Naperville City Council to review 171-unit NorthGate townhome development proposal

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The Naperville City Council is set to review a proposal for a 171-unit townhome community dubbed NorthGate of Naperville, following a unanimous recommendation from the city's Planning and Zoning Commission.

The proposal, put forward by M/I Homes of Chicago LLC, would transform a long-dormant 25.2-acre parcel at 2255 Monarch Drive into 32 townhome buildings containing 171 units. The site has sat largely undeveloped since it was annexed into Naperville in the early 1980s.

The property sits near several notable landmarks. It abuts the Monarch Landing senior living facility and wetlands to the west, the CityGate business campus to the south, industrial developments to the east, and single-family homes in Warrenville to the north. The City Council is expected to hold a final vote on the proposal during its Sept. 1 meeting.

A project close to the builder's heart

M/I Homes presented the project details at a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on June 17. Greg Collins, director of land acquisition with M/I Homes, described the parcel as "a bittersweet property" for the company, noting its proximity to the Ohio-based homebuilder's Chicagoland office located within Naperville.

"As a homebuilder local to the Chicagoland area, as well as the City of Naperville, we've got vast experience in both the city, as well as all of Chicagoland," Collins said. "This one is kind of close to our heart."

Unit design and target market

Based on the preliminary plans, NorthGate would offer a product mix of three separate designs intended to complement one another. Styles would range in size from 1,893 square feet to 2,328 square feet, each featuring three to four bedrooms.

According to company representatives, the target market includes active adults, professionals, and family members of Monarch Landing residents who might want to live in close proximity to the facility. M/I Homes noted that Naperville's population of residents age 50 and up increased 16.1% between 2000 and 2023.

The plans also include a 3.24-acre public park dedication for the Naperville Park District, straddling 2.59 acres of the new development site and 0.65 acres of the existing Monarch Landing property. Playground equipment, fitness stations, and gathering spaces could be among the amenities.

"We intend for the park site to be for both residents of Monarch Landing, as well as NorthGate, so the location between those two communities is ideal," said Eric Prechtel, an attorney with the Naperville-based law firm of Rosanova and Whitaker, which is representing M/I Homes on the development petition.

Accessibility features earn strong support

One design feature drew particular attention during the commission's review: visitability. M/I Homes is planning to design at least 25% of the units with all-abilities visitable features, including zero-step entrances, wider doorways, and strategic placement of bathrooms on the first floor.

Mary Hamill, chair of the Naperville Accessible Community Task Force, spoke during the public hearing "in strong support" of the project plans.

"This is an inclusive design concept, ensuring homes can be easily accessed and lived in by people who use mobility devices, such as walkers, canes, or wheelchairs," Hamill said. "To see a developer proactively commit to this standard for a significant percentage of their homes is a monumental step forward. To say that the members of the ACTF are elated would be an understatement."

Commissioner and former Councilwoman Allison Longenbaugh, a frequent advocate for visitable features in new residential developments, also praised the plans.

"I am overall just thrilled about the visitability, that you are proactive about it and addressing this," Longenbaugh said. "With the help of Mary and the ACTF, I just have to say the fact that visitability is even in the city's vocabulary and being addressed in all of these developments is honestly one of my proudest accomplishments as a council member."

Density and traffic concerns

While support was widespread, several concerns were raised during the hearing, including the project's density and potential traffic impact in the broader area.

In a memo to commissioners, Community Planner Anna Franco noted that the plans were not in concert with Naperville's long-range planning documents for the immediate area.

"Staff has concerns regarding the inconsistency of the proposed conditional-use for single-family detached residential within the city's land use master plan and the Naperville I-88 corridor strategy, as well as adjacent land uses to the east," Franco wrote.

Potential traffic signals in and near the site, as well as interior and exterior entry points, were also raised during the hearing.

Lincoln Lockhart, a resident of Monarch Landing, said he was concerned about unintended consequences from the project's density.

"It's easily imagined that this density and traffic congestion will result in a significant increase in automobile accidents and injuries," Lockhart said.

Lockhart, however, also spoke favorably about having a development replace the underutilized property, which he described as "hideous."

"If you go and look at it today, you'll find that it's in an unruly state, populated by invasive trees and weeds and all kinds of undergrowth," he said.

Unanimous commission vote

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 8-0 to support the project proposal, sending its recommendation to the City Council for a final vote.

"I think this was an extremely well done presentation," said Whitney Robbins, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission. "I think the comments made by staff, I really appreciated that. Most importantly, seeing the amount of community support in that presentation speaks volumes for me."

Commissioner Meghna Bansal said she believed the development would be a positive addition to a site that has been dormant for decades.

"Overall, I find the proposal to be a positive redevelopment," Bansal said. "I support the requested approvals. Thank you for this proposal."