Fireplace officers advised residents they needed to go away the Homer Township Board assembly Monday as crowds of individuals lined the board room and hallways to protest a possible 55-year-old and older senior housing growth.
Residents stated the proposed Autumn Ridge growth, which might include 93 single-family properties and 20 duplex buildings, is on Welter farm property designated as open house.
About 10 residents spoke in opposition to the proposal, whereas many within the standing room solely crowd clapped or interjected throughout the assembly. Most of the residents in opposition to the event dwell within the Previous Oak South neighborhood, which is close to the Welter Farm, simply west of Bell Highway close to the present Homer Townships Founders Crossing senior housing neighborhood.
Greg Fisch, who was a Homer Township trustee for 16 years, stated residents handed the open house referendum in 1999 to protect land throughout a time when Homer Glen didn’t exist as an integrated village. Homer Township residents had been involved Lockport was aggressively grabbing its land.
“Those that sat on our board had been actually compelled to do every thing they will to attenuate excessive density housing,” Fisch stated. “We fought with each statue that we had … to attempt to management dense housing in order that we might preserve the agricultural nature of the township.”
Fisch stated the referendum that included approving $8 million in bonds was handed to “preserve the pure fantastic thing about the township.”
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The senior housing proposal is counter to what voters had in thoughts once they accepted the open house referendum, Fisch stated.
“Placing housing on the Welter property is an concept this board ought to discontinue pursuing,” he stated. “I ask you to be stewards of our open areas. I ask you to guard the property that all of us pitched in to purchase.”
Joe Tomasek stated he’s not in opposition to a senior housing growth, however it shouldn’t be on open house land.
“This property is just not privately owned, and it’s positively not owned by a handful of elected officers,” Tomasek stated. “It’s owned by all of us, the taxpayers. The property was bought by Homer Township as a part of an open house initiative that was voted on by way of referendum. Our founding neighborhood leaders felt it needed to obtain these open areas as most of the surrounding properties was and has since been bought by actual property builders.”
Mike Campabello advised township officers that when the land is developed, it can’t be reverted again to its pure state.
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Township officers have stated the land is zoned residential and their authorized groups don’t consider the event is breaking any open house legal guidelines or ordinances.
John Walters, who steadily leads the invocation on the township conferences, stated there’s a demand for senior housing in Homer Glen, citing greater than 400 residents who’re on the ready listing for the Founders Crossing senior neighborhood, which has 30 items.
He stated former Homer Glen Mayor Jim Daley advised him that finally all land in Homer Glen might be developed and leaders can solely management the way it will get developed. Walters stated politics are one of many causes that persons are in opposition to the proposal.
Township officers in help of the housing growth stated the properties would profit native taxing our bodies and assist companies.
“Our board handed it,” Township Supervisor Steve Balich stated. “Now it’s on the village of Homer Glen. The village of Homer Glen has to approve it or not approve it.”
Residents plan to protest the event on the board assembly at 7 p.m. Might 25 on the Homer Glen Village Corridor, 14240 W. 151st St.
Michelle Mullins is a contract reporter for the Day by day Southtown.
