Your action is needed immediately to keep this from happening!

Pulte Homes is taking the next step in their effort to build 84 homes with at least 168 cars that will enter and exit the development ONLY on Purnell Road. They have never listened to the residents and answered the question: Why not have the entrance/exit on Roosevelt Road which is designed to handle heavy traffic?

After hearing the complaints of a multitude of residents, the County forced Pulte to conduct a traffic study. The study proved the residents were correct – Purnell Road is overused and hazardous to you, to me, to our children, our friends, our neighbors and the many others who use it as a short cut between Winfield Road and Route 59. Pulte does not care about the safety of people on Purnell Road; they only care about their own profit.

On Friday, June 12, 2020, West Chicago published the agenda packet for their City Council meeting for Monday, June 15, 2020:

1) To consider and vote on a pre-annexation agreement resulting in Pulte building 84 homes on a parcel zoned for approximately 25 homes and 2) To approve  public utility easement agreements to bring water and sewer to the homes.  The request refers to sewer and water being available from the north side of Garys Mill Road, west of Purnell Road, and briefly and vaguely references “a small portion of the Blackwell Forest Preserve” on the other side of Garys Mill Road. It fails to explain the need to annex or obtain an easement from the Forest Preserve that would allow them to dig up Forest Preserve land and remove about 12 trees resulting, according to a study by the Forest Preserve, the ultimate destruction of up to 300 trees. The Forest Preserve denied the request for this easement in May 2020.

The packet link is provided below for you to see what is planned.  Please take the time to read through it with special attention to pages 1-3, 30, 46 and 58, among others.

Click on Packet City Council below and see what West Chicago and Pulte want:

1. A pre-annexation agreement with Pulte

2.  A resolution approving the final plat of Trillium Farm (note: this plat includes entrance and exit for the development ONLY onto Purnell Road)

3.  A resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into a pre-annexation agreement with Pulte and to sign a public utility easement agreement for private properties on the north side of Gary’s Mill Road

We believe Pulte has conveniently used the COVID restrictions and distractions to quickly and quietly bring this resolution to completion with West Chicago. 

This is your opportunity to appeal to the City of West Chicago to prevent additional traffic and safety hazards on Purnell Road and to require Pulte to do the same by changing their entrance/exit to the development to Roosevelt Road. This is a serious safety issue and Pulte Homes does not care about it. Tell West Chicago that it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of the residents in this area.

Your comments/concerns/objections need to be sent in ASAP and no later than Monday, June 15, by 4 pm.   Use the easy online form below on the West Chicago link to express your opposition.  Attend the meeting virtually using the information below.

Thank you for all your current and past support!  This could be our last chance to voice our opinions to oppose a development that will only bring Purnell Road to a new, more dangerous traffic and safety status with the addition of Trillium Farm with entrances and exits limited to Purnell Road.

City Council – June 15, 2020

JUNE 5, 2020 BY VALERIA PEREZ

06.15.20.Packet.City Council

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, those wishing to attend public meetings of the City Council are welcome to do so at City Hall. You may attend in person to listen to the audio of the meeting, or via teleconference from home or another location on the Zoom app. Downloading Zoom from zoom.us will provide the audio link to the meeting. Anyone wishing to provide comment on a topic or an agenda item, may address the City Council by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. You may do so either by an online form on the City’s website, email to the Deputy City Clerk at aadm@westchicago.org or voicemail message at (630) 293-2205 x135. Your comment to the City Council will be read during the Public Participation portion of the agenda.

Meeting ID: 832 9601 5565

Passcode: 099932

Plus: Letter below – Please email it to County Commissioners today!

After submitting letters upon letters and providing hours of testimony detailing valid concerns to the DuPage County Zoning Board of Appeals, which had the good sense to not approve the Trillium Farm petition, it was shocking for many of us to hear the Development Committee callously sweep all those concerns aside — as well as the concerns expressed by the ZBA.

The memorandum the ZBA sent to the Development Committee cited the fact that the petitioner’s request does not meet ANY of the Seven Standards for Conditional Use, which is supposed to be a requirement for approval of Pulte’s request. The Seven Standards are in place to ensure developments responsibly consider factors including the impact on safety, traffic and property values. The Development Committee has not magically made Pulte’s proposal compliant with the Seven Standards Simply by mandating the development be age-restricted and impeding access to Purnell Road for neighboring homeowners.

This fight comes down to Tuesday’s County Board meeting. We need to show our County Commissioners just how important this vote is to their constituents. Can you be there? Can you bring someone with you? Even if they don’t live in the neighborhood? We need to FILL THE ROOM! Please be there!

