Fox River Grove board directs staff to draft ordinance to raise liquor-license fees

Fox River Grove trustees directed staff on Feb. 18 to prepare an ordinance to update the village's liquor-license fee schedule after reviewing how neighboring communities set their rates.

Administrator Soderholm told the board staff had surveyed surrounding municipalities to compare fees and presented options for revising license classes and the application charge. Trustee Steve Knar recommended raising fees across different license classes and increasing the application fee; Trustees Devin Hester, Andrew Migdal and Jennifer Curtiss said they supported making adjustments now, noting fees "have not been adjusted for at least eleven." The board asked staff to draft an ordinance for consideration at the next available meeting.

The discussion produced no formal vote on fee amounts at the Feb. 18 meeting; it was a directive for staff work and ordinance preparation. Questions raised earlier in the meeting about related permitting and reporting — including whether the Permit Value Construction Report included Redwood project values — were clarified by Administrator Soderholm, who said Redwood was not included in that report.

If the board adopts an ordinance later, the changes would take effect only after the board's formal vote and any public-notice requirements are met. The village did not provide specific proposed fee amounts during the Feb. 18 discussion.