North Cook News

At its March 29 meeting, the Rolling Meadows City Council heard from several residents about a possible development near their homes that they were upset about. 

Homeowners from Brockway Street and Grove Road opposed the proposed development on the Loeber farms property, which is defined generally as the area south of Brockway and Grove, west of Meacham Road, and north of International Village Schaumburg. 

The neighbors discussed their concerns about the development with the council, ranging from neighborhood culture and appearance to flooding and watershed issues. 

Resident Michael Briskier said that he and his wife moved to Rolling Meadows and were in love with their home and property, despite their creek bed flooding each year, but if the large development was built in “basically their backyard,” they were going to move. 

Walter Wilson said that they were unhappy with a large, multi-unit building that would be among single-family units with large lots. He was also unhappy about the lack of communication around the topic. 

James Croll said he was concerned about flooding, which has become more common, and would only be exacerbated by further development and loss of permeable surfaces and absorbent ground. 

Although the city policy is to not respond to public comments made during a council meeting, Mayor Joe Gallo responded to the concerns. He first apologized for how he went about meeting with the developers and bringing them to Rolling Meadows, which he did to provide information for some of the residents nearest the area. He reminded the residents that Rolling Meadows had no jurisdiction or authority over the area or development, which fell in the Village of Schuamburg’s territory. He asked them to consider making their voices heard to that council, who was able to make decisions about the proposal, not Rolling Meadows.

"But I brought this to your attention as a group in hopes that would incite or inspire the group of residents to continue the conversation with Schaumburg, because Rolling Meadows ultimately has no discretion in what occurs there," Gallo said. "We have superficial opportunities when it comes to the areas like the emergency access or egress and potentially with the water utility, but that's minor. The plans that you spoke about were conceptual. They weren't submitted to the Village of Schaumburg, and therefore they weren't confirmed plans and they weren't plans that could be distributed or held on to because they don't even they're not approved in any capacity, so they don't exist."

Gallo encouraged the residents to take their concerns up with the Village of Schaumburg officials.

"And it was our hope, my hope that when you saw these plans or when you heard about this development coming, that you guys would come together as you are," Gallo said, "but concentrate that effort in the village of Schaumburg and make sure that they hear your voice and make sure that they hear your concerns and make sure that they understand that you're going to be impacted and you want that impact to be limited and still keep opportunities for development to occur, but preserve the integrity of the land that you guys love."