For decades, the Mill Race Inn was a fixture along the Fox River in Geneva. Now the future of the site of the former iconic restaurant is up in the air.

The Geneva City Council recently rejected a $38 million residential development plan for the site along the east bank of the Fox River.

“Where we stand now as a community is to take a pause, relax and wait for whatever opportunity may come our way for reconsideration,” Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns said. “Oftentimes when we are patient, a resolution is reached that satisfies what is expected.”

At a special City Council Committee of the Whole meeting Nov. 30, all 10 aldermen voted against a concept plan for eight town homes, 116 rental apartments and 2,000 square feet of commercial space, as well as parking and public riverfront improvements, at the site at 4 E. State St.

Some aldermen thought the developer had not made enough concessions or wasn’t flexible with the size of the buildings, while others said there wasn’t sufficient public access to the site.

The city, and the Shodeen Family Foundation as property owners, commissioned a design team in April 2019 to develop concept plans for the 1.8-acre site by doing a planning program including two sessions with the public intended to build a “community consensus” for the project.

The two public sessions were held in June 2019.

A month later aldermen voted 6-4 to set basic parameters for the plan and to have it go through the city review process, in part to work through concerns people had with the riverfront proposal.

“While there are some architectural improvements, I don’t really see substantive change or concession on the great majority of these issues,” Ald. Mike Bruno said about the plan. “It might be explainable, but I do not have a level of comfort that I was looking for.”

He was aware the public sessions were intended to be a “new take” on the public involvement process.

“I could have been convinced. I could have fallen on the sword in saying this process worked — this is the best we can get. But I don’t think I am in that place right now,” Bruno said of the plan.

Ald. Jeanne McGowan was opposed to the size of the project.

“I don’t feel the size of the project is right for this location. I don’t feel it is right to build to the sidewalk on a portion of land literally adjacent to the Fox River,” McGowan said. “For these reasons and many more that we have all seen in emails from residents who are adamantly asking us ‘please don’t approve this.’ I didn’t receive a single email from someone who said I love this project, please vote yes.”

“I don’t see how the proposal has changed very much and I don’t see how it reflects what the community said in the (sessions) or what the council said,” Ald. Craig Maladra said.

Maladra asked whether the door was shut or if the developer could be flexible with modifying the height of the development and its overall size.

“Many have forgotten what is permitted by right on the site,” Shodeen President David Patzelt said.

“It’s tough to say we are flexible but at the same time are you asking for flexibility,” Patzelt said.

“Mostly I was curious to find out if there is a way to attack mass through the reallocation of space,” Maladra said. “You are at 56 feet in height (of the building), we are talking the height of one person over what is permitted by right.

“This partnership wasn’t specifically intended to do the maximum of what we can do by right. It was looking to do the most creative solution we could do that met many goals and objections — yours as well as the other stakeholders in the process,” Maladra said. “Is there still time and opportunity to explore creative changes to get something we could all stand behind or if that door is shut.”

“We’re just out of time. It’s unfortunate that I don’t feel the council has seen the fruit of the labor of staff and design team for all of the changes that we have made and all of the different entities involved in putting a pin into the cushion,” Patzelt said.

The mayor’s take on the outcome remains optimistic.

“Despite an 18-month courtship, the Shodeen Foundation and city of Geneva chose not to get married,” Burns said. “The opportunity rests squarely with the Shodeen Family Foundation. We as a city and community welcome conversations with how best to redevelop the site.”

Had the project been approved, it would have allowed for more detailed review by the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council, according to city officials.

A provision in the agreement obligated the city to reimburse the developer for its share of fees if a preferred concept was not approved by the City Council. The city is set to reimburse the Shodeen Family Foundation half of the $273,400 cost of the public session and entitlement process since a preferred concept was not approved by the City Council.

“I am not disappointed at all in the time or money invested. Oftentimes you have to invest time, talent and treasure even when a project doesn’t work perhaps as a lot of folks hoped it would. The takeaway from the experience is that a lot of people spoke up. My hope is that those who did speak up will stay engaged,” Burns said.

The city’s respect and relationship with the Shodeen Family Foundation has not changed, Burns said.

“The Committee of the Whole determined this proposal was not to their liking but we still have immeasurable appreciation for what Shodeen has done for this community and others,” Burns said.

Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.