Joliet council OKs new homes for D’Arcy-owned land

The Joliet City Council on Tuesday approved plans for a 120-home subdivision to be built on land partly owned by Mayor Terry D’Arcy.

The vote was unanimous with the exception of D’Arcy, who left the council chambers during discussion of the matter and did not vote.

For a second night, discussion of the Prairie Landing subdivision centered on one neighbor’s concern that a row of trees by her house be preserved.

The matter was the chief topic of discussion at the council’s workshop session Monday.

Maria Lech currently is involved in a lawsuit against West Side Real Estate, a partnership that includes D’Arcy, regarding ownership of the land that includes the trees.

West Side Real Estate owns the 44 acres being sold to homebuilder DR Horton, which is building the subdivision.

The land sale apparently includes some but not all of the trees that Lech wants preserved.

The trees that are in the future Prairie Landing project are not on land planned for lots for the subdivision, attorney Steve Bauer with DR Horton told the council.

“DR Horton and any developer doesn’t have any desire to remove more trees than are necessary,” Bauer said. “It’s expensive to remove trees.”

Prairie Landing will be built behind the D’Arcy Motors dealership on Essington Road. It is bordered by the Picardy and Warwick subdivisions.

The council vote included a rezoning of land previously permitting multifamily development to allow for only single-family housing. DR Horton plans to build only single-family homes.

Council member Larry Hug on Monday voiced support for the DR Horton project, noting the developer will install drainage that should relieve flooding in the neighboring Picardy subdivision.