A Yorkville-based homebuilder’s plans for a 14-lot subdivision near the Clow Creek Greenway in a currently unincorporated area of Will County received the backing of the Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission at a meeting Wednesday, July 16.
Douglas Overstreet, who heads up his namesake business Overstreet Builders, is the petitioner of the residential project, which is being dubbed the Reserves of Saddle Creek. The 8-acre property has an address of 10826-10846 S. Book Road and is just outside Naperville’s municipal boundaries.
The heavily forested property, which is subject to annexation into the city under the proposal, neighbors the Clow Creek Greenway to the north and single-family residences in all other directions.
Tree removal, wildlife impact causes concerns
During a lengthy discussion at the Planning and Zoning Commission, officials discussed Overstreet’s proposed removal of most of the existing aged trees on the property. Tentative plans call for removing 300 existing trees and, upon completion of grading and other work laying the ground for the subdivision, planting 59 new trees.
Several adjacent residents from the nearby Saddle Creek subdivision, which was first established in the mid-1990s, attended the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting and weighed in with concerns about the project’s impact on the surrounding area.
“In the current version of the petition, there’s no value to the existing community for this development,” Saddle Creek resident Calvin Rowland said. “It will not improve the existing residents’ lives.”
Rowland cited a number of concerns, including the impact on the existing wildlife habitat and the project’s overall density. Other concerns included shielding and buffers, by way of fencing and natural vegetation, between the existing Saddle Creek and the new Reserves of Saddle Creek developments.
“The quantity of houses in that small of a space is, quite frankly, excessive and, dare I say, greedy,” Rowland said.
Overstreet said he held a neighborhood meeting several weeks ago for residents in the surrounding area. Ten people attended, he said. He added, “Most of the people were receptive to what we were doing.”
Commissioners weigh in on tree removal concerns
In light of the neighbors’ concerns, commissioners implored Overstreet to re-examine the tree removal proposal and work with neighbors on the concerns raised.
“These are established trees,” said Commissioner Whitney Robbins, who heads up the Planning and Zoning Commission. “It’s a lot of trees. I am sensitive to that.”
Overstreet said he would prefer saving more trees within the property, but cited logistics and municipal requirements as the overarching reason behind the tree removal plans.
On the matter of stormwater retention, Overstreet said, “We have to create the stormwater retention, which unfortunately speaks for a substantial number of trees that we would be more than happy to save, but we can’t save, because we have to create the stormwater. By grading everything to bring the water to the stormwater, at that point, it makes it very difficult to keep the additional trees there.”
But Overstreet said he was willing to re-examine the proposal and see if any additional trees could be saved. He also indicated a willingness to look into additional landscaping, though he noted individual homeowners would handle most of the task once the new construction and lawn care is completed.
“Certainly from a home builder, from a lot owner, from a homeowner, I understand the sensitivity of it,” Overstreet said. “From our standpoint, the more trees that we could keep on that property … the more valuable it would be for us.”
Commissioner Mark Wright also encouraged Overstreet to work with neighbors and try reaching a compromise.
“I am sensitive to the neighbors to the west and south,” Wright said. “If there could be additional discussions with them of maybe how you could install some landscaping or fencing along that west side, I think it will go a long way for goodwill. I’m not saying you have to do that, but I’m just making a recommendation that you do that.”
Historic preservation also reviewed
Community Planner Anna Franco indicated the property is included within the Will County Rural Historic Structures Survey Project. There are several existing structures on the property, including two single-family homes and associated farmstead structures that are subject to removal.
Franco said, “some of the existing structures on the property are considered ‘contributing’ to rural and historic heritage,” based on Will County’s project report. The structures, however, are not listed as historical landmarks and, as such, are not protected from demolition.
A proposed condition, upon approval of the project, is to have Overstreet coordinate with Naper Settlement and Naperville Preservation Inc. before any removals take place. Strides in that direction have already been taken.
“The developer has been in coordination with Naper Settlement and Naperville Preservation,” Franco said. “While there have not been any specific items or materials on the property that have been identified for preservation, there is interest to do, potentially, a photo survey or salvage some materials.”
The Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation is being forwarded on to the city council for a final vote at an upcoming meeting.
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