EDC Minutes 2004 07-21-04 Page 1 of 5
APPROVED 9/20/04
UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
YORKVILLE CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2004
The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF: Alderman Richard Sticka and
Alderwoman Rose Spears; Mayor Art Prochaska; City Administrator Tony Graff.
OTHERS: Lynn Dubajic, Yorkville EDC; Michael Hitzemann, Bristol Kendall Fire
Department chief; Gary Taylor; Jeff Hyman; and Lynn Whitman.
1. Minutes
Minutes from the April 19, 2004 meeting were approved.
2. Building Reports
Building permit reports from May and June 2004 were viewed and forwarded to the next
Committee of the Whole meeting.
3. Fire Department Request for Development Fee for Facilitv PlanninLy Studv
Chief Michael Hitzemann said the Bristol Kendall Fire Department hired the McGrath
Consulting Group to conduct a "Future Fire/EMS Facility Needs Report." As part of that
report, Tim McGrath, was asked to look at possible sights for a fire department and to
look at the impact fee structure.
Of the 11 communities McGrath surveyed that were similar in size to Yorkville, the
average residential impact fee assessed was about $500, Hitzemann said. Based on that
survey, McGrath recommended the Bristol Kendall Fire District residential impact fees
be raised from $300 to $500 and the commercial impact fees be increased from 3.5 cents
to 16 cents per square foot.
As an informational item, Hitzemann said the fire district recently agreed to put a
property tax increase on the ballot. The referendum asks for 31 cents. Bob Fisher, with
the fire district, said the primary reason for the referendum is to fund a second ambulance
and build a second station.
Fisher also said since increasing development in the community is putting more demand
on the district, the developers should help pay for those additional needs through impact
fees. He said the district is seeking the city's help to raise those fees. Revenue from the
increase fees will go toward purchasing property and building facilities, Fisher said.
According to the McGrath survey, the fire district will need four stations in the future.
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Fisher said the district has a loan to start construction on a second station. If the
referendum passes, construction could begin in the spring. If the referendum doesn't pass,
they won't be able to build.
The City of Montgomery, which is in part of the fire protection district, has already
agreed to pass an increase in the impact fees.
Committee Chairman Richard Sticka said if neighboring communities are charging
identical or similar fees, it would be easier for Yorkville to collect those fees.
However, he said city Code Official Bill Dettmer commented that it is unfair to compare
Lake County with Kendall County. Apparently, the McGrath study included figures from
communities in Lake County. Hitzemann said the Lake County figures were thrown out
of the survey.
Alderwoman Rose Spears said the study doesn't show which communities were
surveyed. She said it would be helpful if the surveyed communities were listed.
Mayor Art Prochaska added that Dettmer's notes said the survey also didn't justify an
increase in the commercial rate to 16 cents. Nearly everywhere else, the rate is 13 cents,
he said.
Because commercial development is so important in the community, Sticka said he
doesn't want to raise the impact fees unreasonably high. If Yorkville was at an average
level in the area, he said that would be okay. He said the rate certainly needs to be raised,
just not too high. He also said he doesn't have a problem with raising the residential rate.
Hitzemann said he would call McGrath to try to get a synopsis of the study, which would
outline which communities were studies and what the rates in those communities are.
Mayor Prochaska the city needs to be careful comparing Montgomery and Oswego
commercial figures with Yorkville's figures because those communities use
demographics from Aurora when drawing commercial businesses.
Sticka said he would like to see a list of the 11 communities in the survey. Meanwhile, he
said the committee's recommendation will be to increase the impact fees, but the amount
of the increase should be up to the City Council. He suggested the matter go to the Aug.
17 Committee of the Whole meeting. He also asked that more information about the
study and rates in other communities be available at that time. He said he doesn't want
commercial rates in Yorkville to be too high to attract commercial businesses.
4. PC 2004 -04 Villas at the Preserves — annexation, zoning and preliminary plan
Jeff Hyman said the Villas at the Preserves project sits on 23.95 acres and is located on
the south side of Route 71 about 1 /4 mile east of Route 47.
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Lynn Whitman, engineer on the project, said there are some wetlands on the property and
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is taking jurisdiction of some of them. She added there
will be wetlands around the entrance. She said the site it challenging and very interesting.
There are a lot of natural characteristics and it is surrounded by a forest preserve.
The 84 duplex units in the project will be marketed toward empty nesters. They can
choose between a ranch unit and a two -story unit. Architectural renderings were shown in
the corner of the plan. The ranch units will be 1 - '/ 2 stories with a high roofline. The
homes will be 1,600 and 1,800 square feet. There will be units with two bedrooms and
other units that also will have a den. All of the units will have main floor master
bedrooms. The nature of the floor plan will attract the empty nesters, she said.
