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Belleville adopts "Mode to Own" infill program to transfer small city lots to adjacent homeowners
Summary
The Belleville City Council voted Aug. 18 to add a "Mode to Own" program to the city's land-use code that allows the city to offer small, nonbuildable lots to adjacent property owners under one-year development agreements; the program is modeled on Mount Vernon’s effort and includes maintenance and reversion conditions.
Belleville’s City Council voted Aug. 18 to add a “Mode to Own” program to the municipal land‑use code, creating a pathway for the city to transfer small, infill lots to adjoining homeowners under one‑year development agreements. The ordinance (94‑15‑2025) adds chapter 165 to Title 15 and passed on a council roll call after discussion.
The program is designed to speed transfers of small or irregular parcels that the city has determined are not suitable for independent development. Mayor Meyer said the city will screen lots internally and offer only those deemed appropriate; adjoining owners who take a lot must sign a development agreement and maintain the parcel. “If they don’t do it, they lose the property,” Mayor Meyer said during the council debate.
The council adopted the ordinance to allow the city to avoid formal surplus‑property advertising and sealed bids for qualifying parcels and instead complete transfers by development agreement approved by the council. Alderperson Steele moved the ordinance and Alderperson Keiser seconded it; the measure passed in the roll call vote.
Why it matters: supporters said the program reduces city maintenance costs for small lots and gives neighbors a straightforward way to legally assume care of parcels next to their homes. Opponents asked for more time to consider whether the program represents the city’s highest and best use of land and suggested tabling the ordinance; those concerns were discussed on the record but did not stop its passage.
What the ordinance requires: according to council discussion, parcels will be evaluated by staff and department heads before being offered; requests from adjoining property owners will be considered case by case; development agreements will include conditions on maintenance, permitted use, and a one‑year monitoring period modeled on Mount Vernon’s program. Mayor Meyer estimated that of roughly 55–56 parcels previously inventoried, “I would bet there's at least 30 on there that are not buildable,” and that roughly a dozen adjoining owners had contacted the city expressing interest.
How it will be implemented: council members said each individual transfer will return as a separate development agreement for committee or council approval. The ordinance’s language does not change other zoning or building rules: if a transferee wants to combine the lot with an existing parcel or build, they must comply with existing subdivision, zoning, and permitting rules.
Public comment: Ron Diedrich, local government affairs director for Eleanor Realtors, spoke during public participation in favor of the program and cited Mount Vernon’s program as a successful model. “Mode to Own has been a very successful program in Mount Vernon, since its inception in 2016,” Diedrich said, urging council approval.
Council next steps: staff said they will continue to compile the internal list of candidate lots and will present individual development agreements to council when applicants come forward. The city legal and ordinance committee clarified it would not charge an application fee and that the pilot monitoring period will be one year.
The ordinance becomes part of the revised code as Ordinance 94‑15‑2025; individual transfers will be recorded as development agreements and returned to council for approval.
