A developer who creates single-story apartment homes is looking into the possibility of building in Prairie Grove.

Redwood Living Inc. recently presented a proposal to the Village Board to build 187 single-story apartments on about 38 acres of unincorporated McHenry County land at 5004 Edgewood Road west of Route 31. The company builds and manages properties in other northern Illinois towns including Volo, Crystal Lake and Fox River Grove.

Redwood Acquisitions Vice President Kellie Mclvor first floated the idea to the board in July. Since then, she came back with a few adjustments, including dropping the total amount of units by 10 and increasing a landscape buffer to the west by 20 feet. The layout was changed to smaller buildings with no more than four units per building and moved to preserve existing trees, Mclvor said.

The single-story apartments each have an attached garage and vary from one to three bedrooms and bathrooms. About 70% of Redwood residents are “empty nesters,” with an average age of 51, according to village documents.

No vote was taken on the preliminary presentation, but Trustee Megan Behm said she is not in favor of the project.

Redwood’s next step would be to propose the land to be annexed into the village, Mclvor said.

Resident and Planning and Zoning Commissioner Jim Hicks raised concerns over increased traffic, impacts on wildlife and property values. He said his comments were representing five neighboring subdivisions that all have larger lot and home sizes.

“We would like to preserve the integrity of the area,” he said. “I think you can see that the density is a major factor, not only with traffic, but with the quality of life and preserving the integrity of the environment and the area around it.”

Nearby, just east of Route 31, another mixed-use housing complex with a total of 230 units was approved by the village last month in a 4-1 vote with one abstention. Lennar Corp.will construct 112 single-family homes and 23 townhome buildings containing 118 units on 80 acres called Walnut Hollow. The addition could increase the population of Prairie Grove by more than 10%, which the U.S. Census estimated at fewer than 2,000 residents in 2023.

Two other Redwood developments were recently created in Crystal Lake and Fox River Grove. Redwood Crystal Lake, located at 1036 Laceflower Drive, finished the first of three construction phases with 124 apartment homes earlier this year. In total, 305 apartments are planned, and the timing of the other two phases will be announced at a later date, Redwood Vice President Taylor Haley said.

Fox River Grove’s 100-unit development, located at 205 Trillium Drive off Route 22, saw its first residents move in earlier this year.