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LaFox shows how it's done
Kane County Chronicle
February 25, 2007
What a difference teamwork can make.
Six years ago, LaFox residents vehemently fought against a proposed 1,600-home development between Geneva
and Elburn. Residents put up signs protesting the planned Grand Prairie project and rallied together to form
the Concerned LaFox Area Residents.
Unhappy residents foreseeing plenty of problems with such a development being shoved upon them got support
from Kane County Board members and others and were able to get the developer to pull the plug on the proposal
before it ever got off the ground.
Although strong and vocal enough to win the battle, residents also were smart enough to realize that next time
they might not be so lucky. Time passed, and after on development team walked away from the project, another
one stepped up.
Residents easily could have brought out the signs again, along with a not-in-our-backyard mentality. They
could have rallied the troops and refused to budge.
But they didn’t. They decided that instead of just giving a thumbs up or a thumbs down to what was presented,
they would have an impact. They started to talk with the developer about how the housing development could
compliment the existing community. The new developer could have drawn up plans based on what it wanted,
discounting residents’ concerns and feelings, and taken its chances getting municipal approval. The new
development firm could have focused only on courting municipal support for the project and snubbing the residents.
But, to its credit, it didn’t.
Residents and the development team showed a great spirit of cooperation in working together to make the
development, Settlements of LaFox, a reality. The resident-development partnership means 325 fewer units
will be built; impact fees will be collected for roads; residents will help establish a homeowners association
for the 12-neighborhood development; and the development’s sales office eventually will be turned over to the
residents’ group for use as a public building.
While the first subdivision plan failed with a majority of the town being against it and St. Charles shooting
it down, the second development team did not repeat past mistakes. The project blossomed into one that gained
the approval of a Kane County committee without a dissenting vote.
It is a credit to both the developer and residents for creating a community the proper way – with resident
input and planning. Other resident groups and developers should take note of how cooperation can achieve more
and they should keep this scenario in mind when other developments are being mapped out.
There is much that still needs to be decided for the development – possible assisted living facilities,
Habitat for Humanity homes and creating access to the Metra station. A cooperative effort involving the
residents, developer and affected municipal governments must continue if this project is to be a positive
impact on the village and surrounding areas.
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