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Mayor warns state housing/transit changes could strip Cary of parking and fee controls
Summary
Cary's mayor criticized a recently discussed state housing/transit law, saying it would limit municipal parking requirements near transit, expand a new oversight board, and remove local impact and tap‑on fees — changes the mayor said would reduce residents' input on new development.
The mayor of Cary warned at the May 5 board meeting that a recently advanced state housing and transit restructuring — described in the meeting as the "people over parking" approach tied to a broader Build Illinois concept — would limit local control over parking requirements and local fees.
The mayor said the state plan creates a new oversight board (referred to in the meeting as "NITA") to replace the Regional Transit Authority, expanding membership from what the mayor said was about eight people to "like 19 people," and would constrain municipal authority to require parking within a half‑mile of train stations and an eighth‑mile of bus stops. "You cannot limit parking...there is no regard to parking at all," the mayor said, arguing that developers could build multiunit properties without local hearings or staff input.
Why it matters: The mayor said Cary expects nearly 900 new housing units in the next two years and that removing local parking mandates and impact fees could strain infrastructure and eliminate tap‑on fee revenue the village uses to fund water and sewer system extensions. "This strips us of that opportunity," the mayor said, urging residents and local officials to press state legislators for a seat at the table and to understand the local ramifications.
Details from the meeting: The mayor described negotiations Cary uses when reviewing developments (citing an existing 2.25 spaces per unit standard that is often negotiated down to 1.5) and said the state proposal would prevent local authorities from setting similar requirements. He also said the governor's plan targets adding housing units statewide (the mayor quoted a five‑year goal of 225 units from the governor's office) and framed Cary's local planning as complementary to, but distinct from, the state approach.
Board context and next steps: The mayor said Cary officials attended the Illinois Municipal League lobby day and plan further outreach to state lawmakers. He noted the zoning board will consider a Maplewood project the following day and invited residents to meet with him for further explanation. The mayor framed the conversation as seeking negotiation and local input rather than unilateral state action.
Attribution: The statements and quoted phrases above are attributed to the mayor, who spoke throughout the board's report. No individual mayoral name appears in the transcript; the board identified the speaker by role. For follow‑up, the mayor offered to meet with residents and encouraged contact with state legislators.
