[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5973118,"mediaKeyId","5843400-c5cccc1a338c06d36c2f69add8ed10a3","parentId",5843400,"title","Digiva commission approves special‑use route to allow ground‑floor dwelling units in downtown mixed‑use district","audioSeconds",531,"startMs",223000,"endMs",754000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5843400-c5cccc1a338c06d36c2f69add8ed10a3&start=223&end=754","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5843400-c5cccc1a338c06d36c2f69add8ed10a3/thumbnail_223000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5973118/Geneva-City/Kane-County/Illinois/Digiva-commission-approves-specialuse-route-to-allow-groundfloor-dwelling-units-in-downtown-mixeduse-district","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973118-ddd308e4d5d025dd7cdb13c76b55222e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443065&Signature=g1QrD-ppixELcTxzw7vO5vh0OjmVbrqIr22Q1s1u4g7Gf2~efWyl3tMU6zqOfcF5~dRHk-AU~RZf3qzbkNSN~bXt9bUR15aDXa5ZM-WSynG0D~VlU3WUsZgW9MGBI~sbPcQXRADyaGN-WwkOUxOCQRGBGI1qRMbw5AoP7lWdvA3vh0R5wj9QpwDdjoEEgtmBOiqCNEeNyGHIiea8T~ha1d6xE~l0j6ht-rxaLUmXIpQcDOKBhnPhqJ0WhVZ3jNej5c~bRQyGnhu0MBy~SFfWZjT8HMFuimFuTduQLzFFWt6MfzPZVny6p4KrfChP9oihwangv3FTCqQ8YyuYrmcmIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Geneva, IL","date","2025-09-26T15:23:31Z","article","The Digiva Planning and Zoning Commission voted Sept. 25 to amend the Geneva zoning ordinance to allow dwelling units on the ground floor as a special use in the DCM (Downtown Commercial/Mixed Use) district, and approved two related special‑use permits for properties at 828 West State Street and 122 Hamilton Street.

The change was requested by property owners seeking flexibility to convert underused commercial space to residential uses. Community development director David de Groot told the commission the ordinance amendment and the two special‑use applications meet required standards; the commission approved the ordinance amendment and both permits in roll‑call votes with all members present voting aye.

Why it matters: downtown commercial blocks often contain older small buildings whose owners say office and retail demand has fallen; allowing ground‑floor residential use could reduce long vacancies and change parking demand, property tax treatment and street activity in the DCM district.

Staff and applicants described the immediate cases that prompted the change. Applicant Sudeep Palamati said his property had been marketed for months with no leasing interest. \"My property was on the market from 6 to 7 months, but there is literally 0 interest for leasing it as a commercial office space,\" Palamati told the commission, and added that authorizing a ground‑floor dwelling would \"give us a lot of flexibility, to add a dwelling unit on the ground floor and make it residential.\" Marcus Olson, a nearby resident, spoke in support of Palamati’s renovation plans and said he had no concerns about the work.

Dawn Muir, the applicant for 122 Hamilton Street, told the commission she prefers the conversion remain contingent on a city‑initiated text amendment that would waive additional off‑street parking for certain downtown residential conversions. Muir said she wants to \"maintain the integrity of the historic appearance\" of her small Cape Cod house and directed potential short‑term rental customers to nearby public lots if the unit is used as an Airbnb.

Staff clarified parking impacts. For the 828 West State Street conversion, staff said the site would become two two‑bedroom dwelling units and that the conversion would require 3 parking spaces under residential conversion rules (two 2‑bedroom units at 1.5 spaces each), and that those spaces are already provided and marked. For 122 Hamilton, the staff report noted on‑site parking is constrained, that a driveway would remove existing spaces and could conflict with an electric pole, and that the property’s approval was contingent on the pending city text amendment affecting off‑street parking requirements for properties inside the downtown residential vehicle parking permit area.

Formal actions: the commission (a) approved the zoning ordinance text amendment to add ground‑floor dwelling units as a special use in the DCM district and (b) approved special‑use permits for 828 West State Street and 122 Hamilton Street. Commissioners gave unanimous aye votes on both the amendment and the permits. The applicants were told the items will go to the City Council on Oct. 6 for final consideration or notification as required.

