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Board adopts inducement resolution to study Dempster Street redevelopment; village shares early plans for new Village Hall and police station
Summary
The Morton Grove Board of Trustees on July 22 unanimously approved an inducement resolution to study potential Tax Increment Financing for redevelopment along Dempster Street and staff shared early designs for a Village Hall and police facility at 6201 Dempster Street.
The Morton Grove Board of Trustees on July 22 unanimously approved a resolution that authorizes the village to incur and later seek reimbursement for expenses related to evaluating and negotiating potential redevelopment projects along the Dempster Street corridor.
The resolution, presented by Chuck (Administrator), is an inducement measure intended to start the legal and public process necessary to consider a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) designation along Dempster Street. Chuck read from the legislative summary, saying the resolution “authorizes future reimbursements of expenses incurred by the Village and potential developers to improve and redevelop the Dempster Street redevelopment project area.”
Why it matters: Staff said the corridor from Central Avenue to the Forest Preserve exhibits “blighting factors” including obsolescence, inadequate utilities and stagnating property values; a TIF could provide a tool to finance infrastructure and public improvements tied to redevelopment.
Board action Trustee Mink moved approval and Trustee Travis seconded; the board voted 6–0 to adopt the inducement resolution (recorded as resolution 2554 in the meeting). Chuck told the board the intent is to “evaluate and negotiate potential redevelopment projects and to affirm that the village will take appropriate action as allowed by the law including the TIF law.”
Village Hall and police facility update Staff also updated the public on an early design phase for a future Village Hall and police department planned for 6201 Dempster Street. Chuck said the village contracted architect FGMA to produce initial designs and that the village purchased the building in April and closed in December (procurement and closing dates were summarized by staff). He said the design and public-review process will include appearance commission, traffic safety commission, planning commission and Board of Trustees hearings later this fall or in the coming months.
Staff clarified common community questions: the village “has no plans to close Georgiana Avenue,” it does not plan to restrict parking on Georgiana during snow events, and the current site plan routes primary vehicle access along Fernald Avenue to Dempster Street. Staff said formal notices will be mailed to neighbors within 250 feet of the property, signs will be posted on the site and a public notice will appear in the local newspaper when public hearings begin.
Next steps The inducement resolution authorizes staff to expend funds to pursue further study and partner-government notifications needed for a potential TIF; if the village ultimately establishes a TIF, staff said eligible pre-TIF expenditures could be reimbursed from the TIF fund. Separate public hearings and commissions will review the Village Hall/police facility special-use application when designs are ready.
Ending: The board’s vote starts a multistep public process; staff urged residents to watch the village website for notices and confirmed more detailed design and hearings will come after the architect’s next deliverables.
