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Lemont opens hearings on annexation at 13100 Main Street and Main & Marley TIF as residents raise tax-diversion and wetlands concerns
Summary
At its Feb. 9 meeting Lemont opened public hearings on annexing 13100 Main Street and on a proposed Main & Marley TIF. Ryan LLC described a roughly $22 million estimated TIF budget for industrial redevelopment; residents asked about wetlands, existing businesses and whether TIF capture would divert taxes from schools and services.
Lemont opened two required public hearings on Feb. 9, starting with an annexation petition for 13100 Main Street and then a proposed Main & Marley tax-increment financing (TIF) district that village consultants say is aimed at industrial redevelopment.
The board will take final votes on the annexation and the TIF at a later meeting; the hearings were opened to receive public comment. "The petitioner, Jose Velez, is requesting an annexation of the property at 13100 Main Street," the village attorney said, adding staff had recommended approval when the items return for action.
Brett Michaelson, a TIF consultant with Ryan LLC, told the board the TIF eligibility analysis found the study area meets both conservation-area and blighted-vacant-area criteria, including chronic flooding in parts of the site. He said the equalized assessed value (EAV) for the area was "approximately a little over $11,000,000" in 2023 and that the total estimated TIF budget is "around $22,000,000," with likely eligible uses listed as land acquisition, site preparation, utility and infrastructure improvements, property rehabilitation, interest and professional-service costs.
Several trustees framed annexation and the proposed industrial TIF as a way for the village to exercise jurisdiction over unincorporated parcels that they said have functioned as truck parking and have limited infrastructure and safety features. The mayor said village control could allow the installation of turn lanes, curbs and other improvements that do not occur when land remains outside village limits.
In public comment, resident Laura Bridal questioned the inclusion of wetlands and existing businesses in the TIF boundary and warned that diverting future property-tax growth into a TIF reduces revenue available to schools, libraries, parks and public safety. "If development is already happening, why does it require long term tax diversion to occur?" Bridal asked, arguing that Lemont has active development without needing additional tax diversion.
Dimitri Coliff, speaking for property owner IMTT, said the area already contains active businesses and asked why some of those parcels were included; Ryan LLC and village staff replied that eligibility factors must be applied across the entire study area and that some parcels will require annexation before being included in the formal TIF.
The board closed both hearings with motions to do so and clarified that any formal votes on the annexation and the TIF will occur at a subsequent meeting. The clerk and staff also said the specific ordinances and resolutions tied to the annexation will be postponed to the board’s next meeting so trustees have additional time for review.
