New Crystal Lake housing development gains city approvals

CRYSTAL LAKE – A new housing development in Crystal Lake is moving right along.

City officials recently approved a final planned unit development amendment and a preliminary plat of subdivision for 319 single-family homes, 105 age-targeted single-family homes and 68 townhomes in the northeast corner of the city.

The neighborhood, named Woodlore Estates, will sit on 310 acres of moderately forested land northeast of the Route 176-Route 31 intersection.

However, a potential hiccup is that with the size of the subdivision, it dips into two elementary school districts – Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 and Prairie Grove Consolidated School District 46.

While all high school students would attend Community High School District 155, districts 47 and 46 would have to mutually agree to have all elementary school students attend one district and redraw district boundaries.

“Based on projections, we’ve estimated 145 children will be added to District 47 and 289 will be added to District 46,” Attorney Lisa Waggoner said on behalf of Lennar Homes.

City officials suggested the development team keep in contact with both elementary districts about redefining district boundaries so all children in Woodlore Estates could attend the same school district.

Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley said that it’s bad for the development and the city when a subdivision is fully within the corporate limits of Crystal Lake but the kids do not attend Crystal Lake schools.

Lennar Homes’ Scott Guerard agreed and said it’s easier for homebuilders to sell houses when the entire community feeds into one school district.

City Council member Ralph Dawson wanted to know if developers would follow through on building a road to access the subdivision from the south via Route 176.

The company has submitted an application to the Illinois Department of Transportation, but it could take up to two years for the road to get approved, Guerard said.

“We want to build this road,” Guerard said Tuesday during a City Council meeting. “We want that road in there just as much as you do.”

Lennar committed to building a road named “Carpathian Drive” to access the site from the south end via Route 176 by September 2020.