Housing plan on land co-owned by Joliet mayor up for final vote

Plans for new homes to be built on land partly owned by Mayor Terry D’Arcy are likely to face more questions when they come before the Joliet City Council for final approval Tuesday.

Residents in the neighboring Picardy subdivision still are looking for assurances that the new construction will not worsen flooding problems that exist now on Vimy Ridge Road, Mary Simeone said.

Simeone, a Vimy Ridge Road resident, was among what she said were at least 15 Picardy residents who attended a meeting Wednesday with Joliet city officials on the proposed housing project.

“They weren’t answering any of our questions and concerns about the flooding,” Simeone said.

She said Picardy residents are likely to ask more questions about the project at the council meetings Monday and Tuesday.

The final plat for the Prairie Landing subdivision goes to the council for a vote.

An attorney for homebuilder DR Horton has said the new subdivision is designed to relieve flooding in the Picardy subdivision. The project includes the installation of pipes to divert stormwater that now flows into Picardy and take it to a detention pond that will be created for the new subdivision.

The plan has so far enjoyed unanimous approval from the City Council with the exception of D’Arcy.

The mayor has recused himself from votes and has left the council chambers when the project has been discussed.

D’Arcy is a co-owner with Robert Calzaretta of the 44 acres to be sold to DH Horton for Prairie Landing.

The land is located behind the D’Arcy Motors car dealerships on Essington Road.

The plan is to build 120 single-family homes.

The land had been zoned to allow for the construction of apartments along with single-family homes. But the city approved rezoning sought by DR Horton to allow the construction of single-family homes only.