PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Conduct the public hearing for a townhome development proposed at the northwest corner of Spring Avenue and Mill Street (Ostara) - DEV-0108-2025
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Therese Egner, Community Planner
ENTITLEMENTS REQUESTED:
1. A conditional use in the R2 District (Single-Family and Low Density Multiple-Family Residence District) to allow for single-family attached dwelling units;
2. Approval of a variance from Section 6-6C-7 to permit a reduced rear yard setback of 12 feet at its closest point in lieu of 25 feet;
3. A preliminary plat of subdivision (City Council review).
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Official notice for the public hearing for DEV-0108-2025 was published in the Naperville Sun on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is comprised of 7 parcels totaling approximately 2.3 acres at the northwest corner of Spring Avenue and Mill Street. In January of 2008, an ordinance was approved rezoning the Subject Properties from the I (Industrial District) to the R2 (Single-Family and Low Density Multiple-Family Residence District) in accordance with the recommendation of the 2007 Spring Avenue Study. The subject properties were used as a product assembly facility and were permitted to continue its use as a legal non-conforming use within the R2 District, pursuant to Section 6-10 (Non-Conforming Uses) of the Naperville Municipal Code.
Since that time, the Paul Davis Restoration Services of DuPage had been operating on the site. The site also included three single-family homes. Demolition permits were issued in November of 2025 and the buildings located on the subject properties have since been removed.
The subject properties are adjacent to the BNSF Railroad to the north, Ozinga Concrete to the west, Naper Auto Works to the northeast, and residential homes to the east and south.
Plan Revisions
The Petitioner originally submitted development plans in August of 2025. On January 13, 2026, the petitioner held a neighborhood meeting and received feedback regarding the design of the site, the building elevations, limited landscaping, request to rezone the property to R3, and general lack of integration into the neighborhood. Staff shared these concerns and encouraged the petitioner to modify their plans accordingly.
The Petitioner has since submitted modified plans addressing the feedback received from the neighborhood and staff. The primary revisions to the plans include:
• Maintaining the property’s zoning designation and instead, requesting a conditional use for single-family attached dwelling units in the R2 District.
• Reducing the number of dwelling units from 26 units to 25 units, removing a variance to the area requirements (i.e. density variance).
• Reconfiguring the site plan to orient the residential units towards Spring Avenue and Mill Street to correlate with the surrounding neighborhood.
• Revising the elevations to incorporate pitched roofs, earth-toned building materials, and additional architectural features.
• Increasing landscaping along Spring Avenue and Mill Street, including providing a decorative fence with masonry piers.
• Adding sidewalks internal to the site and from street-fronting units connecting to the public sidewalk along Spring Avenue and Mill Street.
Staff is supportive of the revised plans finding that the modifications address both the neighborhood and staff concerns.
DISCUSSION:
The Owner and Petitioner, Kramer Homes, LLC., has submitted a petition to request a conditional use in the R2 District and a rear yard setback variance in order to develop the property with 25 townhome units. The dwelling units will be owner-occupied, and a Homeowners Association will be responsible for exterior maintenance, landscaping and snow removal.
Conditional Use
Section 6-6C-3 of the Municipal Code classifies single-family attached dwellings as a conditional use in the R2 District. The 2007 Spring Avenue Study, referenced when the properties were rezoned, has since been replaced with the Land Use Master Plan which outlines an updated Spring Avenue Plan (attached).
The Land Use Master Plan identifies the future land use of the property to be Medium Density Residential. Medium Density Residential recommends R2 and R3 zoning districts. Further, the Spring Avenue corridor was identified as opportunity to redevelop the properties abutting the railroad corridor to Medium Density Residential, which identifies townhomes as the primary land use.
The single-family attached units proposed at the Ostara development are consistent with the recommended Medium Density Residential designation for this property in the Land Use Master Plan.
