Moises Cukierman of ILM Homes presents a 50-acre residential development to the Homer Glen Village Board on Thursday. (Michelle Mullins / Daily Southtown)
Homer Glen Village Board members were more enthusiastic about a potential new 50-acre residential development after the developer made modifications to the plan based on their suggestions.
ILM Homes, Inc. wants to build 114 single-family homes at 14500 W. 159th St. The homes would range in size from about 2,000 to 3,000 square feet and initial sale prices would be about $450,000.
ILM Homes, Inc. designed traditional, farmhouse and Scandinavian-style homes exclusive for the new community, its president Moises Cukierman said. The development would also consist of a 5.2 acre detention area, a 3-acre park, a 0.8 acre dog park and a landscaped buffer to shield the homes from the traffic on 159th Street.
Cukierman brought his development ideas before the Homer Glen Village Board in September and again in January. During those meetings, ILM Homes proposed a mixed-use development that included duplexes and town houses as well as land set aside for commercial development.
Trustees and residents said the project was too dense and were concern about the negative impact to property values of nearby homes in Glenview Walk, some of which are upward of $650,000. The price point of the town houses was around $320,000. Others expressed concerns about potential overcrowding of area schools.
ILM Homes proposes several new designs for housing for a 50-acre residential development. (Village of Homer Glen)
The Village Board listened Thursday to the developer’s updated plans, which eliminated the town houses and commercial area and raised the price to be in-line with the neighboring subdivision.
The board offered its comments to the developer before the formal review process starts. No vote was taken.
Trustee Rose Reynders commended Cukierman for continuing to modify the project, and said homes are in demand in Homer Glen.
“We need some houses, we need some rooftops,” she said.
Mayor George Yukich said he liked the concept, but preferred the commercial area would have stayed.
Melissa King, director of planning and zoning, said nearby residents were possibly more in favor of the design and liked the dog park, but residents were still concerned about increased traffic and felt the homes were still not comparable to those in the area. Residents also want the land to remain agriculture open space, she said.
Trustee Jennifer Consolino said she felt the developer was moving in the right direction.
The board also approved hiring KDX Forensic Consulting to do a handwriting analysis on the liquor license application for Homer Fest after Yukich claimed his initials were signed on the document without his knowledge or permission.
A Will County sheriff’s office investigation into the allegations is ongoing, Lt. Jeff Taylor told the Village Board Thursday.
Kevin Kulbacki, the CEO of KDX Forensic Consulting, is a handwriting expert with more than nine years of forensic document examination. The village will pay a retainer of $3,200 for his services, which should take a couple weeks, officials said.
Reynders said several residents have inquired about the allegations and have asked about the outcome.
“I think we really need to move forward with this and put this issue to rest,” Reynders said.
The handwriting analyst wants to compare the original document filed with the Illinois Liquor Control Commission with the mayor’s other signatures to determine if there someone else signed it, legislative counsel Cary Horvath said. The Village Board would need to decide the next steps, he said.
The board voted 5-0 to hire the handwriting analyst. Yukich, who typically only votes in the event of a tie, asked to also vote yes.
The board also plan a groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 5 for the veterans memorial at Heritage Park.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.