City, Developer and Park District Negotiate Terms for Sidewalks, Lighting and Road Improvements at Hubble

Wheaton City Council on Monday closed a public hearing for the planned unit development (PUD) for the old Hubble school property. City attorneys will now draft an ordinance for the PUD that includes terms on which city officials, developer Bradford Equities, LLC and the Wheaton Park District tentatively agreed last night.

Bradford, the buyer of the 27-acre property, plans to bring a Mariano’s Fresh Market to the site, and has partnered with the Wheaton Park District to divide the property to preserve the old school gyms the district uses for athletic programming.

After a Feb. 13 public hearing city staff have whittled down a list of 17 recommended changes to the PUD to three, including sidewalk repairs, road improvements and decorative street lighting.

City staff recommended Bradford construct a public sidewalk along the north side of the grocery store’s private roadway, between Naperville Road and Main Street and repair sidewalk defects, according to a city memo.

The park district will be responsible for sidewalk repairs on the east side of Main Street, from Roosevelt Road to Indiana Street and along Indiana, from Main Street to Naperville Road, said Mike Benard, executive director of the park district. City staff estimates the repairs will cost about $50,000, according to the memo.

Councilwoman Jeanne Ives said sidewalks are required in new developments, and the sidewalk along the Hubble property is a route bikers use to go to downtown Wheaton. "We need to encourage that. I think we should up the standard on the sidewalks and make it a wider walking/biking path," Ives said.

City staff also recommended Bradford construct improvements to provide a second left-turn lane for north bound Naperville Road at Roosevelt Road and a right-turn lane for west bound Roosevelt Road at Naperville Road, including necessary signal changes. According to the memo Bradford plans to meet with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to discuss the proposed improvements.

John Zemenak, attorney for Bradford said the developer is willing to work with IDOT. However, he said the intersection of Naperville and Roosevelt roads already needs improvements, and that asking Bradford to fix it is unfair.

Finally, the city recommended Bradford add decorative street lighting along Naperville Road, from Roosevelt Road to Indiana Street and lighting along the private roadway. Staff estimates costs for lighting to be about $100,000, according to the memo.

Councilman Tom Mouhelis said the city and Bradford could wait to discuss requirements for decorative street lighting. The estimated cost of $100,000 is "expensive," he said. Councilman Phil Suess said he would consider a cost-sharing agreement for the decorative lighting, if appropriate.

Zemenak said the developer did not plan to incorporate street lighting in its plans and would prefer to keep it that way.

City attorneys and staff will draft the PUD ordinance that council could approve next month.