whether the development of the land will go on as originally scheduled, Balich said, pending township board approval this week.

“There’s a lot of people who like this project and are calling to ask how they get on the list to buy one of the houses and then there’s a lot of people who live in the subdivisions next to (the land) who don’t like it,” Balich said.

He added: “Whatever the people want to do, that’s what we’ll do.”

Balich, however, said that much of the information being circulated by opponents of the project is based on untruths being shared on social media. He said that township officials have been trying to clear up misconceptions about the project, which will be discussed at Thursday's special meeting.

He said opponents are unhappy about increased traffic levels through nearby subdivisions, but Balich said that entrances to the housing communities would be blocked off to non-resident traffic during the development.

The land is currently zoned for single-family homes, Balich said and has been since 2002. However, opponents of the project want to keep the “natural beauty” of the open spaces and have been vocal in getting their opinions about the proposed development out.

Balich points to the open spaces agreement that was signed when the land was purchased, which he said states that the township is allowed to use the land for suburban development. The addition of housing for residents 55 years and older who don’t have children in the local school district falls under suburban development, Balich said.

He said under this plan, the local grade school would get $407,000 based on a $6,000 tax bill with no kids.

“(The project) benefits everybody,” Balich told Patch. “It benefits local businesses because now, you have a lot more people going to those restaurants and bars and stores and so it’s a win for everybody except for the people in that subdivision because they feel like they’re going to have to look at something that not’s what they want to look at.”

If the issue passes a referendum vote, the development will still need to be approved by the Village of Homer Glen.