Haha, I love it. Glad Shodeen won this one. Watch out, the Millcreeker's might have to lock their doors and keep their children inside for fear of "those people" mingling with their caucasion children. Maybe they will start a selling frenzy, and all "those people" will buy the houses.

Muy bien, hombre. Y ahora, para los demás, hay que aprender hablar Español!

Si! Ya estoy aprendiendo a hablar español!

Over the years, when anyone, especially columnists, preach about the blessings of “diversity”, I always check to see where they live. I think your words can be taken as sincere if you live in say, Hyde Park, Oak Park (east end) or the main parts of Aurora or Elgin. Not Geneva.

Ken,

Soy un unificador, no un divisor!

Jeff

All of this racism commentary misses the mark. Apartments will reduce the value of real estate in Mill Creek. That is the issue here and it affects every home owner in Mill Creek. Real estate taxes are sky high and now the resale value of houses will be affected negatively by the proximity of a large apartment complex to Mill Creek. Shodeen already has luxury apartments in the central area of Mill Creek close to the Club House. Shodeen's greed has no boundaries. Since retail is not woing to work in this economy, he has simply shifted his aim to another way to generate money from the real estate until simply waiting until the economy is better or building another park that Mill Creek residents can use.

MJ,

Baloney! You already have a huge apartment complex called the GreenFields. It's big, it's ugly and it's even closer to the homes than the planned apartments.

Why didn't anyone complain about that?

Jeff

MJ,
Thankfully in America capitalism is what makes this country a great place to live. Why should Shodeen have to build another park? Apparently you don't have enough of them in Mill Creek. He is a business man, and the goal of business is to generate revenue.
RG

Watched an All in the Family rerun the other night and the comments from the meeting sound frightening like the xenophobic Archie Bunker. Very sad, I thought we've progressed since 1972...those were the days.

Jeff,

If I may be allowed to leave the issue of Mill Creek and apartments for a moment?

You have raised the issue of Mexican immigration and I would like to add a couple of thoughts on that.

Some history: in 1846 the United States invaded Mexico. The excuse was a transparent falsehood concerning the independence of Texas, which had already been granted autonomy by a very weak Mexican government.

This was an invasion spurred by our doctrine of "manifest destiny" and our desire to conquer as much territory as possible for the USA. We capped off this enterprise by using several divisions to attack fewer than 850 students at the Mexican Military Academy at Chapultepec Castle. We killed many of them, including some children. This is Mexico's "Alamo".

We annexed Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California, and more; more than a third of Mexico's territory. This does not include former "Spanish" territories that we had previously claimed, including the Gulf Coast and Florida.

Question: are the people of Mexico immigrating to the US or are they simply reclaiming what was once theirs?

Colin,

You realize you're treading on very dangerous ground by saying that in these parts, but I have to say it's a delicious irony.

The bottom line is, if it wasn't for our Hispanic brethren, this country's birthrate would be in a precipitous decline to the point where they might have to start shutting things down like they've done in Japan.

Jeff

Great column Jeff, have you noticed the very nasty crimes lately in the East side Section 8 rental housing?

I'm sure Mill Creek residents will hear more sirens once those folks move in.

It's a liberal talking point to denigrate those to want to live in and maintain a peaceful upper class community these days.

Rentals? In MANY cases, taxes are paying the rent. Partly because of high local property taxes (passed along to tenants), it takes Section 8 'customers' to pay the local apartment rental rates.

Section 8 is actually providing MORE rental cash to welfare recipients, than MANY gainfully employed people can afford on their own.

Section 8 tenants become stable rent paying 'customers' for landlords, and crime rates increase.

Obama is giving even more money to Section 8 recipients so that they can disperse into nice communities.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903520204576480542593887906.html

Jeff, why not write about these issues? Clearly it's easier to harass hardworking, "blonde moms" than take on real statistics.

Good thing they were also asking for background checks on the apartment dwellers because you wouldn't want someone like Jerry Sandusky in your neighborhood. Oh wait, he was a home owner.

I actually think this is a good thing. Now my landscapers do not have to leave for work so early and can watch their kids get on the bus to GHS.

Jeff,

You leave off the most obvious detail. Do you know how many apartments have already been approved for Mill Creek and down Keslinger Road? Why approve more apartments when Shodeen already has the option for several hundred in Mill Creek? Why not wait until there is a need? You could keep it zoned as is and if there is a need petition the county then for a zone change.

You go to race but its really common sense.

