Trustees discuss permit‑fee waivers for proposed 28–30 E. Burlington PUD; staff to draft incentive agreement

Trustees discussed a developer request for permit‑fee waivers tied to a proposed planned‑unit development at 28–30 East Burlington and gave staff direction to draft a proposed incentive agreement; the board did not take a formal vote.

Manager Francis and staff summarized the developer’s estimate of total village fees in 2025 and 2026 (a projected range of roughly $262,488–$295,488 in 2025 depending on final plans) and outlined options for structuring incentives: full fee waivers, waivers with a cap, waivers of in‑house fees while requiring developer payment of third‑party (party) review fees, and rebate structures that return fees after completion or upon meeting construction milestones.

Board members debated the balance between encouraging development and protecting village finances. Trustees expressed support for a hybrid approach: waive in‑house permit and license fees but require the developer to pay third‑party plan‑review and inspection costs upfront; those third‑party fees would be eligible for rebate after completion milestones. Trustees also said the developer must post a refundable parkway bond to cover restoration during construction.

Manager Francis presented staff’s conservative fiscal estimate of community tax benefits and noted uncertainties. He said staff’s materials project total property tax generation from the PUD across jurisdictions at $383,033 annually and that the village “only represents approximately 15% of that,” and materials included a village 10‑year revenue figure presented to the board.

The board asked staff to draft an incentive agreement and to consult the Economic Development Commission on whether the first floor should be marketed for sales‑tax generating commercial use that could qualify for separate incentives. No binding agreement was approved at the meeting; trustees directed staff to return with draft terms for formal consideration.