A Naperville-based business is asking the city to annex 1.53 acres along 75th Street so it can construct Forest Meadows, a 38-unit apartment building targeted at young professionals, empty nesters and senior adults.
The Planning and Zoning Commission this week recommended the Naperville City Council annex and rezone the property at 25W462 75th St. for office, commercial and institutional use with an allowance for a multifamily building.
The land west of Naper Boulevard currently is unincorporated and zoned by DuPage County for single-family homes.
Greene Valley 75, which is owned by the Razi family of Naperville, is proposing an L-shaped building that includes six one-bedroom units from 700 to 750 square feet and 32 two-bedroom units from 1,100 to 1,150 square feet.
Forest Meadows will provide 35 parking spaces inside the main floor of the building plus an additional 51 outdoor spaces. The trash receptacle will be contained inside as well.
Mike Van Poucke, the attorney representing Greene Valley, told the commission the exterior brick and masonry of Forest Meadows will be similar to the Ellsworth Station near the Naperville main railroad station because the same architect was hired.
Other on-site amenities slated for residents include shaded outdoor seating with a pergola, a grill area, an exterior fire pit with seating, a turf area for lawn games, and seating with a pedestal picnic table.
Van Poucke said a single-family home and garage currently sit on the property but the house is uninhabitable because it most recently was used as a doctor’s office and has no kitchen.
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The property is bordered by the Goodrich Woods Forest Preserve to the north, the Islamic Center of Naperville to the west and one of the city’s electric substations to the east.
On the other side of 75th Street to the south are homes.
Landscape architect Greg Sagen, president of Signature Design Group in Naperville, said the development is working to address four points requested by property owner to the north, DuPage Forest Preserve District, which asked Forest Meadows not to plant any invasive species, plant only native species, protect the old growth trees and provide a copy of the final landscape plan.
While native species will be planted, Sagan said because of their ornamental value, some nonnative species are included in the landscape plan. No invasive plants are included.
To protect trees on the northern property line, Sagan said the developer will put up tree preservation fencing and perform root pruning near the parking lot to prevent tearing of any of those trees.
Efforts also will be made to stay at least 15 to 25 away from the larger trees in that area, he said.
Van Poucke said Greene Valley 75 plans to save the wall of evergreens on the south end of the property to maintain the buffer along 75th Street.
In doing so, the plan is to move the sidewalk north of the trees.
In a letter to the city, Wahab Khan, president of the Islamic Center of Naperville, said as neighbors, ICN has a “strong interest and desire” to see the property improved.
“Forest Meadows will replace an unused, dilapidated older building with a needed residential use of a first-class style,” Khan said.
ICN also supports an emergency driveway connection with a manual, lockable gate between the two properties.
Generation tables estimate the apartments could add 4.5 students, who would attend Naperville District 203 schools.
In addition to the annexation and zoning change, the commission also agreed to allow building height and density variances.
While the maximum height for a multifamily residence in an OCI district is 43 feet, Greene Valley is asking for 47 feet.
It also is requesting a density increase from 26 units per acre to 38 units.