So is the concern that a person receiving a Section 8 tenant subsidy could move into the new Mill Creek apartments? I highly doubt the subsidy would provide for the rent at the new apartments and even if it did, I don't think it's fair to assume any person receiving rental assistance is a criminal. Plenty of law breaking citizens live in single family homes (i.e. Jerry S). There are apartments scattered all over Geneva and I have never heard such an outcry or of any problems with the tenants. Further, I am glad that children who would normally not be able to attend a school in a good district because their parents cannot afford to purchase a home, will now have the opportunity to attend a school like Mill Creek or Fabyan. Remember it is public education.

Sally

Are you ok with the author assuming everyone in Mill Creek is a racist? My kids are hispanic and I am offended at the false claims that people in Mill Creek are racist.

The problem is with the number of apartments. Shodeen already has several hundred apartments approved. He could build tomorrow and no one could stop him. This change would bring several hundred more when there is no current need.

Oh Jeff,

Your lack of facts amaze me. As someone with two Hispanic sons in Mill Creek, I can tell you your generalizations are sad and wrong. Its sad that a paper would allow this, infact Libel is defined as a defamation of a person, group, organization, product, government, or country that was made in written or printed words or in pictures.

Do you know how many apartments are already approved and ready to go in Mill Creek? Why approve more when you cant even build those?

Matt,

I have no problem with your argument. The reason you're getting 290 apartments is the lack of those arguments.

But when, as commentor Lisa noted, folks say things like "those people" in the middle of a meeting and aren't challenged, it speaks for itself. I stand by what I wrote.

Jeff

Matt I do not assume everyone in Mill Creek is a racist, nor does the author appear to. I am simply responded to specific comments that were reported from the meeting. I certainly hope those comments are not shared by the masses. In addition, I think concerns about the number of apartments is valid, I just think speculation from the meeting about future tenants is distasteful.

Jeff,

To stand by your statement that most people in Mill Creek are racist is wrong and sad. As someone who has minority kids and lives in Mill Creek, I can tell you that you are 100% wrong. As someone who would know first hand, you or this print have no credible source to make such a general statement against people who are great neighbors.

As someone who attended both meetings race was never brought up.

These points about saturation was brough up at the meeting and Shodeen wasnt listening. Our representative. Who fought hard against overbuilding ie settlements of La Fox ,before he was elected also seemed very predisposed to more apartments.

Did you go to the meetings? Do you think that there is a need for an additional 500-600 apartments? Dont you think Shodeen should build the additional 200 he already has approved?

Or is it easier to falsely call a majority of my neighbors racist? Which is a false statement

Sally,

The author clearly feels my neighbors are racist and I have a huge problem with that. Also at that meeting Shodeen was claiming that there would only be
1) 4 students in the whole development. (1 per 100 units).
2) That traffic wouldnt really increase because people would walk down kesslinger road to the train.
3) Home values would increase

The main objections I heard
1) the pride of ownership .-
2) That they were told they would be townhomes when they bought so they felt mislead
3)The concerning fact that apartments have already been approved so why push for an additional 390 more.

All valid concerns and nothing to do with race. I can tell you Mill Creek has been very welcoming.

Cryin' out loud Millcreekers - JW is trying to get comments and clicks. The R-word is a sure-fire tactic, ie, if you disapprove of the President, you're a racist - if you don't want high-density housing in your neighborhood, you're a racist, etc.....

Davis,

I never said anyone opposed to apartments is automatically a racist. In fact, I actually armed Mill Creekers with the ammunition to fight those apartments more effectively, but since they love to kill the messenger, they wouldn't listen to me.

What I did call out those non-genevans for is the method by which the fought the apartments, more specifically, what they said.

You might be a redneck if you say apartments automatically mean higher crime.

You might be a redneck if you say apartments aren't in line with the neighborhood.

And you are a redneck if you refer to apartment dwellers as "those people."

Jeff

Jeff in your reply at 2:17 Yesterday you said that Most Mill Creek residents are racist. When you got called out on it you repeated it and said you stood by it. That is a false and slanderous statement against some great neighbors.

You say that with no proof at all. Also did you go to the meetings because I was at all meetings and heard several reasons why the additional apartments were a bad idea but Shodeen and our rep were not listening.

It seems that nobody is considering the reality that the old, immutable law of "ownership is always better than rental" is no longer law. The math, for many, doesn't support buying a home. There are plenty of gainfully employed, high-credit-rating people that prefer to rent. Of course we are going to see developers tack toward rental units. That's what the market is asking for. We have new apartments right downtown on our precious 3rd Street. It's a non-issue.

