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Two dozen new houses could be coming to Lake in the Hills – a project that was conceived almost two decades.
The Village Board on Thursday reviewed, but did not vote on, plans for development of 24 single-family homes called Cheswick Meadows, which would be near the intersection of Haligus and Ackman roads.
Two streets in existing developments would be extended: Savoy Drive would be lengthened to the east and Windhill Lane to the north, with a T-shaped intersection for the two streets, according to the plans. There would be a cul-de-sac east of the intersection.
Jim Work, owner of Silverthorne Homes, the developer of the project, told the Village Board that the proposed plans, which feature a similar street but adjusted lot lines to fit current products, weren’t a big deviation from the original plans. He noted that the project was dormant for close to two decades, and it was a “natural continuation” of the nearby development.
There are expected to be four more lots. Work said the biggest “departure” from the zoning code was the narrower lots.
Lot widths are similar to those in the neighboring subdivision, according to records. But the development is constrained because of utilities in the area, Lake in the Hills Director of Community Development John Svalenka said.
The lots vary in shape a little bit due to the curvature of Windhill Drive, Svalenka said. There also was initial concern about stormwater requirements, but Svalenka said the issue has been addressed, and the project should be able to move forward similar as it did in 2006.
Plans are built-to-order for most customers, and starting prices would be $440,000 and $650,000, Work told the Village Board. The homes reflect current homebuyers’ wants with three-car garages, according to a presentation.
The development also would back up to the right of way for a future Ackman Road extension. Ackman is a county road, and McHenry County officials have expressed an interest in having Ackman end at Route 47, a project that appears in the county’s 2050 transportation plan.
Svalenka said the housing development plans were shared with the McHenry County Division of Transportation, which didn’t raise any concerns about it. The Village Board generally liked the idea of the development.
Trustee Bill Dustin said it would be nice for the streets to connect. Village President Ray Bogdanowski said there were “a lot of plusses.”
The developer asked whether Lake in the Hills would be willing to work on reducing some of the fees, to which the Village Board expressed openness but didn’t commit.
Lake in the Hills’ planning and zoning commission also was generally positive about the subdivision, Svalenka told the Village Board. The plan commission also asked that any bike trails be installed to connect to the regional trail system.
No residents were in attendance Thursday.
Lake in the Hills entered an annexation agreement in 2004 to facilitate development at the property, according to records. Original plans were a 20-lot development named Meadowbrook Unit 25. Cheswick Meadows got a final plat in 2006, but the subdivision was never built, according to records.
It’s the second housing development the Village Board has reviewed in recent weeks. Trustees last month expressed support for a development off Miller Road near Boulder Ridge that would consist of 40 townhomes. Similar to Cheswick Meadows, the townhome development Nature Edge had an annexation agreement in 2006, but a proposed 24-unit development named Bentley Place was never built.
Ben Beal, a land analyst with the developer, said the company is excited about the project and “optimistic” about moving forward.