The Oswego Village Board would prefer to see a lower density of homes in a proposed multi-family residential development on Route 34 near Orchard Road.
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PMC Investments recently presented a concept plan for a proposed 187-unit project on a 13.73-acre site on Route 34 west of the Orchard Way shopping center in unincorporated Kendall County.
No formal vote was taken on the plan by the board during its recent meeting. However, several members of the board did advocate for fewer residential units. The number of units proposed translates to 13.6 units per acre, village officials said.
The developer proposes to build three three-story buildings located closest to nearby commercial properties and five two-story buildings closest to the proposed Parksmith Run residential and commercial development.
The two-story buildings would have 24 units per building, and the three-story buildings would have 36 units per building, according to the proposal.
“The multi-family use is consistent with the village’s comprehensive plan, but we respectfully disagree that commercial use is appropriate at this location,” said Carrie Hansen, director of planning and government services at Oswego-based Schoppe Design Associates, on behalf of the applicant.
Successful and viable commercial uses are concentrated and focused on major intersections with safe access rather than strip commercial along roadways with multiple curb cuts, she said.
“One of the goals of the village’s future plan is to locate multi-family units near major transportation corridors and use them as effective transitional uses. This is recognized sound planning practice and our proposal accomplishes this goal,” Hansen said.
If the project proceeds, the developer will likely seek rezoning to R-5 planned unit development upon annexation to the village.
The proposed housing is designed to provide “options” to appeal to a variety of needs, Hansen said. The housing could appeal to empty nesters looking to downsize and remain in town and for younger families the housing could be a stepping-stone to their next housing stage in Oswego, she said.
The proposed development would be in the Yorkville School District, officials said.
The project offers a number of benefits to the Oswego community, Hansen said.
“It fills identified housing needs in Oswego and region. It provides an optimal transition between lesser density to the west and more intensive commercial uses to the east. It is walkable to commercial and service uses and provides inter-development continuity for both pedestrians and vehicles,” Hansen said.
In addition, the proposal “creates a needed population base and demand for goods and services to help fill existing vacancies and undeveloped parcels in the Orchard Road commercial corridor as well as address housing affordability,” she said.
The Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the proposal but with reduced density and increased parking. The advisory group’s vote was 8-1.
Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman said he, too, would prefer to see a reduction in density in the proposed project.
“I do not have an exact quantity for reduction,” Kauffman said.
“That’s always a tough question,” Hansen said.
A reduction in density to 10 units per acre would translate into 137 units for the total project, she said.
Another representative for the developer said from an economic perspective, 144 units is about as low as they could go to make the development viable.
“It seems smashed into it,” Oswego Trustee James Cooper said of the number of proposed homes on the site. “The idea of lowering the density may lighten that a little bit. I would like to see a different concept with a lower density.”
Kauffman was interested in knowing if there would be more green space if the concept plan had a lower density. The representative for the developer said there are options to enhance the green space that would be within reason for the overall project.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
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