Homer Township officials are interested in working with the village of Homer Glen on a proposed development for 55-year-old and older housing on about 40 acres of township-owned land just west of Bell Road.
John LaFlamboy, president of Midwest Property Development, wants to build 93 single-family homes and 20 duplex buildings on the Welter Farm property, just west of the township’s Founders Crossing Senior Housing community. He said he hopes to get approval from the village of Homer Glen by late summer.
The village of Homer Glen has not yet received plans for the development, village officials said.
Township Supervisor Steve Balich said the project would bring affordable housing for seniors and empty nesters who want to downsize, remain in the village and still care for their own home. He said the village and township could benefit from the 55 year-old and older community, which would bring more rooftops to town, add to the sales and property tax rolls and not burden the school system.
“This is the first step,” Balich said. “There is a lot more to this process. We have to approve it. Then the village of Homer Glen is going to vote on it. It doesn’t happen overnight.”
The land is part of the township open space program. While some of the land was set aside to preserve flora and fauna, the land can also be used to provide value to the public and promote suburban development in accordance with the township’s land use plan, Balich said. He said it promotes the township’s mission of providing for seniors.
The Homer Township Board voted Tuesday to move forward with the project.
Trustee resigns
The board also accepted the resignation of Trustee Angela Adolf, who is leaving due to personal conflicts with her job and family that could force her to miss township meetings, Balich said.
Adolf, who previously was on the Homer Elementary District 33C Board, was elected in April 2021 as part of the Republican slate that included Balich as well as Clerk Vicki Bozen, Collector Mark Gawron, Assessor Carmen Maurella, Highway Commissioner Brent Porfilio and Trustees Matt Connelly, Mike Bonomo and Rob Rivera.
Their entire slate defeated the incumbent supervisor Pam Meyers, who led a group of independent candidates that included both incumbents and newcomers.
While Adolf ran on the slate, she did not always vote with the group.
In February, she said she was concerned about an overreach of power when the township board voted on COVID-19-related issues. Adolf voted against sending the state legislature a letter on behalf of the township objecting to any proposed legislation for forced vaccinations and quarantines.
She also was against sending a letter to Lockport Township High School District 205 objecting to its mask mandate the week after a Sangamon County judge prohibited mask requirements for students across the state. After discussion, the board removed that item.
Adolf also was the sole dissenter in the board’s decision last year to declare the township a sanctuary township for life
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in a resolution that opposed abortion.Balich said he appreciated Adolf’s opinions and said she has been a valuable asset. He said she was detail-oriented and worked on several projects for the township and helped with the plan to transfer township-owned parks to the village of Homer Glen.
Trustee Mike Bonomo praised Adolf’s service.
“We came in as a team, worked as a team and we had agreements, disagreements whatever the case might be, but I thought she did a great job as a board member for Homer Township and represented us well,” he said.
The board named Gawron as trustee and then named resident Angel Shake as the new collector.
Balich said Gawron was selected because the voters elected him as part of the slate last year. Shake is active with the township and is volunteering with the senior committee, Balich said.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.