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Village board approves 90‑day moratorium on park and school impact fees
Summary
The village board voted unanimously to pause park and school impact fees for 90 days while the village and school district update long‑outdated fee calculations tied to new development, after discussion about historic fee schedules and developer concerns.
The village board voted unanimously Jan. 27 to impose a 90‑day moratorium on the village's park impact fee and the school district's school impact fee for new residential construction, giving staff and the district time to revise outdated fee calculations.
Board members discussed the policy after staff reported that impact‑fee schedules tied to the Hunter's Chase/Hunterschase East development have not been updated in decades and that paperwork for the school fee directs five‑year reviews that were not performed. The pause applies only to park and school impact fees; water and sewer tap fees and updated inspection fees remain in effect.
Mayor (name not specified) told the board that Lennar Builders closed on lots Dec. 1 and that the board had removed a previous moratorium on fees on Dec. 9. The mayor said developers reported large swings in per‑house assessments and asked whether the village could “meet in the middle.” The mayor said Charity (village staff) provided extensive documentation and that the village attorney advised impact fees may be used only for land acquisition or capital improvements, not for maintenance.
Trustees said the existing fee schedules were probably set in the late 1990s and have not been updated to reflect current land values, housing types or school capacities. The mayor told the board the school district official had agreed to review the school impact numbers and provide updated figures within the 90‑day window. Trustee Terry and others said a 90‑day reprieve would give builders time while staff and the district update calculations.
A motion to apply the moratorium to park and school impact fees for 90 days was made and seconded; a roll call recorded six votes in favor and none opposed. The board did not enact changes to tap fees or to the inspection fees that the village said had already been updated to stop operational losses.
The board directed staff to schedule follow‑up committee work between finance/administration and planning and zoning and to coordinate with the school district on revised impact‑fee calculations. The board did not adopt new fees at the meeting; it paused the two fees while updates are prepared.
Board members flagged several technical issues for the committees to address, including inconsistent student‑generation factors in the existing school schedule (different counts for townhouses versus detached houses) and the lack of five‑year updates required by the school paperwork. The mayor and trustees said the moratorium is intended to preserve options while those technical issues are examined.
