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Urbana staff to seek technical correction and possible 10‑year extension for enterprise zone; taxing districts asked for support letters
Summary
City staff told the advisory board they will request taxing‑district support letters and submit a program language technical correction to preserve full abatement terms for enrolled projects; the city is also eligible to apply for a 10‑year extension to the enterprise zone designation, which would extend it to 2040 if approved by the state.
City of Urbana staff told the Enterprise Zone Advisory Board they will pursue a technical correction to ordinance language and prepare an application for a potential 10‑year extension of the enterprise zone designation.
Hillary Ortiz, the enterprise zone administrator, said current ordinance language ties real estate tax abatement termination to the expiration of the enterprise zone designation and that this could prevent projects currently enrolled from realizing the full abatement term. She described a proposed correction stating that "the said real estate tax abatement shall remain in effect for the full term of the approved abatement provided that the application for such abatement is received and approved prior to the expiration of the enterprise zone designation." Ortiz said she discussed the issue with the Illinois DCEO and that DCEO recommended taxing districts amend their resolutions to include the corrected language.
Ortiz asked taxing districts to provide letters of support confirming they would be willing to adopt the amended language so the city could submit a program language technical correction to the state. "We will be reaching out and working with you guys individually in order to ensure your participation and move through that," Ortiz said, adding the board could expect a template for the support letter.
Ortiz also said Urbana is eligible to apply for a 10‑year extension of the enterprise zone, which could extend the designation through 2040 if approved by the state; she described the city’s application as "lengthy" and said the city can begin the extension process up to five years in advance. Board members asked whether the extension process could change zone boundaries; Ortiz said boundaries under the current designation are fixed and that any boundary amendment would require a separate application subject to mileage limitations.
A board member asked whether a template and deadline for support letters would be provided; Ortiz said a template could be provided and there was not a firm deadline yet, noting that many members would need to seek formal approval from their own boards or commissions. No formal vote on the technical correction or extension was recorded during the meeting.