Next steps and context: staff will forward records to the Oct. 6 City Council meeting; the commission noted that the city‑initiated parking amendment is a trigger for how conversions in certain downtown areas would be treated. Commissioners and applicants also discussed how conversions could affect daytime parking demand compared with prior commercial uses.

No litigation, financing or detailed construction timelines were presented at the meeting; commission discussion focused on standards, parking impact and maintaining historic character for small downtown houses.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Geneva Planning & Zoning Commission September 25, 2025.","oneSentenceSummary","The Digiva Planning and Zoning Commission voted Sept. 25 to amend the Geneva zoning ordinance to allow dwelling units on the ground floor as a special use in the DCM (Downtown Commercial/Mixed Use) district, and approved two related special‑use permits for properties at 828 West State Street and 122 Hamilton Street.","taxTitle","Geneva City, Kane County, Illinois","taxId",56193,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5973110,"Commission asks staff to review local restrictions on electric scooters and minibikes after safety concerns",157,3974000,4131000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5843400-c5cccc1a338c06d36c2f69add8ed10a3&start=3974&end=4131","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5843400-c5cccc1a338c06d36c2f69add8ed10a3/thumbnail_3974000.jpg","/articles/5973110/Geneva-City/Kane-County/Illinois/Commission-asks-staff-to-review-local-restrictions-on-electric-scooters-and-minibikes-after-safety-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973110-44f0791b1af37a11c3f37fbd4ac582e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443065&Signature=Uiuj3eHEqyG~Nfy1QHiZ5F6fcLcPAMd48cFw9sNW4-~5TQfHt0WWgV1KCJXWBmdEO78ZLiBYAa0iZINvh5SMn5nbauidJmO1DQMOcGelRCGjCd1s-WFIuftSXWgitAdcNuYKPSsn5wmfU91uEYfD~6paQPJPRDBb-W5kDwPqV8Qo3hLjo86H9e665CM6GQPyA4tSQLmoavyw0pH-1fwDHgMdcIO35P3v~ZPGK-nyiPNkrSJ6SAb7z0ym~d1qWqR2am-eNTyF8zxsUBL85mF80OzjbREzYLBBEa4UyshGfZEcafljvPChXygo9LjCjlPDXrZLh4QEfbpT~N8~GIMDUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioners asked staff Sept. 25 to research local options to regulate electric scooters and motorized minibikes after members raised safety concerns. The request followed a brief conversation referencing a recent Winnetka ordinance that places restrictions on certain motorized devices.

One commissioner said the city’s police department \"is looking into that actively,\" and staff confirmed they have discussed the issue with the bike and pedestrian committee. No ordinance language or timetable for a recommendation was provided during the meeting; the commission asked staff and public safety personnel to review what other nearby communities have done and report back to the commission or police department.

This item was discussed under other business; no formal motion or vote was taken.","At the end of the Sept. 25 meeting commissioners asked staff to examine local regulation of electric scooters and motorized minibikes, citing a Winnetka ordinance as an example and saying the police department is already looking into the issue.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5973115,"Developer previews 13‑acre Fabian Parkway solar farm; commission open to zoning study but raises tax and utility questions",2158,1625000,3783000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5843400-c5cccc1a338c06d36c2f69add8ed10a3&start=1625&end=3783","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5843400-c5cccc1a338c06d36c2f69add8ed10a3/thumbnail_1625000.jpg","/articles/5973115/Geneva-City/Kane-County/Illinois/Developer-previews-13acre-Fabian-Parkway-solar-farm-commission-open-to-zoning-study-but-raises-tax-and-utility-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973115-9650136a953b8c2a97987aaf4e5b2c89/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443065&Signature=RKk4zWt4gcftZzamecA4U2ObvUagZxaRF~3vW5zrxcbwJRaYsHs~Sa72BzsnRnFAanuUecNLsrirQ1OvztvcEYcD9kB7oPx2XxnLljoluXGaa1MPisol~NY6WKtXacShsbbvvecUJvht8Dw8og4AcMkrFEnqBYEEAHCLv7hvWzHQy8Ecjd8t85xAvLVfa5AbBpcUyKnQKXWxuFzyOSgj17G~yEVpEyClY82Nt9T7RW~XvTImgFK2SKmjFScC1OP7SMgzsgSrQLjYHhtVnS-gjcgdSVeyxPs6CXQ1i0A4OqE9kZ6pdVdiIO5x40UoTwE87lk4oY83Ek-epTNC1~OTfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Developers from 1 Energy presented a concept review Sept. 25 for a 13‑acre solar farm at 1203 East Fabian Parkway and the Digiva Planning and Zoning Commission generally indicated the proposal merits further study, while raising questions about property‑tax impacts, utility interconnection and whether batteries should be treated separately in city zoning code.

