Listen to our safety concerns! Uphold our rights to a full and participatory public open meeting!

Woodridge is hearing an applicant proposal on June 29, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. to re-review the Prairie Ridge Retirement Development plan submitted in March, 2020. Due to current restrictions, the public will not be able to hear AND participate simultaneously in the upcoming specially called meeting. To date, this particular municipal process does not allow for full public opinion and participation. This is a 3-story (51 ft), 130-unit rental building designed for seniors. The applicant is proposing to construct a 178,362 square foot building with 130 independent living apartments, 44 garage and 119 surface parking spaces. The zoning change request modifies the current community commercial/single family residential to multi-family medium density.  This is not a fit use for this location, which has been previously deemed only suitable for single family residential homes. 

In March, 2020, the Woodridge Plan Commission requested that the applicant make several important revisions to their original plan. Two of the most crucial issues directly effecting the health and safety of the neighborhood have not been addressed satisfactorily.

The first issue is increased unmanageable volume and traffic patterns in and out of the site. In current documented public records, at the intersection of 75th Street and Route 53, there have been 375 traffic incidents including but not limited to accidents, DUI’s, speeding, reckless driving. This proposed project will add an estimated 481 car trips per day through the neighborhood. The inability to access the property, in all directions with exception to the north from Route 53, will force traffic to flow through a residential community and impede the safety of pedestrians effecting a public playground, tennis court, and two public school bus stops.

The second issue is the planning commission requested addressing greater preservation of the Remnant Oak habitat in keeping with the spirit of the Woodridge Tree Ordinance. The applicant’s insulting revision actually removed an additional 2 more trees from the almost 9 acres they are completely deforesting on the proposed site.

Stop sub-standard and negligent planning! Help support community safety and by ensuring officials are held accountable and that all new developments have a positive impact to the community.