DuPage County Board Meeting

Tuesday, February 25, 10 am

421 County Farm Road in Wheaton

Can’t make it? Can make it but willing to do one more thing? Please take just a few minutes to send an email to our County Commissioners an email letting them know you object to the Trillium Farm proposal. Send your email to sally.karner@dupageco.org with your letter addressed to the County Commissioners and it will be distributed to all County Commissioners. Easy!

Not sure what to write? We’ll make it even easier! Copy and paste this into your email:

Subject: Concerns Regarding Petition #Z19-062

Dear County Commissioners,

February 24, 2020

Re: Zoning Petition # Z19-062

Dear County Commissioners,

I’m reaching out to you today because I am concerned about the Trillium Farm development proposed by Pulte Homes, Petition #Z19-062.

As you are likely aware, the Zoning Board of Appeals determined the petitioner’s request failed to meet any of the Seven Standard for Conditional Use. Compliance with the Seven Standards is supposed to be a requirement for approval of the petition, yet the Development Committee recommended approval despite the ZBA’s troubling finding. Mandating an age restriction and implementing a few turn restrictions does not make the petition compliant with each of the Seven Standards it has previously been found to have failed.

Additionally, it is important to note that the traffic “calming” measures the Development Committee mandated as part of their recommendation will have a substantial negative impact on existing homeowners in the area. The traffic engineers hired by Pulte Homes to dream up such “calming” measures took no consideration for existing homeowners into account when producing their recommendations. These recommendations will re-route homeowners for miles around already heavily congested intersections, making drive times 7-8 times longer than necessary! How is this “calming” traffic? This is merely dispersing it to other already congested areas and prolonging the painful commutes of the couple hundred residents who live off of Purnell Road.

Additionally, this zoning variance is a glaring departure from the current R-2 single family zoning that exists for this parcel. This zoning, with its large lot sizes and abundant green space, is the reason we chose to live in this area. Introducing this kind of density will have a negative impact on the values of the surrounding real estate.

This parcel does not require a Conditional Use in order to be developed. It can be developed with its existing R-2 single family zoning. While this may not be as profitable for Pulte Homes, I believe our DuPage County representatives are here to represent me and my neighbors above the interests of a company that wants only to build and sell its homes and leave us behind as quickly as possible.

According to Pulte representatives, the seller has withheld the portion of the land along Roosevelt Road with the intention of selling it for commercial or retail use. Selling a small portion of that part of the property to Pulte to allow an ingress/egress along Roosevelt Road would greatly reduce the impact of the development on Purnell Road. While this may not be the first choice of the seller and Pulte, this is an easy option that you could mandate as part of any approval in the best interest of safety and quality of life for your constituents.

Thank you for your time and consideration of how this development, in its current form, will impact its neighbors along Purnell Road.

Sincerely,

<Sign with your name and address>

Send your email to sally.karner@dupageco.org today!

Many thanks to all who attended the Zoning Board of Appeals meetings over the last few months to support the efforts to stop the Trillium Farm development in its current form. As you may have heard, The Zoning Board of Appeals voted 6 to 1 against the proposal, citing the same safety concerns that were raised by so many of our neighbors which was rewarding. They heard us!

While an important victory, this is only one step in the process. The next step is for the matter to go before the Development Committee of the County Board on Tuesday, February 18  at 10:30 am. This meeting will be held at 421 N. County Farm Road, Room 3500B, in Wheaton. Your presence at any meeting on this subject is always a good idea, as it shows our elected officials that this issue is of high importance to a large number of the voting public. However, if it is not entirely easy for you to make yourself available on a Tuesday morning, I’d suggest you reserve the effort for the County Board meeting on Tuesday, February 25 at 10 am, which is when we really need to show the full County Board just how strongly their constituents feel about this matter. We need to fill every possible seat for this meeting! Please join us and bring a friend! Let’s make sure the County Board members hear us also!

Join us:

• Development Committee meeting: Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 10:30 am, Room 3500B
• DuPage County Board meeting: Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 10 am
• Both meetings held at: 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton

Thank you to those who were able to attend the latest Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on Thursday, December 19 to discuss the proposed Trillium Farm development.

The meeting kicked off with a review of the traffic study conducted by Pulte Homes, during which Pulte representatives and their engineer emphasized that while excessive traffic conditions currently exist on Purnell Road and particularly at Purnell and Winfield Road, those conditions will not be exacerbated by the addition of Trillium Farm. Essentially, they argue that the traffic generated by Trillium Farm is a drop in the bucket compared to the volume of cut through traffic that utilizes Purnell Road everyday.

After a brief question and answer session between the board and the applicant, the meeting was opened to comments from the public. The first public comment was made by Vicki Weyer, vice president of the West-Win Homeowners Association. As representative of more than 650 homeowners neighboring the proposed development, Ms. Weyer requested a continuance of the meeting so the association could have more time to review the documentation that had only recently been made available to them, including the traffic study, the transcript of the November 14 meeting and the exhibits referenced in the transcript.

