Golf-course-adjacent Glencoe property may soon go from one home to three

A signature home in Glencoe that has languished on the market for years is pursuing new life.

Getting there will take a little more work from Glencoe officials.

The Glencoe Village Board gave the OK on Sept. 19 for developers to subdivide the property at 5 Briar Lane into three plots for three new homes. The remaining sticking points involve neighboring Skokie Valley Country Club and utility easements that pass through the property.

A final plat will return to the Glencoe Plan Commission for review before again going in front of the Village Board for final consideration.

Property owner Ronald Schmidt reportedly put his home at 5 Briar Lane up for sale in 2006 at a price north of $10 million. The price decreased through the years until its current selling price of approximately $4 million.

In 2017, Schmidt first petitioned the Village for a subdivision of the property, which spans more than 2 acres, with a plan to build three homes that conform to Glencoe’s zoning code. The plan for the property has evolved and received a unanimously positive recommendation from the plan commission in August.

“I am ready to move on with my life,” Schmidt told trustees on Sept. 19.

Briar Lane is a hammerhead street, meaning it ends abruptly at the subject property. To align with Glencoe’s current standards, the subdivision can only go through if Briar Lane becomes a cul-de-sac.

The significant change was one reason neighbors expressed concern of the subdivision to the plan commission.

No neighbors were on hand Sept. 19, however, to address the Village Board. John Murphy, of the country club, was though. Murphy reiterated his request that Glencoe officials pump the brakes on the subdivision until “appropriate conditions” are created to protect the home from golf balls.

Schmidt said in recent years about 80 errant golf balls enter his yard a week. The subdivision would result in more homes and eventually more residents on the property, expanding the risk.

Village President Howard Roin said the subdivision was complicated and “everybody has a legitimate view” that the village must balance. He added that he believes the golf course and Schmidt’s team will be able to work out the golf-ball risk.

The trustees approved the preliminary plans for the subdivision under the assumption that developers will address the restrictions to an in-place utilities easement.

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