PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Conduct the public hearing to consider the requested entitlements for a townhome development at 2255 Monarch Drive (NorthGate of Naperville) - DEV-0175-2025
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Anna Franco, AICP, Community Planner
ENTITLEMENTS REQUESTED:
1. Major Change to the Planned Unit Development for Monarch Landing.
2. Planned Unit Development Plan and Plat.
3. Deviation to City Code Section 6-7F-7 (OCI: Yard Requirements) to reduce the required front yard setback from 20’ to 18’.
4. Conditional Use to permit single-family attached dwellings in the OCI Zoning District.
5. Preliminary Plat of Subdivision (City Council review).
6. Temporary use for marketing signage that exceeds code allowances (City Council review).
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Official notice for the public hearing for DEV-0175-2025 was published in the Naperville Sun on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
BACKGROUND:
The 25.2 acre subject property is located on the north side of Ferry Road, east of Route 59 and is zoned ORI PUD (Office, Commercial and Institutional District - Planned Unit Development). With the exception of a parking facility located on the property, the property has remained largely vacant since its annexation in 1981.
The property is adjacent to Monarch Landing and wetland areas to the west, the CityGate campus to the south across Ferry Road, Dart Warehouse and other industrial uses across Corporate Lane to the east, and single-family residential homes in the City of Warrenville to the north. The zoning of the adjacent properties are as follows:
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Adjacent Zoning |
Adjacent Land Uses |
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North |
R-1A and R-2 |
Single-family detached residential in the City of Warrenville |
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South |
OCI PUD |
CityGate Campus |
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East |
ORI and I |
Dart Warehouse, various warehouse uses, recreational/sporting, and office/industrial uses |
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West |
OCI PUD |
Monarch Landing retirement community and wetland areas |
Planned Unit Development Approval History
The subject property is known as Lot 1B of the Monarch Landing Planned Unit Development (PUD). The Monarch Landing PUD consists of a total of 79.9 acres and currently includes four individual lots, Lots 1A, 1B, 1C and 2.
• Lot 1A contains the Monarch Landing retirement community.
• Lot 1B (the subject property) is currently occupied with a surface parking lot that is used for Monarch Landing guest parking and will be removed with the NorthGate development.
• Lot 1C contains a staff maintenance yard for Monarch Landing.
• Lot 2 is currently improved with a temporary surface parking lot intended to provide off-site overflow parking for the CCRC campus.
In 2005, the City Council passed Ordinance 05-042, approving the original Monarch Landing PUD. The original PUD approval in 2005 allowed for the development of a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) to include 1,650 independent living units, 160 assisted living units, community buildings, parking decks, a chapel/worship center, gate house, maintenance yard, and 42 acres of green space.
In 2012, the City Council passed Ordinance 12-097 approving the development of 124 assisted-living units in Monarch Landing subject to the condition that the petitioner submits a conceptual site plan for the future build-out of the Monarch Landing campus as well as a Statement of Intent and Concept to describe the anticipated land use and character of future development for any portion of the subject property that will become independent of the CCRC community.
In 2014, Monarch Landing requested zoning and subdivision relief from the City in order to downsize its planned CCRC campus via Ordinance 14-073. This included conveying Lot 1B (the subject property) and Lot 2 to a third-party buyer for development independent from Monarch Landing. The approvals updated the Statement of Intent and Concept for Monarch Landing to require potential developers to obtain approval of a major change to the PUD and revised final PUD plat before any development could occur on the subject property. The updated Statement of Intent and Concept also stipulated that development of Lot 1B and Lot 2 shall be consistent with the City’s future land use plan.
In 2018, CityGate Centre North LLC, received approval for a major change to the PUD in order to construct a 209,589 square foot event center (hockey arena) on the subject property via Ordinance 18-079. In conjunction with the major change, the petitioner also received deviations to reduce the amount of parking required and the parking setback along Corporate Lane, as well as a rezoning to ORI and a conditional use to permit an eating and drinking establishment within a PUD. In 2022, the approvals for the event center were revoked at the request of the petitioner.
