Zoning commissioners gave a positive recommendation to a proposed mixed-use luxury community in Cary – despite resident concerns over a road extension that would connect a neighborhood street to Route 31.

The proposal, called Seasons at Cary, includes almost 5 acres of commercial space and 360 units of what’s been described as luxury rental housing with a pool house, pickleball courts and other amenities. It would be located on the Damisch Farm property, which is east of Route 31, south of the Walmart Supercenter in Crystal Lake and north of Hoffman Park.

Cary’s Zoning, Planning and Appeals Commission gave a unanimous recommendation for the plan Thursday. The Village Board is expected to cast the final vote on the project on Oct. 7.

Milwaukee-based Fiduciary Real Estate Development returned for a continuation from the first meeting in July, which was paused after it went longer than three hours. Thursday’s meeting also was lengthy, with over two hours of public comments from residents. Those comments echoed similar concerns from the previous meeting on traffic, safety, property values and the recent influx of rental units in the village.

Resident from the neighboring Cambria subdivision have been pushing back against the development, specifically opposing the northern access point that would extend New Haven Drive west to Route 31 with a full intersection. Opponents have said that it would disrupt their community.

Commissioners included in their recommendation a stipulation that would allow only traffic exiting from the existing Cambria neighborhood onto the new extension road but not allow traffic in, with the exception of emergency vehicles. In other words, the “uni-directional” road would connect to the subdivision through westbound traffic only.

“Sometimes compromises have to be made,” Zoning Chairman Patrick Khoury said. “It’s not a perfect situation, but I think it’s the best we could do under the circumstances.”

Developers came back with a market value report and an updated traffic study that looked closer into the effects of the proposed New Haven Road extension. Both studies found that there would be no substantial negative effects on the community.

But residents were still left with uncertainties.

“Why would you destroy the safety, the serenity and the sanctity of our neighborhood, just to appease a developer? I don’t understand it,” resident Chris Negoda said. “There is no reason to destroy our neighborhood for this.”

Civil engineering company KLOA, which performed the traffic study, estimates about 900 cars coming east from the property line and about 2,200 cars coming from Georgetown Drive if the road is westbound only.

KLOA Principal Luay Aboona provided studies that despite the road extension being a shorter distance, it would take longer than taking the traditional routes of Three Oaks Road and Route 31 to get around the area.

“Cars on Three Oaks Road, the likelihood of them diverting to use this connection is very low,” he said.

Residents took issue with that, saying drivers will take any route to avoid the major roads and the nearby railroad tracks that cross Three Oaks Road.

“I would like to know how it was determined how many cars would actually use this route if they had the option to. I don’t see how anyone could predict that,” resident Karen Hedberg said. “It seemed to be more of an opinion.”

The proposed traffic light at New Haven Drive and Route 31 is pending approval by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Even if one-way, a traffic light still may be warranted depending how much traffic the new access point generates, Aboona said.

Khoury found safety issues with the access point allowing left turns onto Route 31 without a traffic light.

In order to address safety concerns on New Haven Drive, the village can add “traffic calming measures” like raised sidewalks, speed tables, speed radar signs, pavement markings and raised medians, Community Development Director Brian Simmons said.

The market value study analyzed three nearby Crystal Lake townhomes to conclude that there wouldn’t be any negative impacts on value. Residents criticized the little data behind the study that only evaluated townhomes.

Khoury also said it still is unclear how homes that were once in a cul-de-sac and now on a through road would be affected.

But, the final say – even for how the New Haven Road extension shapes out to be – ends with the Village Board.

“You have to fight this at that level because that’s who makes the final decision on this,” Commissioner Frank O’Laughlin said.