The Cary Village Board is set to give its final word on a proposed mixed-use luxury housing community Tuesday that has left many residents concerned over a road extension that would connect a neighborhood street to Route 31.
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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.
Residents from the neighboring Cambria subdivision have been pushing back against the development, specifically 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, increase traffic on residential roads, increase road maintenance and potentially reduce property values.
Cary’s Zoning, Planning and Appeals Commission gave an unanimous recommendation for the plan last month, with 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.”
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In order to address safety concerns on New Haven Drive, the village can add “traffic calming measures” such as raised sidewalks, speed tables, speed radar signs, pavement markings and raised medians, Community Development Director Brian Simmons said.
Despite the zoning commissioners attempt to find a middle ground, many residents continue to oppose the road extension. A group of community members along Cimarron Drive started an online petition at stoprt31.com. Over the months, they’ve gathered “hundreds of signatures,” sent more than 1,500 emails and put up roads signs and billboard ads, according to the website.
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The online petitioners plan to picket with signs, starting at 5:30 p.m. before the Village Board meeting, which is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Cary Municipal Center,755 Georgetown Drive.
“If we don’t stop this now, our lives will be forever changed,” the petitioners said on the website.