The Aurora City Council has delayed consideration of a townhome development near Eola Road at the site of the former WBIG and WMRO radio stations.
The delay came at the request of developers Pulte Homes, which wants to put 54 townhouse units on the 22-acre site off Old Eola Road, which runs just to the west of Eola Road.
The 54 units would be between 1,883 square feet and 2,508 square feet with three and four bedrooms.
Development officials have said the proposed subdivision has been configured to fit into a small, specific space, and includes a lot of landscaping, screening from neighboring residences and plans to try to improve traffic conditions.
But residents nearby, including in the Aventine at Oakhurst North Apartments, said they are afraid the proposed subdivision would add to already heavy traffic problems at the entrance to the subdivision off Eola Road.
The proposed development would have one entrance and exit, at Waterstone Drive and Eola Road, which has no traffic control at it. Residents said making a left turn onto Eola, which must be done through a median, is impossible at times, dangerous almost all the time.
Some residents also said they are concerned about the developer removing mature trees on the site, setbacks and screening from neighboring residences.
Developers have said they will try to keep mature trees, removing only invasive species. But residents have said the developers would have to remove mature trees to fit the buildings in.
Developers also said they have agreed to both side yard and back yard setbacks that are greater than would be required by city ordinance. The developer also is putting up a six-foot-high fence, officials said.
Residents have said that while the setbacks might exceed city ordinance, it still is not a lot. And they have said the fence was not originally planned by the developer, but only put in after residents asked for it.
The developers have agreed to widen Waterstone Drive and create more definitive right- and left-turn lanes, hoping to make the turn safer.
A Naperville-based attorney for Pulte has said the company has talked to DuPage County, which has jurisdiction over Eola Road, about the possibility of a traffic light at the intersection. It is just on the other side of the Eola bridge over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks from a light that is at the entrance to a shopping mall.
For that reason, the county says a stoplight would not meet state warrants at that intersection.
One thing residents, the developer and the city agreed on is the rezoning change for the property, which currently is zoned for M-1 manufacturing. As part of the plans, the developer wants the land rezoned to R-4 residential.
City officials have said if the land is not rezoned, anything permitted in a manufacturing zone could go in there.
Residents have said they are not opposed to development of the site, but just not a plan that adds as much traffic as the current proposal could add.
The council is set at the moment to vote on the development plan and the rezoning at the Nov. 12 City Council meeting.
slord@tribpub.com
