Last night, the mayor of Woodridge and the village board passed an amended version of Resolution-2019-28, which would allow the rezoning of Lot 15 of Uptown at Seven Bridges from commercial use to residential use.

A representative of the developing company, Pulte Inc., presented a brief overview of the proposal in conjunction with Community Development Director Kimberly Porter. The pair claim to be advocating for a change in the zoning of Woodridge Lot 15 of Uptown at Seven Bridges, which is along Route 53.

“[This resolution would allow] Pulte to develop Lot 15 from commercial use to single-family attached homes. This lot has been empty for some time, largely due to [the] insufficient commercial location along Route 53,” Porter said. There have been no offers on Lot 15 in the three years that it has been advertised as a commercial lot.

Village Trustees Cameron Hendricks and Magin Martinez feel that the brick exterior proposed by Pulte Inc. may be aesthetically unflattering, which would cause it to stand apart from the rest of Main Street.

“I think what you’re doing is a bit too dark,” Martinez said. Hendricks and Martinez’s fellow trustee, Mary Ann Blair, is in agreement with her counterparts.

“I would want to live somewhere that looked more residential. I wouldn’t want to live somewhere that looked commercial. I’ve driven through the original rendering, and I think it’s just fine,” Blair said.

Hendricks concluded the discussion on Resolution-2019-28 by making a motion, seconded by Martinez, to amend the resolution to better fit the community’s needs, a decision made in conjunction with Porter and the Pulte Inc. representative. This motion passed by a unanimous vote, and the board proceeded.

Another notable event was the recognition of investigative aide Holly Kucharski’s 20 years of service to the community of Woodridge. In his speech, Chief of Police Brian Cunningham commended Kucharski for her years of dedication and effort.

“She is the person behind the scenes. When everything is going good, she’s behind it. She doesn’t always get the credit, but she’s the reason everything goes so smoothly,” Cunningham said.

Kucharski expressed her gratitude for the opportunities she’s had with the Woodridge Police Department.

“I enjoy working here; [the] 20 years [have] gone by so quickly. It’s a great place to work, it’s a great place to live. I hope to continue to be a valuable asset to the village,” Kucharski said.

The board also welcomed new employee Phil Green, who was hired at the beginning of February as a planner in the community development department where he works under Director Porter. Green moved to Woodridge from England and, despite the shift in his surroundings, remains dedicated to his work.

“Several times, I’ve had to wrestle documents out of his hands because he’s wanted to take them home to study them,” Porter said.  

The Mayor’s Report, as delivered by Mayor Gina Cunningham, highlighted the fact that this year’s town meeting will take place at 5 p.m. on April 11 at Bobak’s Signature Events, 6440 Double Eagle Drive, Woodridge.