I have a question: Jeff, you stated in your article that these were to be "high end" apartments. If this is the case how did section eight housing and a lowering of property values get into this discussion?

Mike I agree to a point but I think the problem here is the number of units.

Shodeen already has permission to for 200+ units in downtown Mill Creek, all he has to do is go pick up the permits and could start to build today. Instead he petitioned for 390 more units on Kesslinger road. That is a lot of units for a short term demand. The problem is when you over saturate a market long term you do more harm than good.

Why not build the units that are approved for Mill Creek already then the county can see if the demand is there. You can always increase but you can never decrease once you give that power to the builder.

The other thing I find interesting is the our representative is all set to approve this.
Mr Franz won election and accused that the previous representative (Jan Carlson) of not doing enough to help residents fight overbuilding (ie the Gran Prarie development). I guess Mr Franz only has a problem with over building if the building is going to take place in his back yard. Of course 100 acres of this land has since been bought buy the county. The land that was bought does happen touch some land Mr Franz owns.

I guess over building only applies if it might our representatives outside view.

Mike no need to speculate. Shodeen wants the option to build as many apartments as he can. Nothing is being abandoned. The problem is Shodeens bottom line is not what is best for the county long term. An oversaturation of apartments only helps shodeen and no one else, ecsp if there is no demand. Why not have controlled growth? Would you feel the same about the apartments on 3rd street if it was 200 units? 600? 1000? all at Shodeen discretion and no one else?

There is a reasonable number for both shodeen and the community. Controlled growth will establish this. All the residents want is to make sure there is no oversatuation. Approving an additional 290 units on top of what he is already approved for does not accomplish this.

This is why we need our representatives to step up and curve this. If there is a future demand for apartments, visit it then. If shodeen has his way we will be faced with 600+ apartments.

Mike

To say that giving Shodeen approval for 290-390 units to encourage him to build the town center makes no sense.

Why run for office if you think the builder knows best on how many unit should be built in a community vs working with the community?

Are you saying that we should let Shodeen dictate the number of apartments at his discretion because he is the expert and the lay people (the residents) should have no input? Shouldnt the residents of a community have say? Isnt this why we elect officials to represent us?

You still dont seem to want to answer the question on if you would have a problem if it was 600 units on 3rd street. You are quick to bring the apartments on 3rd into the discussion but then retreat and point out its apples to Oranges.

We have elected officials for a reason. They should listen to the people that they represent instead of just saying the builder knows best.

The number of apartments has a number that both works for the community and the builder, putting that number in the hands of a builder is no way to achieve that.

You state that the builders goals are often not the same as the community, then why let that builder decide the number?

Mike,

I do not see the plans on Shodeens web site. I received notice of the plan when they wanted to make a major change to the development. I also saw the plan at the two meeting Shodeen had on the propsed change. I'm not sure if I can upload the documents sent to us on here.

Shodeen has been very quiet on this issue to potential buyers so I guess that could be why he doesnt make it easy to find. I know when we bought we were told the area would be a townhomes and stores like a coffee house and gas station. Shame on me for trusting the builder.

I think you bring up a good point when you say not having enough density caused some problems. My fear is that 600+ apartments could be the same mistake with too much density. I dont know what the number should be but I will continue to say
to put that number at Shodeens discretion would be a huge mistake. You can always increase the number of buildings but not decrease.
We have the opportunity to come up with the perfect number that works for everyone.

Kesslinger Road alread has greenfields. The place is a ghost town and was built too big when there is no need for something that big. Why repeat it?

I hope builder greed doesnt win out over what is best for the community again.

Build more apartments Mr. S because the way the housing market will likely trend is everyone will walk away from their homes from the inability to pay stratospheric property taxes and their mortgage and move in to apartments. The great downsizing of American civilization. Start by building some apartments in vacated lots on Lincoln Highway where there was once a mall.

Since Jeff is prejudice to Mill Creek people, I think that is calling the kettle black. I purposely sent my kids to daycare in Aurora for diversity because it lacks In GENEVA in general, not just in Mill Creek. Although I personally live on a very diverse street with 2 African American families, an Asian family and 2 Hispanic families. It's insulting to say that "only minorities" would live in apartments. And I certainly don't feel like a "non-Genevan" when I am paying my taxes to Geneva schools and park district, etc. You're insulting and a pompous a**.

Julie,

I do my best!

Jeff

Jeff shame on you for what you wrote. You have stooped to a new low with garbage writing.