The developer would keep the park as open space for the public, but it would not be dedicated to the village.

David Giuliani, For The Patch

HINSDALE, IL – One of the parks for a proposed condo development in Hinsdale was the focus of a Village Board debate this week, with one official saying the village should “play it loose.”

The board ultimately approved the plan for a dozen condos in the old Zion Lutheran School at 125 S. Vine St.

As part of village requirements, South Bend, Indiana-based Holladay Properties is proposing three pieces of open space for the complex.

One would be dedicated as a public park, while another would be private for the condo residents. The third, though, was a question mark.

The developer hoped for the third park to be open space, but not officially a place that would be advertised as a park.

At Tuesday’s board meeting, Trustee Luke Stifflear said his recollection was that the third park would be dedicated to the village, but not be advertised as an open space for everyone.

Village President Tom Cauley recalled differently.

“I thought we were going to play it loose,” Village President Tom Cauley said. “If it was dedicated to the village, it would then be a public park.”

Drew Mitchell, a Holladay partner, agreed. He said the idea was for the third park to be quasi-public. While residents could access it, he said, no sign would be posted to indicate it was a public park.

At some time in the future, the homeowners association may change the use of that particular open space, Mitchell said.

Cauley said the thought was to keep it open, but not for intensive uses.

“If they had rugby matches there, you may decide that’s not an appropriate use,” he said.

Trustee Laurel Haarlow said she had trouble with making the open space quasi-public.

“I think that it would be difficult to enforce if it’s not more clear-cut,” she said. “What kind of precedent does that set for future property for (planned unit developments)?”

She questioned whether the homeowners association would privatize the space within a year.

Cauley said he did not want to “scare off” the development, to which Haarlow responded she, too, supported it.

He said the village should “leave it loose” on the third park.

“If it becomes a problem, let’s talk about it,” Cauley said. “We won’t advertise it as a park.”

The board unanimously approved the concept for the development. Now, the developer must present a more detailed plan to the village’s Plan Commission, which Mitchell said would happen in a couple of months. The Village Board would have the final say.

At a meeting last month, trustees said they preferred the development be age-restricted – in other words, for those 55 and older.

The developer originally wanted it to be age-targeted. That means the company would make the complex appealing to senior citizens without an age rule.

Holladay agreed to go with age-restricted, which was part of the board-approved concept.

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