Lockport council to adopt 2024 building codes, approves grant packages and land purchase plan
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Summary
Staff recommended and the council signaled support for adopting the 2024 ICC building codes with local amendments to address data centers, lithium-ion storage and fire-safety upgrades; the council also approved site-improvement and sprinkler grant requests for 900 N. State Street and agreed to a municipal purchase-sales agreement for 10 acres at $300,000.
Lockport staff recommended adopting the 2024 International Code Council (ICC) series, explaining the update would align the city with modern uses such as data centers, provide clearer guidance on photovoltaic structures and address fire-safety issues linked to lithium-ion battery storage.
Lance and building officials (including Brian Pola and representatives from the fire districts) walked the council through major changes between the 2021 and 2024 codes. Staff emphasized three practical outcomes: better regulation of data centers and large scale battery storage, allowing certain photovoltaic structures and updated material standards, and enabling a phased program to require commercial properties to bring fire alarm systems into compliance over five years rather than an immediate retrofit.
Council members asked technical questions about the most consequential changes. Staff noted the Illinois energy-efficiency code (a separate state requirement) can be the most expensive element for developers, citing one local example where conduit for EV charging across many parking spaces added significant project cost. Staff said there were no "game-changing" onerous requirements hidden in the 2024 code package beyond known state-level energy rules; the council signaled support for adopting the 2024 code set with local amendments and an outreach plan to contractors and property owners.
On economic-development items, staff presented two requests from the owner of the shopping center at 900 N. State Street (the parcel historically called Maryknoll Shopping Center): a site improvement grant of up to $10,000 for a new monument sign and landscaping (to be renamed Archer Crossings) and a phase‑2 sprinkler grant request of $46,002.47 (50% of the project cost) to extend fire suppression infrastructure to additional PINs for a potential tenant who requires sprinklers. Staff noted approving the sign grant would bring the year's commitment to about 90% of the site-improvement budget.
Separately, staff described a purchase-sales agreement (Res. 25095) to acquire 10 acres from the Lockport Heights Sanitary District for $300,000. The parcel, north of the mayor’s house and adjacent to Prologis buildings, includes wetlands and a lift station the city currently operates; proceeds from the sale will be reinvested by the sanitary district into water-main repairs and connectivity. Staff said the purchase preserves the city’s operational control over the lift station and enables future municipal uses.
What’s next: The council placed the site and sprinkler grants on consent or action, instructed staff to proceed with developer outreach following the building‑code adoption, and authorized staff to proceed toward closing the land purchase if conditions are satisfied.