Also, the developers intend to target their marketing in media and brokerage, Whitman
added.
Whitman said the key is the garage placements. One style will have front - loaded garages
and the other style will have side - loaded garages.
Also, a homeowner's association will be developed and roads throughout the community
will be privately maintained. There also will be a 20 -foot wide emergency access
installed.
Mayor Prochaska said that the lots are smaller than what the city normally allows.
However, he said as long as it's all maintenance free, he doesn't have a problem with the
smaller lots.
Sticka said he likes the fact that the homes don't even look like duplexes, according to
the models shown. Hyman said that the developers would control the architecture, which
means the renderings shown are similar to what will be built.
Sticka asked what the Plan Commission's concerns were. Hyman said the Plan
Commissioners were concerned about the request for reduced setbacks. The developers
are doing so to avoid an inordinately long drive on the second driveways, he said.
The Plan Commission also asked that the developers keep existing tree lines. Hyman said
that every tree they can save, they will. He said they couldn't buy a tree that has the value
of an existing tree. Also, he said the market they hope to attract will be people who
already have mature trees in their current neighborhoods.
Hyman also said that the developers will place restrictions on what homeowners can do
to their property, such as no structures and no fences.
Mayor Prochaska said the only other comment from the Plan Commission regarded
materials used on the homes. The Plan Commission wants to see a certain amount of
masonry on the homes.
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Hyman said there are four earth tone color tones for homeowners to choose from. The
homes also will feature brickwork, stone caps and cedar. Rather than be forced to meet a
certain percentage of masonry, Hyman said he would like the opportunity to present to
the city some different elevations.
Sticka said masonry creates a different value to a whole subdivision. He said he would
like see some sort of percentage of masonry be put into the PUD. Hyman said that the
developers recently agreed to put masonry on 40 percent of the front of homes on a
project in Elgin. Sticka said 40 percent may be the magic number.
As for setbacks, Sticka said he can see both sides of the issue. City Administrator Tony
Graff said the Lannert Group put together an exhibit showing how the homes would be
set up. One of the goals of the Plan Commission was that two cars could be in a driveway
without hitting the sidewalk. The Lannert Group indicated that even with reduced
setbacks, that could be accomplished through an eyebrow.
Regarding trails, Hyman said he'd rather not have any trails behind the homes. But, he
said he would put in one along Route 71 heading toward the forest preserve. Mayor
Prochaska said it would be up to the forest preserve to take it from there.
Gary Taylor, attorney for the petitioners, said he would talk to City Attorney Dan Kramer
and submit a proposed annexation and PUD agreement by the end of the following week.
Sticka said the setback and percent of masonry issues were still unresolved. As for the
masonry issue, Hyman said he would like to bring in a detailed display of elevations to
give to the city. He added that the developers want the project to look good.
Mayor Prochaska suggested the annexation and PUD agreement go to the Aug. 17
C.O.W. meeting. He added that no comments were made from the public at the public
hearing held at the Plan Commission.
5. Revised PUD ordinance
Sticka said the revised ordinance needs so many changes; he wasn't sure where to begin.
He said the ordinance sounds to him like a "How to get a PUD."
Mayor Prochaska said the current development plan ordinance has a lot of ambiguity in
it, which is why the revised PUD ordinance was written as it was.
Going through the revised ordinance, Sticka pointed out several sections that had unclear
meanings. Once such section stated, "Size of Planned Unit Developments shall be of
sufficient size to accommodate self - contained developments and to create their own
character." Graff said he would check with the city attorney on the meaning and to see if
it could be written clearer.
Regarding the section on architectural drawings, Sticka questioned how the city can ask
for architectural drawings, when technically, at the PUD stage, the developers wouldn't
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be at that point yet. Mayor Prochaska said maybe the section could be left in, but with a
qualifier that says when applicable. Graff said the section was included because the city
wants to set some architectural standards for these new subdivisions.
Sticka said that while it seems as if the revised ordinance tries to address some issues,
there are plenty of other issues not included.
Spears also pointed out a number of typographical and clerical errors.
Graff said the ordinance would be cleaned up.
6. Landscape Ordinance
The matter was tabled until the next meeting because it was just mailed out and
committee members didn't get an opportunity to fully review the ordinance.
7. Additional Business
Sticka reported that the appearance code may be ready by the next meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Dina Gipe
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