This request for continuance was granted by Chairman Kartholl, and the next meeting date was later set for Thursday, January 30th at 6 pm.

Please note that Chairman Kartholl strictly enforced his decision to not allow those who have already spoken to address the board again, even if speaking on new evidence. If you did not speak at the November 14 or December 19 meeting, January 30 will be a great opportunity to make your voice heard.

Don’t wish to speak? No problem! There are two other ways you can support this effort:

First, attend the January 30th meeting. Your physical presence sends a powerful message to the board members.

Second, please send a letter to the board members and county commissioners. You can write your own or find a sample letter here:

https://stoptrilliumfarm.com/sample-letters/

Thank you for your continued support of this effort! Please mark Thursday, January 30th on your calendar.

The goal of this website is to share information with neighbors who are concerned about the proposed Trillium Farm development. With this in mind, today’s post shares two documents that recently became available.

A Freedom of Information Act request was filed in order to obtain a transcript of the November 14, 2019 Zoning Board Meeting. Those who are interested in reviewing the transcript can download a copy here:

According to the following information obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, there were 81 traffic accidents on or at intersections with Purnell Road and Garys Mill (between Roosevelt Road and Route 59) between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2018. You can download a copy of the report here:

We hope to see you at the next Zoning Board of Appeals meeting tomorrow, Thursday, December 19 at 6 pm, 421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton.

The traffic study of Purnell Road has been completed by KLOA and submitted to DuPage County. You can access the full report here:

The most telling information within the report is arguably found on pages 13-14. Here the Level of Service (LOS) and Delay are calculated at various intersections. The most substantial impact to traffic is predicted for the intersection of Purnell Road and Winfield Road. In the report, the information is broken up between three tables:

• One for existing conditions
• One for existing plus predicted Trillium Farm conditions
• One for the year 2025 predicted conditions

In an effort to compare the results for each of these time frames side-by-side and illustrate the related increases, we have used this data to create the following tables:

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Are you concerned about intersection wait times increasing 25% to 78% over the next five years?

If so, please join us at the next Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on Thursday, December 19 at 6 pm, 421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton.

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Following are the tables produced by KLOA found on pages 13 and 14 that were used to create the side-by-side view above.

Two traffic monitoring devices have been installed along Purnell Road. The first is across from the entrance to Verdun Drive, and the second is closer to Winfield Road, also on the north side of the street.

The devices were installed by KLOA (Kenig, Lindgren, O’Hara, Aboona, Inc.), the company contracted by Pulte Homes to conduct the monitoring as mandated by the Zoning Board.

It’s unclear why there are only two monitors at this time, since Pulte is responsible for producing a traffic study for the full length of Purnell Road. Perhaps KLOA only has two monitors available, and these devices will be relocated in the coming days to different points along the road.

The Zoning Board Chairman did not mandate that Pulte Homes include the intersections of Garys Mill and Route 59 or Garys Mill and Roosevelt Road in the study, though since they are less than a mile from the site, perhaps those will be included as well.

According to James Stran, liason to the Zoning Board, the traffic study should be available approximately 7-10 days before the December 19 Zoning Board meeting. As we near this timeline, we’ll be reaching out to Mr. Stran to request a copy of the report and will post it to the website as quickly as possible.

Again, if you haven’t already, please mark your calendar for Thursday, December 19 at 6 pm to attend the next Zoning Board meeting on this topic. Those who spoke at the last meeting will not be allowed to speak again, so we need new speakers!

Pulte Homes is counting on “meeting fatigue” among concerned neighbors. The more meetings are held, the fewer neighbors show up to voice their concerns. Don’t let this be the case!

Sincere thanks to all those who attended the November 14 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting in opposition to the proposed Trillium Farm development by Pulte Homes. These voices were critical in obtaining a small victory for our cause.

As a result of the comments and concerns shared by neighbors at the meeting, the Zoning Board is requiring Pulte Homes to complete a traffic study for Purnell Road. The Zoning Board Chairman also specified that the study needs to include the intersection of Winfield Road and Purnell Road, despite a protest by Pulte Homes that the intersection is slightly beyond the typical one-mile range of an impact study.

Following is a link to an article that ran in print and online in the Daily Herald about the November Zoning Meeting: https://www.dailyherald.com/business/20191115/neighbors-oppose-proposed-subdivision-near-west-chicago

In order to allow time for Pulte Homes to conduct the traffic study, consideration of the proposal has been scheduled for Thursday, December 19 at 6 pm. The Zoning Board anticipates receiving the results of the traffic study approximately a week to ten days before the meeting. We’ll be sure to post the results here as soon as the study is made available to the public.

Importantly, the Zoning Board Chairman indicated that since December 19 will essentially be a continuation of the November 14 meeting, those who spoke in November will not be allowed to speak at the December meeting. So if you did not comment at the November meeting, your neighbors would very much appreciate your attendance and comments at the upcoming meeting! Look at the difference it made when neighbors spoke at the last meeting!

