Developer seeks partial waiver of impact fees for senior living PUD; public hearing set for July 14

John Ford, a representative of 3 Leaf Development, told the Village of Hartland board that his company is seeking amendments to a planned-unit development (PUD) for a proposed senior-living project on Campus Drive and asked the board to consider charging the project impact fees based on its expected utility use rather than the village’s standard household factor. The board set a public hearing for July 14, 2025 on the PUD amendment request.

Ford described two main requests: a design amendment to add six units to the proposed senior living development and a financial accommodation to make the project feasible. He said the developer’s current plan increases the project by six units (from the previously approved 118 units to 124 units) and that the development team has trimmed construction costs and worked with an operator and contractor to reduce operating and building expenses.

The financial request seeks to align utility-impact charges with the senior use’s expected actual demand. Ford said industry data and the developer’s analysis indicate an average occupancy of about 1.2 people per senior unit — a lower per-unit utility burden than a typical single-family or multifamily household. Using that metric, he said the developer estimates paying roughly $882,000 (about 70%) of total village and regional impact fees estimated at $1,265,000 and is requesting a waiver from the village of about $382,874 (roughly 30% of the total). Ford said he is not requesting direct dollars from the village and characterized the waiver request as a usage-based adjustment, not a request for cash assistance.

Board members and staff discussed the classification of the use. Ryan (planning staff) and a plan commission member described the project as a hybrid: parts of the building will be residential-style independent living while other areas will provide assisted- and memory-care services with nursing staff on site. That hybrid character is central to the developer’s argument that the project does not fit squarely into the village’s current fee categories for “commercial” or “housing.” The plan commission, which forwarded the item to the board, acknowledged the hybrid issue and noted an appeal path exists if the village denies a requested adjustment.

Several trustees said they wanted to preserve flexibility in the PUD process. The board opened a linked first-reading ordinance to amend section 46-801 of the Village of Hartland ordinances to explicitly allow the village to amend PUD-related fees. That ordinance had first reading only and will return for further consideration.

Developer representatives said the project faces a financing gap — Ford estimated roughly $800,000 — driven in part by additional site work costs and topographic challenges. Ford said the overall project cost is near $50 million and that the requested fee adjustment represents a small share of total project costs. Matt Bailey, a civil engineer with the development team, was present to answer technical questions about the developer’s 37% utility-usage estimate versus standard household factors cited in the village impact-fee study.

Board members voted to set a public hearing on the PUD amendment and related impact-fee considerations for July 14, 2025. The vote to set the hearing passed after a motion and second; no recorded roll-call tally was provided in the meeting transcript.

Why it matters: the board will decide whether to apply a usage-based fee for a use that mixes assisted care and independent living. The decision affects the project’s financing and could prompt a review of how the village classifies and charges for hybrid senior-care developments going forward.

Where this stands: first reading of a PUD amendment and a linked first-reading ordinance to clarify the board’s authority to amend fees were completed; the public hearing is scheduled for July 14, 2025. Developer materials and additional technical backup were on the meeting packet and the developer and civil engineer said they would be available for the hearing.

What to watch: public hearing testimony, plan commission recommendations after the hearing, any formal motion to amend the PUD that would change the recorded impact-fee language in the PUD agreement.