Anets Woods is targeted to people downsizing from large family homes to smaller houses with first floor master bedrooms. Image courtesy of Edward James Partners.
NORTHBROOK — A developer who hopes to build 34 $1 million homes for a targeted Northbrook market is up against two groups of residents who want no additional traffic driving on their streets.
Anets Woods, a proposed development by Edward James Partners at the northeast corner of Waukegan and Voltz Roads, may get a vote from the Village Board of Trustees Jan. 12 after a series of hearings by both the Plan Commission and the Planning and Zoning Committee.
Jerry James, president of Edward James Partners, said he is doing his best to strike a balance between residents of Voltz and Lee Roads. Originally the project called for Lee to be extended from its dead end at the northern end of the property through to Voltz.
People on Voltz do not want traffic from Lee Road emptying onto their street and residents on Lee are worried their thoroughfare will become a through route for people heading south as a shortcut from Dundee Road to the commercial areas near Waukegan and Willow Roads, according to Tom Poupard, Northbrook’s director of development and planning services.
“None of the owners want traffic added to their street,” Poupard said.
Enter the idea of an electronic gate. James said Lee road will be extended into the development but there will be a gate that can only be opened by residents or emergency vehicles. Poupard said this will prevent Lee from becoming a through street to Voltz and beyond.
“The residents will have a transponder,” James said. “They and emergency vehicles will be the only ones who can open the gate.”
“This is a bit of a compromise,” Poupard added.
James, who has already cut his plan to build 37 houses to 34 on the 16.02-acre tract, also does not think his target market will add a significant amount of traffic to either street. He said he plans to attract people who want to move from the larger homes they occupied when they were raising their families.
“This is an age-targeted project for people who want to downsize from conventional homes,” James said. “All the homes will have first-floor master bedrooms with two bedrooms upstairs. There will be no basketball hoops in the driveways. There will be a home owners association to handle snow removal and yard maintenance.”
Many of the residents will head for warmer second homes in the winter and will not be making multiple trips to schools and other activities around town, keeping the traffic on both Voltz and Lee less than a development of traditional family houses, according to James.
“There won’t be a cut through,” James said. “The gate will mean less traffic on Lee and Voltz. There won’t be open access. It’s not smart to do.”
The proposed homes will range in size from approximately 2,600 square feet to 3,200 square feet, according to James.