Forrest Houck, project lead for 1 Energy, described the Clarence Solar Project as a roughly 12‑acre array of fixed‑tilt solar panels with an optional battery component. \"We would develop and construct a project that would sell power to the Illinois Shines program and that would allow people, consumers of ComEd to subscribe directly to the project to receive about a 20% discount on their energy savings,\" Houck said. He said a project of the proposed size would power up to about 1,000 homes and that panels would be mounted on steel piles (driven 5–6 feet) with leading edge heights of roughly 8–10 feet.

The site was rezoned previously for industrial use and staff said the current zoning ordinance is silent about solar farms as a principal use; staff recommended that, if allowed, solar farms be added to the I‑1 (Light Industrial) district as a special use and that the commission consider drafting regulations on setbacks, screening, landscaping and battery storage. The applicant proposed native pollinator seed mixes between arrays, a vegetative screen of 6‑foot evergreens along Fabian Parkway and reuse of an existing site driveway.

Key constraints and questions discussed:
- Utility interconnection: the project would connect to ComEd lines across Fabian Parkway; because the City of Geneva has its own municipal electric utility, city customers could not subscribe to Illinois Shines benefits generated by the site unless a different arrangement is negotiated. Staff and commissioners flagged that as a major policy consideration.
- Fiscal tradeoffs: the applicant estimated annual property taxes of about $35,000 for the solar project and described that as roughly 10 times current vacant‑land taxes; staff said an industrial development on the same parcel could generate an estimated $250,000–$300,000 per year based on local comparables, and some commissioners questioned shifting a site that could be industrial into long‑term solar use.
- Battery storage: Houck described an optional four‑hour battery sized in megawatt‑hours (for example a 4 MWh battery to shift midday generation to evening hours). He said batteries appear electrically feasible but the commission asked whether battery storage should be addressed within a zoning text amendment or regulated separately.

Public comment was brief and supportive: resident Bill Kale told the commission he strongly favored the project as a local source of renewable energy and said additional generation will be important as regional demand rises.

No formal vote was taken; staff and the applicant agreed to proceed with more detailed studies. Houck said the developer intends to prepare a zoning ordinance text amendment and a special‑use permit application, hold a community meeting and return to the commission in the coming months (the applicant suggested presenting again at the commission’s November hearing). Staff said the special‑use approach would allow case‑by‑case review across the I‑1 district if the commission elects to add solar farms as a special use there.

Background and technical notes presented at the meeting: the applicant said typical project life is 30 years (after which the array is decommissioned unless repowered by new agreements), construction would take about 4–6 months with roughly 25 worker round trips daily during construction, and routine operation typically requires a monthly site visit by an electrical technician and a monthly vegetation maintenance visit. The applicant also noted state property‑tax rules for solar property and an intent to offer community benefits such as panel donations to nonprofits or schools if possible.","1 Energy presented a concept for a 13‑acre solar farm at 1203 East Fabian Parkway that would connect to ComEd and participate in Illinois Shines; staff and commissioners asked for further study of zoning definitions, battery storage rules and fiscal tradeoffs between a solar field and potential industrial development.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Digiva commission approves special‑use route to allow ground‑floor dwelling units in downtown mixed‑use district

Commission asks staff to review local restrictions on electric scooters and minibikes after safety concerns

Developer previews 13‑acre Fabian Parkway solar farm; commission open to zoning study but raises tax and utility questions