PLAINFIELD, IL — Plainfield trustees are in favor of a townhome development proposed off downtown Plainfield.

During Monday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, the Village Board discussed a concept plan for the Fairfield Ridge Townhomes, proposed to be built on 2.1 acres of land on the west side of Van Dyke Road north of Soldier Drive.

The concept plan process allows the Plan Commission and Village Board to share input on a proposed development early in the process to help determine if there is support for the project to move forward.

The proposal from AP Homes details 18 houses in two four-unit buildings and two five-unit buildings, for an average of about nine dwelling units per acre. Home features include oversized garages and main-level decks, and the end units will have the primary bedroom on the first floor and opportunities for a deck on the roof.

The price point would be in the half-million-dollar range, according to Anthony Pasquinelli, owner of AP Homes.

“I’m going to consider [the properties] to be luxury townhomes, a very unique opportunity to have an in-town living situation, somewhat of an urban concept,” Pasquinelli said at the meeting.

Pasquinelli has built about 70 homes in the Springbank development and about 25 in the King’s Bridge Estates neighborhood. He’s also been involved with the Kings Crossing and Fairfield Ridge subdivisions.

Director of Planning Jonathan Proulx wrote in a concept plan that the townhome use is “compatible with the range of residential housing types in the area.” Nearby residential areas include Fairfield Ridge and its neo-traditional and compact single-family homes; Patriot Square, with single-family attached townhomes; the Sixteen30 apartment development; and American Home, an independent living facility for seniors.

Village Board Reactions

Mayor John Argoudelis commented on the price point, asking if the development could have mixed price points to appeal to a broader audience. With the price factoring in higher-quality materials and upgrades, Pasquinelli said he “would certainly be happy to look to see if there’s an opportunity to find some way to bring down the cost, on at least some of the units.”

Trustee Richard Kiefer said he likes the concept and complimented its features.

“I understand the mayor’s point about price points,” he said, “but for this location, I think it’s in line with what you’d want to see at kind of a gateway to the downtown.”

Patricia Kalkanis also spoke in favor of the development, saying it’s what residents have been asking for.

“This has been one of the issues that a lot of people have had, that they could go toss away $3,000 on a two-bedroom rental, or they can spend $3,000 on a property they can own,” she said. “What you’re proposing is more or less an affluent property project that is intended to drive the extension of the downtown, and that has been one of the points across probably every member of this Board … to expand the urban core of the downtown Plainfield.”

Kalkanis added, “I have to hand it to you. I don’t tend to like a lot of residential developments that come before us off the bat — I tend to pick them apart — and I think you did a darn good job.”

Tom Ruane said he agreed with Kiefer and Kalkanis, complimented the storage options, and said the “architecture is fantastic; it’s complimentary to what’s downtown.”

Brian Wojowski also said he likes the idea, “particularly the location. It does give some walkability to downtown, which I think is important.”

Margie Bonuchi echoed the previous trustees’ comments.

“I think it has a lot of possibilities,” Bonuchi said. “I think it fits where it’s supposed to be over there. I think the idea of what we always envisioned over in that area is exactly this, to be able to the density of the downtown in a positive way.”

Current Land Use

Proulx said the concept plan “reflects a creative and innovative proposed use of the subject site,” which has been vacant for almost 20 years. The development is consistent with the “Mixed Use” future land use designation in the village’s Comprehensive Plan, according to Proulx.

The site is currently zoned B-5 Traditional Business District, which does not support townhouses. Staff recommend the site be rezoned to R-3 to correspond with Fairfield Ridge’s residential zoning.

“I think it just improves the stock of housing in town by putting this there bc I don’t see a massive commercial development going down that road at this point,” Wojowski commented at the meeting.

The parcel was platted as part of the Fairfield Ridge subdivision and was previously approved for a four-building commercial condominium project that didn’t move forward.

“Although a previous plan for small-scale office development was approved, the project did not move forward and staff submits that there is very limited demand for commercial uses at this location,” Proulx wrote.

The Plan Commission discussed the project at its Feb. 4 meeting and was unanimously supportive.