Look at the root of suburban

Back in the days when Pioneer Press hired more than one reporter to cover a village (they actually had news writers, school reporters, sports reporters, feature writers --- for each paper!) and not just a single overworked reporter or over-zealous soccer mom filling space, they had a publisher who wrote a series of  articles entitled, "The root of suburban is urban."

That was nearly 40 years ago and his prognostications were right on the money.

Changing times, demographics, attitudes, etc. have brought the boundaries of the nation's large cities to the doorsteps of our once tranquil villages.

I was reminded of this face by what was, by accounts, a simple headline.  "Urban-style apartment may not fly in Buffalo Grove."

The story was about yet another presentation by a developer to build an apartment complex at Deerfield Parkway and Busch Road.

So what.

What makes this proposal so strange is it's the second time representatives representing Marquette Companies, a real estate investment firm has tried to pull the wool, or maybe polyester, over the eyes of the Village Board.  Their proposal is for a 192-unit apartment complex in three buildings; two low rise and one nine stories tall.

So what.

The "what" is that they keep trying to railroad this past the Board as a development where people won't need cars and it will be great for the environment and put the village on the cutting edge of planning.

Right.

Go to Marquette's web and you'll be taken in by complexes with ponds, swimming pools and contemporary architecture.

Interestingly enough, the plan for Buffalo Grove is a high density property that overlooks the Metra tracks.  Sounds inviting.

But the pitch that the development would be the hub of a transit development zone -- where people would not need their cars and they could walk everywhere.

Really?  Like to where? While there are a couple of strip centers  (shopping centers, not a return to the Cheetah II and Roman House), there are not a whole heck of a lot of places to walk to.

So it's mind boggling to me that folks from "the outside" can come in an want to change the character of the village (as opposed to changing some of the characters of the village -- but that's another story).

In essence, they are "forcing" the urban into the suburban.  We're far from the white picket fences, Hazel and Father Knows Best, but the reality is, like it or not, one of the strong suits, if not occasionally to a fault, is the strict zoning and ordinances in place in Buffalo Grove.

Proposing a rental property under the ruse that it will be a transit development zone is, at best annoying.  The village has long fought to avoid land grabs and promises of seashells and balloons.

To come in and think village staff and officials are Opie and Aunt Bee is naive.  The character and environment of the village are suburban.  If the village wants urban, it will be on its own terms.

Not those of some land grabber.