Uproar Expected Over Proposed Hinsdale Development

HINSDALE, IL — Hinsdale trustees were expected to decide Tuesday whether to direct the Plan Commission to study a controversial housing development.

But they delayed consideration of the Heather Highlands project until a later meeting because of technical difficulties.

It was the Village Board's first in-person meeting since March 2020. Many critical public comments on the development were expected at the meeting, but the village put the wrong Zoom link on its meeting agenda.

When Village President Tom Cauley was informed of this after his report, he called for delaying consideration of the development, which would be at the northeast corner of Ogden Avenue and Adams Street.

"Knowing how people think, I know someone is going to write me, 'You changed the (link), so we couldn't be heard on this.' I'm not going to refer this to the Plan Commission if people can't be heard tonight. I just will not do that. Even if the trustees want to do it, that's not going to happen," Cauley said. "People are very suspicious, which is a good thing when you're dealing with government. If they can't be heard and we refer this to the Plan Commission, that is not going to go over well."

The board agreed to delay. Trustee Luke Stifflear suspected 50 to 100 households were probably trying to link to the meeting and could not.

"Is there any way we can send a mass email and say it's been deferred?" he said. "Otherwise, we're going to have people showing up in the next 10 minutes."

Cauley said a mass email could be sent by the next day.

"If they start storming the building, then we'll do something, but I think if we send an email tomorrow, we'll be fine."

The trustees agreed to hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. next Wednesday to consider directing the Plan Commission to study the project, which is proposed by Burr Ridge-based McNaughton Development.

In his earlier report, Cauley said he had received at least 50 emails about the McNaughton project in the last couple of days. They were from residents in the nearby Fullersburg neighborhood, he said.

Cauley promised the village would not rush the review of the development, saying the process would take six to eight months with a number of chances for the public to provide feedback.

"In short, nothing is being done quickly, everything is being done in the open," he said.

The project is being planned for the site of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, which is described as a non-denominational Christian organization. That building would be torn down.

Another developer, Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies, is planning an apartment complex for senior citizens just across Adams Street

The village has determined both developments are too dense, Cauley said. They are coming back with new plans.

According to the village, McNaughton's new plan reduces the total site area, which includes Oak Brook, to 26 acres, from 37 acres. The number of single-family homes has been cut from 46 to 24.