The Huntley Farmside

              Inside Huntley Clean Sweep activities • Post Prom photos
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Thursday, April 22^ 1999
The Himtley Famiside
0 1QQQ A Press Publications newspaber m serving the Huntley community v^i
Volume 39, Issue 2
Sun shines on Del Webb community
Steve Brosinski
Press Publications
The wave of up to 9,000 new residents began to trickle into Sun City on April 15.
A year ago, Del Webb's first northem climate residential community was wide open farmland. Now, the 2,000-acre landscape is dotted with neigh¬ borhood homes and the 77,000- square-foot Prairie Lodge exer¬ cise facility.
On Monday, Harry and Gini Leopold became the fourth fam¬ ily of an expected 10 to walk up and tum the keys in their new home in Sun City of Huntley. The Leopolds' two-bedroom 1,650-square-foot ranch on Cold Springs Drive is just up the street from the thoroughfare of Del Webb Boulevard.
"Great," Gini said only min¬ utes before the couple sat down for the closing.
The Leopolds, who sold thek 2,300-square-foot home in Pala¬ tine, are moving into neighbor¬ hood No. 2, or Essex Trails.
Last week, three other fami¬ lies closed on their homes, mak¬ ing history in what will become Huntley's largest residential development. The active senior community   will   include   a
restaurant and an 18-hole golf course. The Leopolds' new neighbors, Pat and John Panella, said they heard another golf course was going up across Route 47.
Keeping in pace with the active lifestyle, the Leopolds are still working and plan to keep their jobs. Gini Leopold, an aer¬ obics instmctor at Lake Barring¬ ton Shores, said she's willing to work at the Sun City workout facility.
"I hope they call me," she said, adding that her husband is an avid golfer.
The couple chose Sun City because their two children and five grandchildren live nearby in Algonquin and Crystal Lake. One stipulation for coming here was that the children would stay put.
"I told them you can't move," Gini said. "We were going to move to Sun City in Arizona, but this is great. We will be close to our kids."
Harry said he's already attended a Village Board meet¬ ing and met Village President James Dhamer
"The mayor introduced him¬ self. I asked him if he shook hands with anyone from Del
"The mayor
introduced
himself. I asked
him if he shook
hands with anyone
from Del Webb
before. Now he
can't say he
hasn't."
Harry Leopold
Del Webb homeowner
Webb before. Now he can't say he hasn't," he said.
Jim Churchill, Del Webb's homeowner orientation repre¬ sentative,  said  the Leopolds were the fourth family to move in.
This begins the first group of a continual stream of closings that will take place for years to come. The three previous cou¬ ples to move in were the Ack- leys, the Vaughns and the Smiths.
Though  company officials would not say how many clos¬ ings there will be this month, a see Commiuiity—page 2
Photo by Steve Brosinski
Harry and Gini Leopold tour their new home on Cold Springs Drive in Sun City. The Leopolds are the fourth family to close on their home.
Prime sues village over annexation of Buralli property
Steve Brosinski
Press Publications
The bond between Huntley and Prime Group Inc. took a bloy^ last Friday when the Chicago-based developer decid¬ ed to take the village to court over annexation of the Buralli property.
Charging the village with violating zoning standards and
"uncontrolled growth," the law¬ suit insists the village should not allow the Buralli land to be used for conmiercial development.
The suit was filed in McHen¬ ry Court and the village has 30 days to respond.
Village Administrator Carl Tomaso said he could not com¬ ment because the village was involved in litigation.
"From our standpoint, we have a great relationship with the village..,.but we are concerned with the annexation."
Gary J. Skoien
Executive vice president, Prime Group, Inc.
Prime official Gary J. Skoien said the suit was filed when talks between the village and
Prime failed.
"From our standpoint, we have a great relationship with
the village and we have invested a lot of money in Huntiey. But we are concerned with the annexation," said Skoien, exec¬ utive vice president.
Skoien said the village should either nullify the annexation agreement or rezone the proper¬ ty as residential. The company is not seeking any monetary dam- see Property—page 2