DISCUSSION:
Major Change to the PUD & Preliminary PUD Plat
Pursuant to Ordinance 14-073, the petitioner, M/I Homes, requests approval of a major change to the PUD and associated deviations to develop the property with 171-unit single-family attached residential community consisting of 32 townhome buildings, to be known as NorthGate of Naperville.
Access and Orientation
Primary vehicular access is provided from Comfort Drive near the southeast corner of the development, which provides access to Ferry Road. Secondary access is provided via multiple connections to Corporate Lane along the northern portion of the subject property. Internal circulation is provided through a combination of public and private streets. The roadway network is designed to accommodate a predominantly rear-loaded townhome product, minimizing the visibility of garages and creating outward facing front facades along public streets.
Common Open Space
Pursuant to Section 6-4-3:3 (Planned Unit Developments: Design Standards and Criteria), planned unit developments must provide common open space for passive or active recreation, site amenities, environmental protection, or beautification. Single-family developments are required to provide 30% open space. The proposed development provides approximately 10.6 acres, representing 42% of the site. Open space amenities include stormwater facilities with walking paths, preserved wetlands, and passive seating areas.
Open Space North of Corporate Lane: Several existing easements located north of Corporate Lane preserve natural features and ensure adequate drainage. These include two conservation easements, a stormwater easement, and 100’ wide landscape easement along the northern property line that preserves an existing landscape buffer between the development and the residences along Townline Road in the City of Warrenville. The nearest townhome is located approximately 150’ from the north property line. A walking path is proposed within this open space area to provide passive recreational opportunities.
Open Space South of Corporate Lane: A landscape berm and buffer along Comfort Drive will screen the development from the roadway and provide approximately 75’ of separation between the townhomes and the right-of-way. The design also provides approximately 175’ of separation between the townhomes and the nearest structure within the Prairie Point Corporate Park.
At the southern end of the development, parkway trees and a wet bottom detention basin located at the northwest corner of Ferry Road and Comfort Drive intersection provide approximately 100’ of separation between the townhomes and Ferry Road. A passive seating area is also proposed at the northwest corner of Comfort Drive and NorthGate Lane.
Park Land Dedication
In addition to the 10.6 acres of PUD open space, the petitioner proposes to dedicate 2.59 acres of the subject property to the Naperville Park District for development of a public park. Combined with an additional 0.65-acre dedicated from Monarch Landing, the total park site will encompass 3.24 acres. The park design is being finalized in coordination with the Naperville Parking District and is anticipated to include shelters, fitness stations, a playground, and walking paths. The park will provide additional separation between the proposed development and Monarch Landing, with the nearest townhome being setback approximately 75’ from the west property line.
At staff’s request, the southern portion of the park will incorporate landscape berming and preserve the existing tree line and fencing along Ferry Road to provide additional physical and visual separation from the roadway.
In addition to dedicating the 3.24-acre public park site, the petitioner will satisfy all applicable cash-in-lieu requirements in accordance with City Code or as otherwise agreed upon with the Naperville Park District.
Elevations
The development will consist of M/I’s “Town Square” townhome product. Building elevations feature oversized windows, diverse rooflines, and exterior materials consisting of brick, stone, or cementitious siding. Four distinct color packages are proposed to enhance visual variety and reduce architectural monotony throughout the development. All townhome buildings comply with the 50% masonry requirement of Section 5-2C-3 (Exterior Wall Construction) of the Municipal Code.
In addition to the proposed Madison and Pearson elevations, M/I’s Taylor elevation is incorporated into 19 buildings in the development. The Taylor model is proposed exclusively as an end unit, creating visual “bookends” that introduce additional variation along the streetscape. These units feature side-load garages and visitability features, including accessible walks and zero step entries.
M/I Homes proposes that approximately 61% of the units (104 of 171) incorporate visitability features. These features include accessible walks, zero step entries, first floor bedroom configurations, and other accessibility enhancements as outlined in a memorandum to staff dated March 12, 2026.
Parking
Each townhome includes a minimum of 2 enclosed garage parking spaces. In addition, most of the units are designed to accommodate 2 vehicles within the driveway. The development provides 22 guest parking spaces, including 11 spaces assigned to end units with shorter driveways, and 87 parallel on-street parking spaces. In total, the development provides 779 parking spaces.
