Homer Township plan for senior housing ignites open-space battle
A group of residents plan to object to a 55-year-old and older community being proposed on Homer Township-owned land at a workshop later this month in Homer Glen.
Some residents said the 40 acres of land, just west of Bell Road near the existing Homer Township Founders Crossing senior housing community, was designated as open space more than 20 years ago and should remain undeveloped.
Last month, Homer Township officials announced they want to work with Homer Glen officials and developer John LaFlamboy of Midwest Property Development to build Autumn Ridge, consisting of 93 single-family homes and 20 duplex buildings on the Welter Farm property, which was bought by the township for $2 million in 2001.
Before Homer Glen had incorporated as a village, Homer Township voters in April 1999 approved a referendum to issue $8 million in bonds to buy areas across the township as part of its open space plan. About 65% of residents approved the bond sale.
To date, the township has purchased about 200 acres, many of which continues to be farmed.
“In light of rapid residential growth it is important to set aside open land that can be preserved for all residents, wildlife, and nature alike,” the township’s website said.
Some residents said they have been blindsided by a potential development and plan to take their concerns to the Homer Glen Village Board on May 25. The land is within village boundaries, which would have to approve any development. The township board voted in April to move forward with the project.
“A lot of people worked very long hours and very long days to get this on the ballot,” resident Stan Wolak said. “Voters voted for open space. They passed bonds for this. We voted for one reason only, to stop development and preserve open space in Homer Township.”
Wolak said the land belongs to all the people of the township and to use it for homes feels as if those residents are subsidizing a developer. If the township were to purchase a vacant 40 acres at today’s prices, it would cost several times as much, he said.
Once homes are built, the open space is lost, Wolak said.
“It’s such a beautiful piece of land,” he said. “There’s no replacing it. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
Mike Campabello said residents are not against having a 55-year-old and older community, but they are against having the development built on open space land.
“The people should have a right to vote on what happens to this property,” Campabello said. “If they want to go through with a development, let’s put a referendum back on the books.”
Resident Keith Gray, a former Homer Glen trustee, said when residents protest potential developments to the Village Board, that land is owned by a developer who has a right to develop the land within village ordinances. This land, however, is owned by the people, he said.
“You are taking what is essentially community owned land and developing it,” Gray said. “To me that is wrong. We did, as a community, buy the land. We put it in a lock box and thought it was open and protected.”
A referendum is always a hard sell to the community, and the results should be respected, Gray said.
Nearby residents also said they are concerned with reduced property values, cut-through traffic and potential for flooding because some of the open space is on a flood plain.
“We as taxpayers paid for that land 20 years ago,” resident Debbie Laskowski said. “To me what they are trying to do is egregious.”
Township officials, however, said they believe the proposal would be a win for area businesses, taxing bodies and senior citizens.
Homer Township Supervisor Steve Balich said the property taxes from Autumn Ridge could generate about $407,000 for Homer Elementary District 33C and about $190,000 for Lockport High School District 205 without burdening the school system with more students. Businesses would also appreciate more rooftops in the community, he said.
Senior citizens in Homer Township are in need of affordable housing, Balich said. There are about 440 people on the waiting list to live in the Homer Township Founders Crossing senior housing community, which has 30 homes, Balich said. An estimated 10,000 seniors live in the township, and many of them would like to downsize to a smaller home with cheaper property taxes while still being close to family and friends, he said.
“The township is required by statute to take care of seniors,” Balich said. “To me, this project will help the seniors.”
Balich said Homer Glen zoned the land from agricultural to residential in 2002.
At a special town meeting last fall, the electors approved transferring six township-owned parks and sports fields to the village of Homer Glen and approved the township board to purchase, sell or lease township property. The 55-yearold community was not yet known at the time, Balich said.
Township officials said their legal teams do not believe the development is breaking any open space laws or ordinances. The township’s open space program also states it can be used to promote orderly suburban development using the township’s land use plan, Balich said.
Balich said rumors circulating on social media that the project is low income or Section 8 housing are false. He said each home would be about 1,200 or 1,300 square feet and start at $250,000.
Township Trustee Mike Bonomo said the new subdivision would benefit businesses in town and contribute to the tax rolls. More revenue would flow into village coffers through more sales and gas taxes, he said.
While there will always be some opposition, Bonomo said the township board has to think of all residents.
A workshop is planned for the Homer Glen Village Board meeting a 7 p.m. May 25, at Village Hall, 14240 W. 151st St.
Homer Glen Mayor George Yukich said the village has not received official plans for the project, but when it does, it would go through the same process as other potential developments.