Plans to split a property and replace one house with three had neighbors speaking out at a recent meeting of the Lake Forest Plan Commission.
Marlin Ventures of Highwood is looking to split a one-and-a-half acre property at 1363 Estate Lane E. into three lots ranging from 20,000 to 25,000 square feet each and then build three homes.
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A dozen residents spoke against the proposal during a Feb. 10 meeting of the commission. They argued that smaller lots don’t fit with the existing neighborhood and would lead to a decrease in property values. Residents also said they were concerned that drainage issues hadn’t been sufficiently addressed.
“Many of us are concerned about the effect on real estate values,” Mike Kammerer said.
The new houses would be “shoe-horned in,” said neighbor Paul Later. His wife, Julie Later, agreed.
“Three is excessive,” she said, adding that the couple had made improvements to their home. “We’d like to get that money out of our house.”
Resident Ellen Stoehr suggested dividing the property would be the start of a slippery slope with further divisions of area properties.
“We could go from three houses [near my home] to nine houses,” Stoehr said.
“It’s a density situation,” said neighbor Lisa Connelly, who also argued that adding three houses would increase water issues.
“Drainage is an extraordinary concern,” said resident John Madigan, adding that he was concerned that water would pool on his property.
On their objections to dividing the property, residents might be out of luck.
The property is zoned R-2, which is a single-family residential district that allows for lots of 20,000 or more square feet and frontages of 100 feet or greater, said Cathy Czerniak, community development director for the city.
“It’s in the zoning and no variance is requested,” Commissioner Rosemary Kehr said.
Commissioner Michael Freeman said the R-2 zoning for the area has been in place for 58 years. Freeman said that while he sympathized with the concerns of the neighbors, the zoning “limits what we’re able to do. The plan commission is not here to pick winners and losers on housing values.”
On water drainage, Joy Corona of Bleck Engineering – hired by Marlin Ventures – said plans called for building a new storm sewer line along the west border of the property along with inlets where water tends to pool. She also described an existing 12-inch storm sewer along Oak Knoll as “undersized.”
The plan commission requested Marlin Ventures work with a city engineer on drainage issues before a March 9 meeting.
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