HOA & Maintenance
The development will be maintained by a homeowner’s association, which will be responsible for exterior building maintenance, including but not limited to landscaping, snow removal, and private garbage collection.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting or Amending a Planned Unit Development can be found in the attachments.
Conditional Use for Single Family Attached Dwellings
The petitioner requests approval of a conditional use to permit single-family attached dwellings in the OCI zoning district pursuant to Section 6-7F-3 (OCI District: Conditional Uses).
The proposed townhome development consists of units ranging from approximately 1,900 to 2,600 square feet, with 3 to 4 bedrooms, 2.5 to 4.5 bathrooms, and attached two-car garages. M/I Homes anticipates marketing the homes to first-time homebuyers, young professionals, and residents aged 50 and older; however, the development is not proposed as an age-restricted community. The homes will be market-rate units with anticipated base prices ranging from $540,000 to $565,000.
Appropriateness of Single-Family Attached Residential
Staff has concerns regarding the inconsistency of the proposed conditional use for single-family attached residential with the City’s Land Use Master Plan (LUMP) and the Naperville I-88 Corridor Strategy, as well as adjacent land uses to the east, as provided below. Staff additionally notes that the proposed units are not affordable and has concerns regarding the proposed location of the public park.
LUMP and I-88 Corridor Strategy
The LUMP identifies the future place type of the subject property as “Regional Center”. Applicable zoning districts within this place type include B-2, B-3, OCI, RD, ORI, and Planned Unit Developments. While single-family attached dwellings are permitted as a conditional use in the OCI district, they are not identified as either a primary of supporting use with the Regional Center designation.
Staff finds that multi-family, which is identified as a supporting use in the Regional Center place type, is more consistent with the LUMP and better suited to the surrounding development pattern. Residential development in this portion of the City, including the CityGate campus immediately south of the subject property, has primarily consisted of multifamily residential.
Staff also finds the proposed single-family development is inconsistent with the residential vision established in the Naperville I-88 Corridor Strategy. The plan notes that “real estate analysis, as well as stakeholder engagement, has reinforced the notion that there is high demand for multifamily on the Corridor” (pg. 22). While staff finds that multifamily residential would better align with the adopted planning objectives for the corridor, the petitioner is not open to multi-family uses on the property and the Naperville Development Partnership (NDP) has submitted a letter of support for the project as proposed.
Adjacency Prairie Point Corporate Park
While staff finds the single-family attached use to be generally compatible with Monarch Landing to the west and the single-family residential neighborhood in Warrenville to the north, staff does not find the proposed development to be compatible with the Prairie Point Corporate Park located immediately east of the subject property.
The corporate park contains a mix of warehousing and distribution facilities, light manufacturing, storage, office, and sporting facilities. Staff has previously supported intensification of properties within the corporate park, including the rezoning of ORI-zoned properties to the I Industrial district and will continue to do so as requests are received. Future residents of the proposed NorthGate development may have concerns with expanded industrial activity, as has occurred elsewhere along the I-88 Corridor. Should the requested development be approved, staff recommends that the petitioner be required to provide a disclosure to future homeowners noting that future redevelopment and intensification with the corporate park is permitted in accordance with the City’s Land Use Master Plan and the ORI/I zoning districts.
Housing Affordability
In NDP’s letter of support for the proposed development, it is noted that the Naperville I-88 Corridor Strategy identifies a shortage of housing options that sufficiently meets demand and lacks the affordability to support the needs of a growing workforce. NDP finds that the proposed development would provide additional housing opportunities in proximity to the I-88 corridor.
While staff acknowledges that the development would expand the City’s housing supply, the proposed NorthGate community is a market rate development and does not include an affordability component, as noted in the NDP correspondence.
Park Location
Staff has concerns with the location of the public park adjacent to Ferry Road. Ferry Lane is a four-lane minor arterial under DuPage County jurisdiction with a posted speed limit of 45 mph. Staff finds that the park would be more appropriately located farther north within the development, providing greater separation from Ferry Road and a more suitable environment for park users. In lieu of the park being relocated, staff has asked for additional berming along Ferry Road. Staff does acknowledge that the Naperville Park District is satisfied with the park location as proposed.