Staff finds the petitioner’s proposal to be consistent with the land use designation in the Land Use Master Plan. Staff also finds the proposed townhomes to be an appropriate transition from the train line to the north and the residential properties to the east and south.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Conditional Uses can be found in the attachments. Upon review, Staff concurs with the petitioner’s findings and recommends their approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Rear Yard Setback Variance
Section 6-6C-7 (Yard Requirements) of the Municipal Code requires a rear yard setback of 25 feet in the R2 zoning district. The City’s zoning ordinance establishes setback requirements to ensure there is appropriate separation between adjacent properties and uses. The shape of the subject property results in the three northern property lines running parallel to Spring Avenue all being classified as rear lot lines.
The Petitioner is seeking approval of a variance to Section 6-6C-7 to permit a reduced rear yard setback of 12 feet at its closest point in lieu of the required 25 feet at the north property line parallel to Spring Avenue. The following rear yard setbacks are being provided:
• 14-foot setback for the townhome located on Lot 3;
• 22-foot setback for the townhome located on Lot 4;
• 12-foot setback for the townhome located on Lot 5, including two AC units.
The petitioner proposes installation of a 6-foot privacy fence and landscaping along the north property lines to visually screen the subject property from the train line. Staff is supportive of the Petitioner’s requested rear yard setback variance request.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Variances can be found in the attachments. Upon review, Staff concurs with the petitioner’s findings and recommends their approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Landscape Plans
The proposed landscaping complies with the requirements of the City’s Landscaping and Screening Ordinance. The parkway trees and parking perimeter landscaping are the only required landscaping for single-family attached units in the Municipal Code. The petitioner has provided additional plantings around the perimeter of the property and between the buildings.
A 6-foot privacy fence will be provided along the rear and northwest property lines and a 4-foot decorative fence with masonry piers will be provided along the east and south property line along Spring Avenue and Mill Street.
Building Elevations
The petitioner has submitted elevations of the proposed townhomes. The townhome buildings are proposed to feature earth-tone exterior materials and be comprised of brick and fiber cement siding. Upon review, the building elevations meet the City’s requirement that 50% of the exterior wall construction be constructed of masonry and/or composite siding as outlined in Section 5-2C-3 (Exterior Wall Construction) of the Municipal Code.
The townhomes fronting Spring Avenue and Mill Street will have rear-loaded garages with the front façades facing outwards. As noted above, this is responsive to neighborhood feedback requesting that the front of the buildings face these roadways. Each unit is also proposed to have a second-floor balcony and canopy over the front doors.
Spring and Mill Intersection
Due to public feedback received expressing traffic concerns at the intersection of Spring Avenue and Mill Street, the City’s Engineering & Transportation staff provides the following:
City staff reviewed the potential impacts of the additional traffic generated by the proposed development. The change in use will result in more vehicle trips, particularly on weekends. Based on the data provided by the developer’s traffic and that collected by the city, the average daily traffic on Spring Avenue adjacent to the development is expected to slightly increase from 772 to 782. Using these projected conditions, the traffic volume at the Mill Street and Spring Avenue intersection is unlikely to meet the nationally established criteria for consideration of all-way stop control. Staff can conduct a follow up traffic study after occupancy of the development to measure actual vehicular and pedestrian volumes and evaluate using the City’s traffic calming toolkit.
The above information is being provided as information only as traffic control measures (stop signs, etc.) are not in the purview of the PZC.
Preliminary & Final Plat of Subdivision
To consolidate the properties, the petitioner is requesting a preliminary plat of subdivision, which will require City Council approval. The preliminary plat of subdivision has been included for reference only and does not require Planning and Zoning Commission review.
Key Takeaways
• The Petitioner is requesting a conditional use to allow single-family attached dwelling units in the R2 District (Single-Family and Low Density Multiple-Family Residence District). Staff is in support of the request due to its alignment with Naperville’s future land use plans and provides an appropriate transition in land use for the surrounding neighborhood.
• The Petitioner is requesting a rear yard setback variance to permit a rear yard setback of 12 feet at its closest point in lieu of 25 feet. Staff is in support of the request.
RELATED FILES
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