Yorkville leaders see no letup in growth

YORKVILLE - The city's rapid residential growth trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, an analysis of active and potential development shows.

The Current and Pending Residential Development Key lists some 44 projects either under construction, in staff review or at the concept plan stage within the city's planning area.

The city's Plan Commission, an advisory body which reviews developments, got its first look at the updated list this week.

"It shows that things really aren't slowing down," Commission Chairman Tom Lindblom said. "And all of these developments are in some way going to affect all of our services."

About a dozen of the projects on the list are still in the early discussion stages and have not yet come before the Plan Commission, but that will change in the coming months.

"We have a waiting list right now for the Plan Commission," City Administrator Tony Graff said. "We've really got them booked out through November."

Graff said the list, which was updated by City Hall intern Bart Olson, is also an important planning tool for the school district, sanitary district and other taxing bodies.

If every house, townhouse, duplex and apartment on the list were built, the city would gain some 16,843 dwelling units. Of that figure, an estimated 13,422 housing units remain to be built.

"Those 3,000 or so units that are already platted are what they can expect to see built in the next two or three years," Graff said.

No one is ready to predict if that pace will continue.

"You have to remember a lot of these are just preliminary concepts at this point; a lot of these numbers will change," Mayor Art Prochaska said. "The biggest thing it shows is the level of interest that is there."

That interest also is reflected geographically, as development proposals touch nearly every area of the city's planning area.

While the north and northeastern sections continue to show strong interest, there also are a number of areas in the south part of town that are emerging development hot spots, according to the list.

Among the sites and concept plans in the works are:

• 183 single-family houses on 130 acres at Galena and Dickson roads.
• 440 single-family houses on 70 acres at Galena and Eldamain roads.
• 360 single-family houses on 220 acres south of Route 71 between Highpoint and Pavilion roads.
• 360 single-family houses on 145 acres at Routes 47 and 71.
• 187 single-family houses on 103 acres on Fox Road near Pavilion Road

Nearly 60 percent of the residential construction is for single-family houses; 25 percent for townhouses and 6 percent for duplexes. The balance is made up of condominiums, apartments and senior housing.

The list also reflects the relatively rapid place at which existing developments are being completed.

Plan Commissioner Brian Schillinger noted that one of the "oldest" developments out of the 44 listed in the chart is the Fox Hill Subdivision. Started a little over 10 years ago, Fox Hill is now about 90 percent built out.

The document also will help the Yorkville School district with its challenge of handling increasing numbers of students.

"The timing could not have been better," said School Board Vice President Michael Crouch of the list. Crouch also serves on the Plan Commission.

The school Board is set Monday to meet in special session to discuss some preliminary enrollment figures, as well as future personnel needs. The district this week held its fall registration.

The School Board meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the district administration office, 602 Center Parkway.