The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended a rezoning that could pave the way for the first major residential subdivision in Green Garden Township in nearly two decades.

On Tuesday, the commission unanimously supported a request from agent Gregory Clarke of J. Clarke Co. Inc. to rezone an 81-acre vacant property on South 88th Avenue from A-1 (Agricultural) to E-2 (Estate Residential). The change would allow the land to be divided into lots of at least 2.5 acres for future home construction.

“I am a believer in the large lots,” Clarke told the commission. “There are in Green Garden Township right now very few if any available… I think there’s a need for this.”

Clarke, who has been in the real estate business for 49 years and grew up a mile from the site, said he has no specific design plan yet and will be “market-driven.” He noted that based on the E-2 zoning, the property could accommodate a maximum of about 33 lots, but the final number would likely be lower.

The proposal drew comments from Green Garden Township Trustee Ralph Deetsz, who said the township board had voted 5-0 to recommend approval. While not opposed to the E-2 zoning, he expressed concern about “the unknown future” since a detailed development plan has not been submitted.

Commissioners clarified that any future division of the property would require a separate, rigorous review process, either through a plat exemption or a full subdivision approval, which would include public roads and engineering plans.

“Anything he does in the future after this has to go through a whole process again,” Chairman Hugh Stipan explained to Deetsz.

Another citizen questioned the tax implications, to which Stipan and Clarke confirmed that the property’s assessment would not change from its agricultural rate until lots are officially platted and taken out of farm use.

The property is located about a half-mile south of Frankfort and is designated for single-family detached residential use in Frankfort’s future land use plan. The recommendation now proceeds to the Will County Board for a final decision.