Correspondence with Petitioner
In response to staff’s concerns, the petitioner submitted a memorandum dated March 12, 2026, outlining revisions to the development plans. The revisions include enhanced architectural variation among the townhome buildings, incorporation of visitability features in 61% of the units, and additional landscaping along Comfort Drive to strengthen the visual buffer between the development and the Prairie Point Corporate Park. The petitioner and the Park District have also revised the public park plan to relocate playground equipment farther north and provide berming between the playground and Ferry Road.
While staff appreciates these revisions and acknowledges the efforts made to improve the development, staff’s primary concerns regarding the appropriateness of the single-family attached residential use on the subject property remain. The petitioner has provided a written response as to their findings regarding the proposed use and plan consistency.
Recommended Conditions
Should the Planning and Zoning Commission determine that the proposed use is appropriate for the subject property, staff recommends the following conditions of approval:
1. Prior to the sale of any townhome unit, the developer shall provide written disclosure to each purchaser regarding the zoning designations and permitted uses within the Prairie Point Corporate Park, including the potential future rezoning of ORI-zoned properties to the I Industrial District.
2. A minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the townhome units shall be considered visitable per the standards established by the National Council on Independent Living.
3. Existing mature trees along Ferry Road shall be preserved in perpetuity. Removal of any healthy trees shall require review and approval by the Naperville Park District and the City Forester.
4. Landscape berming as shown on the approved plans for the public park shall be installed prior to completion of the playground improvements.
5. Landscape plantings along Comfort Drive as shown on the submitted plans shall be installed prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the first townhome unit. This provision does not apply to model home occupancy permit issuance.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a Conditional Use can be found in the attachments.
Front Yard Setback Deviation
The petitioner is requesting a deviation to Code Section 6-7F-7 (OCI: Yard Requirements) to reduce the front yard setback from 20’ to 18’. The deviation applies to 10 of the 32 buildings in the community to accommodate the inclusion of the Taylor end unit, which is a 2-story end unit that features a side-loaded garage. The petitioner indicates that the Taylor units provide visual variation for each townhome building and softens the overall building mass. While 10 buildings require the deviation to permit an 18’ front yard setback (buildings 5, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, and 28), the remaining 22 buildings fully comply with the required 20’ setback.
Findings of Fact
The petitioner’s responses to the Standards for Granting a PUD deviation can be found in the attachments.
Preliminary Plat of Subdivision (City Council review)
The petitioner is proposing to subdivide the 25-acre subject property into 32 lots for each townhome building as well as 4 outlots for common open space, stormwater management, and private roadways. The petitioner is dedicating approximately 3.6 acres of right-of-way to the City of Naperville for two new streets and the portion of Corporate Lane that currently runs east-west through the property. The petitioner is also platting an ingress/egress easement to provide access to the Monarch Landing maintenance facility on Lot 1C of the Monarch PUD. Staff does not have concerns with the proposed subdivision and will ensure that the plat of subdivision meets all technical requirements for final approval. The preliminary subdivision plat is included for reference only and is not reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Temporary Marketing Signage (City Council review)
The petitioner seeks approval of a temporary use to install temporary marketing signs as detailed in the attached Marketing Plan. All signage proposed is temporary in nature and includes marketing for the community, model home identification, and directional signage. The proposed signage exceeds Municipal Code allowances for the number of signs permitted and square footage allowances but is consistent with marketing signage installed for other new communities in Naperville. The temporary signage request is not reviewed by the Planning & Zoning Commission, but information is provided for reference. City Council will consider the request at a subsequent public meeting.
Key Takeaways
• The petitioner is requesting a major change to the Monarch Landing PUD to approve a PUD plat with a deviation to the front yard setback and a conditional use to permit single-family attached dwellings. Staff recommends the public hearing be conducted for these requests.
• The petitioner also requests approval of a preliminary plat of subdivision and temporary use for marketing signage that exceeds code allowances. These requests are subject to City Council review.