Politics & Government

Developer Plans 16 Townhomes in Vernon Hills

Construction of the neighborhood would follow through with plans originally approved in 2006.

Plans were put into motion this week to bring 16 new townhomes to Vernon Hills.

The village gave permission in 2006 for a developer to construct the homes on the south side of Greenleaf Drive, between Tennyson Place and Swineburn Place. But although roads and sewers were put in place in 2007, the homes were never built. The original developer was unable to complete the project for financial reasons, Vernon Hills Building Commissioner Michael Atkinson said.

A new developer, Icon Building Group, now owns the property and plans to go forward with the home construction with modifications to the original plans.

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The proposal still includes 16 homes — three four-unit buildings and two two-unit buildings — but it calls for exterior changes. Icon is asking to use a combination of stone and vinyl siding, rather than the all-brick façade in the original plans. Other changes include variations to the homes’ roofing materials and designs, the elimination of arched entryways, and new window placements and designs.

“Each of these revisions would allow the units to be sold at a more market-friendly rate,” Atkinson told officials during Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting.

Find out what's happening in Vernon Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Charlie Murphy, Icon’s president and chief executive officer, said the townhomes would be priced between $189,000 and $209,000. 

Trustee James Schultz said he supported the proposal.

“It really doesn’t look that bad. It has more architectural details and features than surrounding homes,” he said.

Village officials, at the recommendation of staff, agreed that the proposed changes keep the project in line with the original planned unit development and that the revisions wouldn’t warrant a review by the Plan Commission. Trustees directed staff to draft an ordinance amending the plans, which they will approve at a future board meeting. 


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