Help Save the Highlands

The purpose of this petition is to prevent the rezoning of 1001 South Washington Street from Office, Commercial and Institutional District (OCI) to Neighborhood Convenience Shopping Center District (B1). Rezoning to B1 will allow the developer to install intensive business uses such as coffee shops and fast food restaurants that are not allowed under OCI zoning. The subject property was previously occupied by PNC Bank until it was purchased by Tartan Realty in November 2018. The existing bank building was demolished starting in March 2019 and development plans requesting rezoning from OCI to B1 were submitted to the City of Naperville in April of 2019.

The development plan submitted in April included a coffee shop (Starbucks-with a high volume drive thru) in the building closest to Washington Street and restaurants in Buildings B and C along with additional retail and office space. The adjacent neighbors expressed concerns to the developer about the entrance on Sycamore Drive. The primary concerns revolved around traffic and safety issues for the surrounding neighborhood. The proposed development will lead to a substantial traffic increase on adjacent roads including Sycamore Drive and Catalpa Lane. These neighborhood roads are not designed to handle the heavy traffic generated by businesses associated with B1 zoning. Upon investigation, no other Starbucks in Naperville has an immediate entrance on a residential road similar to Sycamore Drive. Additionally, the proposed entrance is directly aligned with an existing residential driveway. During peak use of this development, the two adjacent roads of Washington Street and Gartner Road both back up beyond the boundaries of the property. The Sycamore Drive entrance will see significant use as this road does not experience high volumes of traffic during peak times and will be used as a cut through. This is especially concerning as Sycamore Drive is currently used by Elmwood Elementary School for carline and students cross the road at several intersections as they make their way to school. Before creating this petition, we attempted to work with Tartan Realty regarding modifications to their plans that would reduce the negative impacts to our neighborhood and still allow them to move forward with their envisioned development. However, Tartan Realty refused to make any meaningful changes to their plans that would lessen the impact to the surrounding neighborhood.

The current development plan dramatically alters the essential character of the neighborhood and is a substantial detriment to the adjacent properties. In addition, the development negatively impacts the safety, comfort, convenience and general welfare of the families who live in the immediate vicinity. Furthermore, the proposed development does not conform to the City of Naperville’s Comprehensive Master Plan as described in the East Sector Plan Update (1998) or adhere to section 6-3-7 (Rezoning) of City of Naperville municipal code.

City of Naperville’s Comprehensive Master Plan
https://www.naperville.il.us/projects-in-naperville/comprehensive-master-plan/
6-3-7: - REZONINGS:
1. Standards For Rezonings: Any recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission and any decision by the City Council shall be predicated on evidence and findings that:
1.1. The amendment promotes the public health, safety, comfort, convenience and general welfare and complies with the policies and official land use plan and other official plans of the City; and
1.2. The trend of development in the area of the subject property is consistent with the requested amendment; and
1.3. The requested zoning classification permits uses which are more suitable than the uses permitted under the existing zoning classification; and
1.4. The subject property has not been utilized under the existing zoning classification for a substantial period of time; and
1.5. The amendment, if granted, will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood and will not be a substantial detriment to adjacent property.