Pingree Grove board tables rental-inspection ordinance after questions on scope, fees and scheduling

President Amber Kubak and staff presented a draft ordinance to establish a rental housing inspection program for Pingree Grove and then the board extensively questioned the proposed scope, fee structure and scheduling.

Nick, the staff presenter, said the village identified approximately 260 rental units using utility billing and homeowner-association outreach and recommended partnering with Lakeside Consultants to administer the program. "Staff is recommending the adoption of this ordinance," Nick said, adding that the first year (2026) would be used for registration and that inspections would begin in 2027 for odd-numbered addresses and in 2028 for even-numbered addresses.

The draft sets inspection fees at $275 for a traditional single-family home and $250 for a townhouse or condominium unit; a $75 reinspection fee was proposed for follow-up visits. Nick told the board inspections would occur on a two-year cycle thereafter and that, if deficiencies are identified, owners would generally have about 30 days to correct them and schedule a reinspection, with staff able to grant extensions when justified.

Board members pressed staff on how the checklist would draw lines between life-safety items and cosmetic concerns. Andy said the primary purpose for the village as a non-home-rule community is "safety and nuisance abatement," and described the program as intended to preserve housing quality and give renters a route to address unsafe conditions. Several trustees and attendees voiced concern the draft checklist contained items that could be read as cosmetic (for example, carpet appearance or cleanliness standards). Those speakers urged clearer language so inspectors focus on safety defects (mold, structural leaks, inoperable smoke/carbon-monoxide detectors) rather than subjective cleanliness judgments.

Trustees also raised scheduling and notice questions. Staff said owners would be notified well in advance and that a five-day mailed reminder would serve as a final reminder after an inspection date had been set; Nick said inspections would be scheduled between May 1 and Dec. 1 of inspection years, with initial registration work occurring Jan. 1–May 1, 2027. Board members said the five-day window should not force renters or small-business owners to lose pay and asked staff to explore flexibility such as limited evening hours or alternate scheduling to accommodate working residents.

On enforcement, staff proposed building cooperative, code-enforcement-style remedies into the process and noted inspections aim for compliance rather than revenue. Michael, speaking for the village's legal perspective, said the village typically takes a "cooperative, collaborative approach" before pursuing court action and supported relying on that practice rather than adding rigid new enforcement language to the ordinance.

Several trustees asked staff to explicitly add toilets to the plumbing language already drafting faucets and to tighten checklist language about detector age; staff agreed to update the draft. The board also asked staff to add clear owner-registration language that would indicate owners acknowledge an obligation to remedy identified deficiencies within an agreed time frame, and to add tenant-facing contact information so renters can report unresolved issues.

After extended discussion and multiple clarifying questions, a trustee moved and the board voted to table the ordinance so staff can revise the checklist and address the scheduling, notice and language concerns. President Kubak said staff will return with a cleaner draft and additional information about peer municipalities and scheduling options.

The board took no final action on the ordinance; staff will revise the draft and bring it back for further consideration.