LaGrange trustees hear lengthy briefing on Build Illinois housing bills, table a formal position
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Summary
Attorney Ben Shuster briefed trustees on multifaceted Build Illinois legislation — covering ADUs, parking reforms, missing‑middle housing, impact‑fee formulae, and plan-review timelines — and trustees chose to delay a vote on a model resolution, requesting more study and outreach to state legislators.
Village attorney Ben Shuster presented a detailed briefing on the Build Illinois legislative proposals at the April 13 LaGrange board meeting, describing multiple provisions that, in his view, could significantly limit local land‑use authority if adopted in current drafts.
Shuster outlined six major areas: accessory dwelling units (ADUs), parking reforms, building-code adjustments, missing‑middle housing allowances (including lot‑size and unit‑count mandates), impact‑fee formula standardization, and plan‑review and inspection timelines with potential third‑party review. He said the bills would, among other things, require municipalities to allow at least one ADU on single‑family lots, set uniform parking ratios (e.g., no more than 0.5 spaces per multifamily unit in some forms), permit up to eight units per lot in certain size ranges, and limit local ability to impose special ADU bulk rules or unique impact‑fee formulas.
Trustees asked extensive follow‑up questions about affordability mandates (Shuster said the bills do not itself mandate rental-price affordability levels but aim to increase supply), stormwater and impervious-surface impacts (Shuster said the draft does not directly address stormwater; local stormwater rules would still apply), subdivision and teardown incentives (trustees warned the draft could accelerate lot subdivisions and demolitions), and design standards (language varies across bills; some drafts limit design rules targeted at multifamily while allowing uniform design standards that apply broadly).
Public commenters and trustees urged more time for review. Trustee concerns focused on potential loss of local control, unanticipated infrastructure costs (stormwater, schools), and whether supply-driven approaches would produce genuinely affordable units rather than higher‑priced housing. Two trustees said they support adopting a resolution affirming local land‑use authority; three trustees said they were undecided and requested more information and appearances from state legislators. President Kugler said the board would not act tonight and would solicit additional briefings and possible testimony from state representatives before taking a formal position.
Ending: The briefing concluded with the board agreeing to delay action and pursue further study and outreach to state elected officials; staff and trustees identified follow-up briefings and possible external speakers for future meetings.
