Western Springs Townhomes Face Next Hurdle

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – A proposed townhome complex in southwest Western Springs, which neighbors have opposed, is less bulky than its original design, officials said Monday.

They also said detention basins in the development will provide "incremental" improvement in dealing with flooding in the neighborhood.

At a Village Board meeting, trustees got their first look together at the proposed 29-unit, 2.4-acre development. It's where an office complex now stands.

In November, the Plan Commission recommended approval of the complex, which is sought by Burr Ridge-based McNaughton Development.

After residents complained that one of the complex's exits would be on Park Place, the developer eliminated it. The development's main street would be Heritage Court, connecting to the Heritage Springs townhome development to the north.

The developer did not cut the number of units in response to criticism over density, but reduced the bulk of the buildings, said Heather Valone, the village's community development director.

McNaughton also increased the green space in the development, she said.

The village's engineer, Jefferey Koza, described the development as "somewhat tight." One of its complicating factors, he said, was stormwater.

"A vast amount of stormwater heads to the site," Koza said.

Under the plan, he said, Heritage Court would be underwater briefly after heavy rains in the area where the street connects to Heritage Springs.

"There's just too much stormwater for this site to handle," the engineer said.

He said the detention basins would not solve the drainage problem in the neighboring Ridgewood subdivision. That area experiences some of the village's worst flooding, a problem that officials said they are working to address.

"The (new) development, from a stormwater perspective, should be a net positive," Koza said. "The engineering has been thoroughly vetted, and we feel like the design is responsible and at least does make incremental improvement by providing some extra detention capacity."

The board is expected to vote on the plan at a later meeting.