Hawthorn Woods gas station, car wash plan on shaky ground
A proposal for a gasoline station and car wash at the northeast corner of Route 22 and Quentin Road in Hawthorn Woods has landed on shaky ground after a village advisory panel's review.
Toward the end of a nearly five-hour meeting late Tuesday, the Hawthorn Woods planning, building and zoning commission set five conditions for giving a thumbs-up to what was presented as an idea to build those businesses and 39 single-family houses.
One condition for the development team headed by Foxford Communities is to abide by a 2010 agreement governing commercial use of the undeveloped 72 acres at the northeast corner of the intersection that prohibits gas stations. Foxford would need village board approval for a special-use permit for the gas station and car wash proposed for four acres of the overall site.
Hawthorn Woods Director of Community Development Michael Cassata said the recommendation to approve the proposal with the conditions is expected to go before the village board Monday, June 20. The board, which wouldn't be bound by the advisory panel's recommendation, gets the final say on issues.
Tim Kellogg, a property consultant with Hinsdale-based Foxford, said the project team intends to evaluate the plan based on the recommended conditions for what would be the third phase of the Hawthorn Trails subdivision.
“We'll go back and talk about it internally,” Kellogg said after Tuesday's session. “This fresh after a meeting, we don't make decisions.”
Commission members also recommended the 39 single-family homes be constructed on a minium of 12,000-square-foot lots to match Hawthorn Trails' existing homes. Icon Building Group of Algonquin wants to offer clustered single-family houses of 4,590 and 3,254 square feet.
Icon owner Charlie Murphy said the houses would mostly occupy the lots to mimic an urban setting, complete with a concrete alley.
Planning, building and zoning commission Chairman Jim Kaiser expressed doubt to Murphy about the cluster-home plan's merits.
“The homes you are proposing are $500,000 and right next to a gas station?” said Kaiser, who drew applause from about 50 residents opposing the development at Tuesday's session.
Many opponents were from Hawthorn Trails, which is across the street from Mariano's Fresh Market on the northwest corner of Quentin and Route 22 in Lake Zurich. Their concerns include added traffic, noise and groundwater contamination from the gas station and car wash.
Kildeer Chief Village Officer Michael Talbett also expressed objections to the proposal on behalf of his neighboring town. He told the Hawthorn Woods panel the land should be reserved for Hawthorn Woods' typical large-lot, high-end residential development.
“It's not a case that this is the only possible use for this land,” Talbett said of Foxford's proposal.