Controverial Hinsdale Development Gets Thumbs Down

HINSDALE, IL — Hinsdale's leader made it clear from the beginning of a meeting Wednesday how trustees felt about a proposed housing subdivision: They opposed it

The planned Heather Highlands development at Ogden Avenue and Adams Street has drawn opposition from residents in the neighboring Fullersburg subdivision.

This is Burr Ridge-based McNaughton Development's second proposal for a development on the land. It is the site of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a non-denominational Christian organization. Its building would be torn down.

Neighbors contend the development would be too dense and thus a bad fit for the area. Village President Tom Cauley and trustees agreed.

Cauley repeated what he said a week before: The developer can always go ahead with a code-compliant subdivision, without seeking zoning exceptions from the Village Board.

He asked the village engineer to find what type of housing subdivision would be code-compliant. The answer was 18 houses, compared with the 26 that the developer was seeking.

To make way for more houses, the developer sought narrower rights of way, which did not sit well with Cauley, especially with one street in particular.

"It's so narrow you can't get a fire truck in the neighborhood," he said. "That's a nonstarter from the absolute get-go."

Village officials said they recently received 50 emails against Heather Highlands, all opposed. Last year's proposal, which called for more houses, attracted 140 emails.

Cauley said he spoke with each trustee individually before the meeting, and all were opposed. He said they could vote on whether to send the proposal to the Plan Commission. But if four members dissented, McNaughton would be unable to approach the village for a similar development on the land for another two years, he said.

Paul McNaughton Jr. of McNaughton Development, who was connected virtually to the board meeting, had planned to make a presentation on the proposal. Given the board's opposition, though, he said it probably wouldn't make sense to do so.

He said the development would be for older adults, so that would mean less traffic and less stress on schools. That would be better than other subdivisions, he said.

He acknowledged the 50 emails in opposition, but said he could bring 50 people who liked his previous projects to come out in support.

"We can play that game as well," he said.

Trustee Scott Banke said the neighbors' opposition "taints my view" of the development.

"We were put here to sit at this table to represent the views of residents," Banke said.

For the neighbors, he said, their houses are the biggest investments of their lives and the nearby subdivision would impact them for a long time.

After trustees and residents commented on the proposal, McNaughton said his company would see whether it could come up with something more suitable based on the comments.

Cauley said the neighbors were reasonable.

"They're not saying, 'Don't develop it under any circumstances,'" he said.

The board took no vote.

Six residents attended the board meeting, although others likely watched the livestream.