Plan calls for big changes around Buffalo Grove train station
The neighborhood surrounding the Prairie View Metra station on Buffalo Grove's north side is in store for a significantly new look, under a plan presented to village officials Monday.
The 96-page Prairie View Metra Station Area Plan provides the village with a long-term road map for how leaders should encourage and incorporate new development on 128 acres around the station at 2701 Main St., just north of Half Day Road.
Village trustees could vote to adopt the plan as early as April 15.
The proposal divides the 128 acres into three subareas, each with a different development plan.
The north area, bordered by Port Clinton and Prairie roads and including the 40-acre Stancliff property, would include single-family homes and townhouses clustered around more than 12 acres of park space.
The central area would be a "mixed-use neighborhood center" featuring single-family homes, townhouses and multifamily housing above commercial properties. It could include a gateway and a neighborhood center with plazas, parks, activities, farmers markets and concerts.
Historical character would be retained by preserving structures such as the Vernon American Legion Post 1247 building, as well as incorporating historical architectural elements into new development.
The south subarea, around Prairie Road south of Half Day Road, would include townhouses and a mixed-use building with first-floor shops below multifamily housing overlooking a plaza.
Nicole Woods, principal planner for the village, said the plan's goal is to create a walkable, sustainable mixed-use neighborhood that incorporates historical character. It came together after months of planning and a pair of public open houses at which residents and others offered feedback.
"Community engagement was pivotal to this project," Woods said. "Over 250 community members have participated in the plan."
The plan also includes 18 recommendations for how the village should move forward. They include: Encourage annexation of unincorporated land within the plan area; offer economic incentives to spur development; support an improved road network; target retail and restaurant opportunities; create a unified streetscape design; and improve access for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Trustee Joanne Johnson said she was impressed by how the plan incorporates the input of residents who attended the open houses.
"You captured it exactly the way people had spoken," she said. "It was like their wishes came to life on paper."