If you’re wondering why Pulte Homes is completing the traffic study instead of the county or a neutral party, the Zoning Board Chairman explained that the county does not conduct traffic studies. Rather the petitioner, in this case Pulte Homes, is responsible for this task.

Some may question the impartiality of a traffic study conducted by a third-party contractor that Pulte Homes keeps “on retainer.” Unfortunately, ensuring a neutral opinion does not seem to be a requirement of this process.

Please mark your calendar for December 19 at 6 pm. We hope to see you there!

We hope to see you at the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on Thursday at 6 pm, 421 N. County Farm Road, Room 3500B, Wheaton.

We hope that many of our neighbors will comment at the Zoning Board meeting to ensure the Board members hear and understand that many of their constituents would be negatively impacted by an approval of the zoning variances requested by Pulte Homes.

As you prepare your comments for the meeting, please take advantage of the resources provided on this website. The following pages should prove helpful:

1.) We have created a page dedicated to outlining the traffic concerns related to Purnell and adjacent roads. You can find this detail here: https://stoptrilliumfarm.com/traffic-issues/

2.) Density is an aspect of the zoning variances that the Zoning Board must consider. You can find detail about how Pulte’s requested density is incompatible with existing neighborhoods here: https://stoptrilliumfarm.com/incompatible-density/

3.) The zoning variances requested are significant. In some cases, Pulte has requested 100% reduction in setback requirements. And they are requesting to reduce the minimum lot size by 83%, from 40,000 square feet to just 6,900. You can find detail about the variances they are requesting here: https://stoptrilliumfarm.com/zoning-exceptions-requested/

Lastly, following are some helpful tips for those who will be commenting at the meeting:

• At the Zoning Board meeting, locate the signup sheet and write your name down so that you can speak at the time public comment is allowed.

• Speak into the microphone, but address your comments to the board members, rather than to the gathered audience. When you make eye contact, make eye contact with the board members.

• Share your name and address at the beginning of your comments.

• Prepare your comments in advance to ensure you stay on point. The board members can grow impatient quickly. Feel free to take messaging points from this website to draft your comments.

• Outline your concerns about the development in a letter to the Zoning Board. Write: “Zoning Petition Z19-062 Trillium Company” at the top of your letter. It’s fine to read your letter as your statement, you do not need to memorize it or speak impromptu.

• It is not necessary to make a lengthy statement. A short, simple message can be very effective. The most important thing is for the board members to see and hear that many of their voters are concerned about this development.

• Talk about how approval of the zoning variances will personally affect you, which can help the Zoning Board members understand and relate to your concerns.

• Speak slowly. We often speed up our rate of speech if we’re uncomfortable with public speaking. But your message will have more impact if you are able to maintain a standard rate of speech.

• At the close of your comments, sincerely thank the board members for their time and consideration to this important issue.

• Remember, the overwhelming majority of meeting attendees will be supporting your every word. Try not to be nervous, you’ll have a great deal of support and friendly faces in the group.

• When you have finished speaking, hand the Zoning Board members a copy of your letter and request that it be made part of the record of the meeting.

Note: It is true that the comments you share at the Zoning Board meeting is presumably faithfully recorded and becomes part of the record. But it is unclear to what extent the Board members review the transcript of the meeting before making decisions. Hard copy submissions of your comments have a greater likelihood of standing out as Board members review the application.

Thank you to those who plan to speak at the Zoning Board meeting. It is very important that our concerns are heard, and your voice can help us all!

The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting is one week from today: Thursday, November 16 at 6 pm, 421 N. County Farm Road, Room 3500B, in Wheaton.

We’re adding new content to the website as new information is gathered or becomes available. Following is information about our latest updates:

While traffic is a critical concern of homeowners boarding neighborhoods along Purnell Road, the Zoning Board of Appeals may be reluctant to consider this issue and instead refer it to the Department of Transportation for review.

Among the key issues the Zoning Board WILL consider are the zoning exceptions requested by Pulte Homes and the density of the project, which are out of character with the rest of the homes and neighborhoods along Purnell Road.

The zoning exceptions requested by Pulte Homes range from a 17% reduction in lot size to 100% reductions. Read more about the requested exceptions here: https://stoptrilliumfarm.com/zoning-exceptions-requested/

The density of the proposed subdivision is nearly 2.5 homes per acre. This compares with the zoning requirement of 1.08 homes per acre and neighboring residences along Purnell Road that average less than one home per acre. Read about the incompatible density of the project here: https://stoptrilliumfarm.com/incompatible-density/

Thank you for your interest in this issue. If you have information to share, please feel free to email Contact@StopTrilliumFarm.com.