Burr Ridge joins DuPage suburbs pushing back on Illinois BUILD housing plan

Burr Ridge has joined a growing suburban push against Illinois’ BUILD housing proposal, with the village board voting unanimously on May 12 to oppose the bill. The issue is not just about housing in the abstract. Burr Ridge leaders say the measure could change what can be built on single-family lots and reduce the village’s say over zoning, parking, stormwater, wastewater and other site-specific decisions.

The concern centers on HB5626, introduced in the Illinois House on Feb. 19. The bill would require municipalities to allow more housing on residential lots that permit single-family homes, including up to eight dwelling units on lots larger than 7,500 square feet. It would also change local rules tied to accessory dwelling units, parking minimums, third-party inspections, impact-fee formulas and some building-code standards. The proposal is still pending in Springfield and has not been enacted.

Why Burr Ridge officials are pushing back

In a May 12 Patch report, Burr Ridge officials said the village’s smallest lots are 9,000 square feet, which is why they see the proposal as a direct concern for single-family neighborhoods. Village Administrator Evan Walter told the board that denser multifamily development on those lots would reduce the village’s control over stormwater, infrastructure, off-street parking and wastewater decisions. Mayor Gary Grasso said the legislation may be unconstitutional, while trustees framed zoning as a core local-government responsibility.

That local-control argument is showing up well beyond Burr Ridge. A Wheaton staff memo dated May 4 urged support for preserving municipal housing authority, saying the BUILD plan would affect local zoning, minimum lot sizes, density, accessory dwelling units, parking requirements, inspections and impact-fee formulas. The memo argued that housing, traffic, stormwater, schools and land availability vary too much for a one-size-fits-all approach.

DuPage suburbs are building a broader counterpressure

On May 26, Darien said municipal leaders from across DuPage and neighboring counties had gathered to speak out against the BUILD Act and urged residents to contact their legislators. Capitol News Illinois reported that the Illinois Municipal League is preparing a counterproposal aimed at preserving local control while still addressing housing affordability.

For Burr Ridge residents, the practical question is whether Springfield leaves cities and villages with the final say on neighborhood-scale development rules or shifts more of that authority to the state. The proposal is still active, so the final outcome could change as the legislative debate continues.

Sources

• Burr Ridge Patch report on BUILD opposition
• Illinois General Assembly: HB5626 bill text
• City of Wheaton staff memo on preserving municipal housing authority
• City of Darien press release on BUILD program