EDC Minutes 2002 02-21-02 1
UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING /
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2002 lr�►r �0 E®
7 P.M. d .oa
St �
In Attendance:
Committee members Mike Anderson, Valerie Burd, and Richard Sticka; Mayor Art Prochaska,
City Administrator Tony Graff, Tony Birkla of Brisben Development Inc.; David Rasch of Stern
Brothers & Co.; Lynn Dubajic, executive director of the Yorkville Economic Development
Corporation; Barb Dettmer of International Codes Consultants & Inspections, Inc.; and Mary
Krasner representing Wyndham Deerpoint.
YORKVILLE GARDEN APARTMENTS
Tony Birkla of Brisben Development Inc., outlined the company's plans to build an apartment
complex with 148 units located at the corner of Routes 47 and 34. He also presented the
committee with the company's request for the City of Yorkville to pass an inducement to issue
revenue bonds to help defray costs of the project.
Birkla said the company intends to build apartments that are 1,000 to 1,200 square feet. The
apartment complex will feature a large amenity package including detached garages, a large
clubhouse, swimming pool and tot lot.
Rent would range from $855 to $955 per month. The tax exempt bond issue the company is
seeking would keep rent prices down, making housing affordable for those in the annual income
bracket of $30,000 to $50,000.
Birkla said plans are to build a top quality complex with 60 to 70 percent brick facade and
masonry.
David Rasch of Stern Brothers & Company said the request by Brisben for the city to approve an
inducement, does not commit the city to issue bonds. With the inducement, the developer can
begin incurring costs to get the project underway, he said. Birkla said once the inducement is
approved, all costs incurred by the developer are bond eligible. Rasch said the city serves as the
conduit and is not under any financial obligation.
City Administrator Tony Graff said the city denied zoning on the property several years ago and
was taken to court. As part of the court decree, the Brisben Development, Inc. which is
purchasing the property from the original developer, can build a 148 -unit complex with detached
garages.
Mayor Art Prochaska questioned if the city would be guaranteed the buildings would look like
the sketches brought to the committee meeting. Birkla said the company takes pride in its
buildings and wants the property to look good. "This is basically our front yard," Prochaska said
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of the intersection.
Graff said the matter of the inducement will go before the Committee of the Whole on March 5
and before the City Council on March 15.
The next step would be for the chairman of the committee, the mayor and the city attorney to
meet to go over the court decree.
Committee Chairman Richard Sticka said he wasn't sure about getting a recommendation from
the committee. He said wants Yorkville to be an upscale community.
Committee member Valerie Burd disagreed and said the community should be accessible. "I
think this could be a community for everybody," she said.
Prochaska stated that the development is not a low-income housing development. He said they
will be quality built buildings.
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He did, however, say he wanted to check on the issue of a park, accessible to the entire
community and he wants to review the court decree and negotiate some of the concerns
expressed with the developer.
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APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Minutes from the December, 18, 2001 meeting were approved with one correction in wording.
PRIMUS CORPORATION REZONING
Graff informed the committee that no objections were raised at the last Plan Commission
meeting over the rezoning of 3 acres in Fox Hill. The issue now goes to the Committee of the
Whole.
FINAL PLAT - FOX HILL, UNIT 7, POD 10
Tabled until the next meeting.
ANNEXATION, REZONING REOUEST BY CHRIS VALENTINE
At its Feb. 13 board meeting, the Plan Commission gave its recommendation to annex the
property but tabled discussions on rezoning. Tony Graff said the Plan Commission wanted a list
of potential uses before voting on the zoning issue. Also, the Plan Commission wanted a
wetland delineation.
Sticka said the matter should wait for recommendation by the Plan Commission.
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE
Graff reported that the Plan Commission closed the public hearing. He said the Plan
Commission did not receive a revised update of the Comprehensive Plan until the day of the
meeting and that Commission Chairman Tom Lindblom wants to have a special meeting to
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discuss the revisions.
Rodney Tonelli, of Reuttiger, Tonelli and Associates, wants to have a compilation of revisions
and hear the Plan Commission's comments before making physical changes to the plan.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Permits for 15 single- family homes; 2 duplexes and 5 commercial buildings were issued in
January.
The building department reports will be sent to the Committee of the Whole.
YORKVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Prochaska recommended to the committee that the city renew its commitment to the Yorkville
Economic Development Corporation with an investment of $45,000 per year for three years,
which include 2003, 2004 and 2005.
When the EDC started, the city's contribution funded more than 50 percent of the budget, now
the city's contribution accounts for about 36 percent of the budget.
The public /private partnership began with 18 members and now has 73.
Committee Member Mike Anderson said it is a good investment. Graff said the city is getting a
bargain and that as the EDC brings in more business to the community, the workload increases.
2000 INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL BUILDING CODES
Barb Dettmer presented the 2000 International Code Council Building Codes to the committee.
Dettmer said the former BOCA codes now make up the IBC codes. The 8 codes are interrelated
for consistency for builders, she said.
Among the major changes is the requirement that single - family and two- family duplexes and
town homes include sprinkler systems. She said the requirement has changed, but she
recommends the city still mandate the buildings be equipped with the systems.
Another major change is on the required stair size in residential homes. Dettmer said stairs must
be 7 inches by 11 inches. The size has been proven to be the cause of fewer accidents.
Prochaska said he'd like to see the city set a sunset clause allowing projects already in process to
use the old standards, but that the new standards be incorporated with all new projects.
Other major changes include the energy code and the 2 by 6 wall construction requirement.
Dettmer suggested the city specify an actual date the codes go into effect or put them into effect
30 days after adoption. She said the building department informs builders of the new codes.
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Graff suggested the city wait to adopt the codes to allow builders time to conform to the new
codes. However, Dettmer said the timing shouldn't make that much of a difference. Prochaska
said that anything that is currently platted can go by the old codes or choose to use the new ones.
Any project just coming into the city, however, would fall under the new codes once they are
adopted.
Also Dettmer said even if they are not aware of the changes, developers and builders usually call
to find out what the codes are before they begin any projects.
Sticks suggested the new codes be presented to the Committee of the Whole.
SSA POLICY DRAFT
The original draft of the Special Tax Bond Policy was changed to reflect the wording of a policy.
Graff said passage of the policy would require developers to do the legwork. They would need to
prove the project they are doing would work and to prove expenditures. The city then would not
have to issue inducements or intent letters.
The committee recommended that the policy go to the Committee of the Whole.
The meeting adjourned at 9:16 p.m.
Minutes by Dina Gipe.
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